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There's A Priest Actually Accepting People's Confessions Via Snapchat

by Emily Arata
Snapchat/Getty Images

If you can't make proper confessions during Lent, one "priest" hopes you'll just pick up your iPhone for a penitent Snapchat.

Fox 29 reports a San Antonio-based Snapchatter by the name of @priestDavid is upsetting local priests by accepting confessions via the disappearing photo app until March 16.

A press release received by the media outlet announced this "man of the cloth" decided to absolve sins digitally after 23 years in the priesthood.

The email didn't share @priestDavid's denomination or location, however.

Speaking on behalf of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Deacon Pat Rodgers confirmed the social media effort is in no way associated with the Catholic Church.

Priest Father Tony Vilano told Fox 28 the Snapchat confession doesn't even count for Catholics (or Episcopalians).

He said,

It's not what the sacrament is all about... He's not a Catholic priest. The church teaches when you go to confession, you should go to a priest either behind a divider or face to face.

In other words, Catholics won't be getting digitally cleansed unless God himself joins Snapchat.

Citations: Mysterious priest taking digital confessions (Fox 29)