The Roman Catholic diocese of London is hoping to entice sinners back
to confession by appealing to the modern-day love of gadgets and social
networks like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
While you still
can't exactly tweet your confession in 140 characters or less, LOL, the
church is offering the gift of a free app for your Apple iPad, iPod or
iPhone that will coach you on the proper procedures for the rite of
confession.
Mark Adkinson, public relations officer with the diocese, said the app is available at www.dol.ca.
"We will gift the app to you through the iTunes store," said Adkinson.
The application, Confession: a Roman Catholic App, normally retails for $1.99.
Up to 500 copies will be made available.
The
app provides a "howto guide" and "step-by-step" prompting on the rite
of confession, helping Catholics to understand the process and to know
how their particular sin might be handled.
"People use Facebook,
You Tube, Twitter and blogs to tell their family, friends and even
complete strangers' details about their personal lives," said Adkinson.
"Yet they seem reluctant to talk to God about what they did."
Adkinson,
who helped develop the campaign, said the church will also distribute
100,000 confession "how-to" guides to every parish and Roman Catholic
school throughout Southwestern Ontario.
Again this year more than
120 churches in the diocese will be open to hear confession on
Wednesday, April 6. On that day worshippers will be able to go to any
church in their area from morning until evening to meet with a priest.
Confession is an important part of Lent, the 40-day penitential period before Easter, April 24.
Adkinson
said last year was the first time the church adopted a campaign that
had been tried in the U.S. to keep the churches open and allow all
Catholics to go to any convenient church to confess.
He said it was
hoped more would come out if they didn't have to face their own priest
and if they could go to any church, near their workplace for example,
for confession.
"Last year we weren't sure it would work," he
said. "Priests brought in books and magazines to read while they were
waiting. They never got the chance. They were sitting there for 10
straight hours with no time to eat or go to the bathroom.
"There was a constant stream of people all day and evening long. People who had not been in 10, 15 or 25 years came."
Rev. Chris Valk, University of Windsor minister for Assumption Church, said he recalled the crowds last year.
"I
can tell you I stayed very busy," he said. "It was a new event and we
were swamped.
People have a great need for reconciliation, not just with
God but with each other."
He said the act of confession, saying
you are sorry and being granted forgiveness, is an act of healing for
many and gives them a sense of ownership.
He added that listening to
confession is also important for the priests.
"Confession is the most holy and sacred ground on which we stand," he said.
"We are not our own saviours.... People don't forgive themselves very easily. Confession helps move them along the right path."