“A clean confession combined with a promise never to commit the sin again, when offered before one who has the right to receive it, is the purest type of repentance.”
-Mahatma Ghandi
The Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation invites the Christian to a personal conversion to, and reconciliation with, God the Merciful/Prodigal Father. Through to His promise, the death of Christ helps to ‘wash away original sin, makes us children of God and members of His Church’, through the Sacrament of Baptism. By this singular honour we become a new being, as the old has passed away; yet, we remain in the mortal body washed free from quilt.
Accordingly, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states: “Through the sacraments of Christian initiation, man receives the new life of Christ. Now we carry this life “in earthen vessels,” and it remains “hidden with Christ in God.” We are still in our “earthly tent,” subject to suffering, illness, and death. This new life as a child of God can be weakened and even lost by sin” (CCC, 1420).
Hence, the need for us, like the prodigal son, with a contrite heart to trace our steps back to the Father, confessing our sins to Him Who gave His only Begotten Son to ransom us slaves. “Three conditions are necessary for Penance: contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a purpose of amendment; confession of sins without any omission; and satisfaction by means of good works”, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, a mediaeval Doctor of the Church (popularly called “Doctor Communis: The Common Doctor”).
The Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation, therefore, affords us the opportunity to recognise the holiness of God (Who abhors sin but loves sinners) and His mercy towards sinful man. Accordingly, Pope (St.) John Paull II says “Confession is an act of honesty and courage – an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God.”
The advent of the Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) opened us to new realities. Prior to Covid-19, European and American Churches have pressured Rome to allow for confession via text messages, zoom and other virtual means. No thanks to the pandemic, the Holy Mother Church has been exposed to increased demand for technological advancement in administering this Sacrament of Forgiveness.
While this could be viewed from a conversational angle, it negates Confessional secrecy which goes beyond I (‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter Onifade) telling somebody my secrets which I do not wish to be told or shared with someone else. Confessional secrecy is beyond siblings/friends/relations/colleagues/partners/heads of corporations/nations/multi-national institutions entrusting a secret to one another, for what it is worth.
Being physically present at the Confessional offers the penitent the need for the closure arising from the forgiveness and salvation God offers us whenever we approach this Sacrament of Conversion. Closure for the penitent at the Confessional is like what happened to the woman accused of adultery and was brought before Christ. The Bible says Christ was writing on the ground (Biblical Scholars have affirmed that Christ wrote their sins on the ground). But, when they insisted he should condemn the woman, he simply told them that the one without sin should be the first to stone her. They left without uttering a word. And Christ told the woman “Neither do I condemn you” (Jn 8: 3-11).
It is like a friend owing me a N100, 000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) but could not pay back but resorted to hiding from me. Suddenly, another friend brought him to me and there and then, I told my friend to forget about owing me a N100m. Imagine how you will react were you to be the friend? That is exactly what that woman felt when Christ told her “neither do I condemn you.” According to Msgr. Gabriel ‘Kunle Amolegbe in his book, ‘My Reflection’: “The power of mercy in these circumstances” is shown to man.
As such how do we ensure closure when the aura which radiates around you from the Priest to the penitent and vice versa is missing during a visual encounter? The personal encounter cannot be replaced with a virtual experience. I do not know about you, but each I time I rise up from the kneeler at the Confessional, I feel it and I tell myself that the Pope is the second holiest person in the whole world; I am the first. That’s what a true confession does to the penitent.
Because, at the Confessional you come, personally, alone to experience that aura of the “personal encounter” it offers. As such, virtual confession cannot and will not give you the requisite closure you so much desired to be reconciled with God and with His Church. Then, it is no more a confession done in secret between you and God; hence, virtual confession calls to question the potency of confessional secrecy.
For instance, should my followers be online during my virtual confession, they will watch and listen live to the sins I confess to the Priest. Or, if they are not, they can always watch it later Thereby, there would be no Confession at all. Then, it would have just been me telling the Priests what I feel about how I have been living my life not in conformity with Gospel values. That is no Sacramental Confession at all.
‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter Onifade
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