Confession App for iPhones!

Check out our new website! Thanks to the work of two students, Michael Russo and Tayler Lofquist, we have a sweet new site. It is still under construction, but already has many great and helpful tools: pictures, calendars, upcoming events, Catholic apps and podcasts, “Got questions?” section, and many ways to get involved. Please click on today’s title to go the site.


When you go to the site, you can check out the new “Confession App” for iPhones (under our iCatholic section). You might have seen this on the news this week. I’ve heard that there are other confession apps, but they are not from the Church. This one is legit Catholic. It has the imprimatur of a bishop (my former rector in the seminary) – the first one for an iPhone app. No Confession app, including this one, replaces the Sacrament! What this app does is help penitents to prepare for and use during Confession. Here is the description of “Confession: A Roman Catholic App”:


"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.

The text of this app was developed in collaboration with Rev. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Rev. Dan Scheidt, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mishawaka, IN. The app received an imprimatur from Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes of the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend. It is the first known imprimatur to be given for an iPhone/iPad app.

From one of our users which we stand by:

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it does not and can not take the place of confessing before a validly ordained Roman Catholic priest in a Confessional, in person, either face to face, or behind the screen. Why? Because the Congregation on Divine Worship and the Sacraments has long ruled that Confessions by electronic media are invalid and that ABSOLUTION BY THE PRIEST must be given in person because the Seal of the Confessional must be Protected and for the Sacrament to be valid there has to be both the matter and the form which means THE PRIEST.

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- Custom examination of Conscience based upon age, sex, and vocation (single, married, priest, or religious)

- Multiple user support with password protected accounts

- Ability to add sins not listed in standard examination of conscience

- Confession walkthrough including time of last confession in days, weeks, months, and years

- Choose from 7 different acts of contrition

- Custom interface for iPad

- Full retina display support