Post from 2/17:

Confession has been in the news lately. Something about a new phone app. I wish the developer of the app would have named it the preparation for confession app or the examination of conscience app, so much unnecessary confusion would have been avoided, but then again, if the app were renamed, there would be far fewer people taking so much about confession. You can’t says that nobody talks about confession anymore! Btw–No, you can’t confess your sins to a priest over the phone. Nor can you so on Facebook or Twitter for that matter. The confession app just helps you to examine your conscience before going to confession.

A few days ago I went to confession (the same way it’ll be done till the end of time, because the Church is timeless and not trendy). It was yet another opportunity to experience anew the liberation Jesus Christ won for me on the cross; confession involves going before God to be healed of soul-sickness and being reconciled to the Father as a beloved son. I remember my first really good confession, in late 1999: i was ready to abandon a particular sin that i was seriously addicted to. That confession was a major turning point in my life; the priest, a friar at the Franciscan Monastery heard my confession and, after giving me much encouragement, prayed an exorcism prayer over me. As Father spoke the words, “I absolve you…,” you could practically hear chains hitting the floor. What a release! I will never forget that confession nor the priest who heard it and prayed an exorcism prayer over me. Sadly i’ve just learned that Fr. James passed away into eternity–please pray for me.