Online Confession

Something is weighing on you and you want to bring it to a priest. You can start right here: work through the examination of conscience below, then talk it through with a priest in a private chat.

Being straight with you about what this is

Sacramental confession - the one that ends with absolution - has to happen face to face with a priest. That is not a rule we invented and it is not one we can work around online. What we can do is everything that leads up to it, and that is usually the part people get stuck on.

  • Work out what you actually want to say, without the pressure of someone waiting.
  • Ask a priest the questions you would be embarrassed to ask in the confessional.
  • Talk through whatever is holding you back from going - shame, distance, years away from the Church.

Examination of conscience

Go through the areas below and mark whatever speaks to you. Nothing leaves your device unless you decide to take it to a priest.

Going in person

When you are ready for sacramental confession, most parishes have set times each week and many hear confessions on request. You do not need to explain yourself in advance, and you do not need to have been recently. Turning up is enough.

Common questions

Can I confess online and receive absolution?
No. Absolution requires a priest to be physically present with you - the Church has been consistent about this, including when the question came up during the pandemic. Anyone offering online absolution is not giving you a valid sacrament. Preparation, guidance and honest conversation are a different matter, and those you can do here.
What if I have not been to confession in years?
Then say exactly that when you go. Priests hear it constantly and it is genuinely a good day for them. You do not need to remember the formula, and you do not need to have everything perfectly ordered - the priest will walk you through it.
What if I am too ashamed to say it out loud?
That is the most common reason people stay away, and it is worth talking about before you go rather than carrying it alone. You can say it here first, in writing, to a priest who will not react the way you are afraid someone will.
Is this conversation private?
Yes. The chat is encrypted and your personal information stays with us. Note that a chat is not the sacramental seal of confession, which applies only to the sacrament itself - another reason the sacrament belongs in person.

Talk it through with a priest

Our priests are available around the clock, the conversation is private, and you do not need an account to start.

Start a private chat