Confession App & the Ritual Body

Apple, through their I-Tunes site, has recently launched an “app”, approved by the Vatican, for performing confession on an i-pod. Clearly, the use of technology is radically altering the enactment of the rite of confession, as the body is all but taken out of the picture. We know from Facebook studies that the kinds of posts made do not accurately reflect personal sentiments and experiences. People generally under-report feeling down, for example. Social media is prone to acting, experimenting with different personalities and images, and even outright deception. Moreover, using one of a dozen or so e-motion icons is hardly a substitute for the face to face communication of emotion. How important is tone of voice, personal encounter, physical conversation to the confessional? If the “confession app” is meant to be used only when embodied confession is impossible, will it nevertheless become an easy substitute?

Here is the description of the App from the I-Tunes Website: “Designed to be used in the confessional, this app is the perfect aid for every penitent. With a personalized examination of conscience for each user, password protected profiles, and a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, this app invites Catholics to prayerfully prepare for and participate in the Rite of Penance. Individuals who have been away from the sacrament for some time will find Confession: A Roman Catholic App to be a useful and inviting tool.”

To read more from the Apple website, click here.