Bless me father, for iHaveSinned: New iPhone ‘confessional’ app

iPhone users, your list of excuses to skip Confession on Saturdays just got a little bit shorter.

Despite some relatively progressive stances for Christians on positions such as science and evolution, the Catholic Church gets a lot of (okay, mostly deserved) flak on the internet for its sins. But say what you will about certain endemic to or pervasive in the church, Catholic Church leaders are also pretty with-it when it comes to social media. And just this week, the church broadened its embrace of web apps and platforms by sanctioning an iPhone app created by three laypeople under the guidance of two priests to walk lapsed or simply nervous parishioners through confession.

Before you get too excited about not having to look at Father Jack when you spill about getting drunk and groping your secretary, the app doesn’t offer absolution. However, it does help you sort through behaviors you might have engaged in that are sins- a function anyone who has blanked when it comes to that point can appreciate. The app’s site, littleiapps.com, describes it thusly:

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.

The app, emblazoned with a very Catholic but stylized Sacred Heart, is available for $1.99. And for penance? There are several rosary apps available for iPhone as well, including “Holy Rosary Deluxe Version” for $1.99.