VIRTUAL confession remains a no-no in the Diocese of Kalookan, as Bishop Pablo David said the penitent still needs to be present physically.

In a Facebook post, David said penitents are required to be physically present before a priest in doing his/her confessions amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

"As long as the penitent is physically present... This is a valid sacrament of reconciliation," said David, who is also the vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

But in order to maintain health and safety protocols, the prelate said priests may find or build a place with a separating clear glass divider.

Armed with the glass divider, David said the priest may sit on the opposite side of the clear glass divider while penitent is sitting on the other side.

And even without a glass divider, he said a confession can still be made between the priest and the penitent.

This, he said, is as long as it is done from a safe distance between the two.

Using a cellphone with a parish SIM card and with the number given to the penitent, a call can be made and they can start making a confession.

But David said: "Don’t put cellphone on loudspeaker. Make sure the seal of confession is not compromised."

Confession is a sacrament, wherein one states his/her sins before a priest in a bid to seek forgiveness from God. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)