Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski, the head of the Olsztyn-Gdańsk diocese of the
Greek Catholic Church in Poland recognized how using devices of this sort may be convenient, giving an example of apps containing the missal or the breviary. Compared to paper versions of the texts, these apps greatly facilitate prayer, eliminating the need to use bookmarks.
“You can conduct an entire mass using the phone,” Bishop Trochanowski said, adding that “while in the case of a normal breviary in book form, one almost requires a manual instructing what prayer ought to be said when, a digital version has it all pre-set.”
Greek Catholic priests and deacons were keen on using digitalized liturgical books and the breviary out of convenience, but the bishop said that he is aware of cases when
some priests would take photos and even selfies during the mass.
“
This has gone too far,” Bishop Trochanowski told the Polish Press Agency (PAP), citing the bishops’ motivation to issue the decrees in their respective dioceses.
He also admitted his concerns regarding the validity of prayer during the service in cases when a notification from another app would pop up on the screen but also stressed the dignity that comes with a priest using a physical book or being seen with e.g. a breviary in public.
According to the text of the decree published online, priests and deacons are “categorically forbidden” to take pictures and record videos during the service, and are instructed to appoint a specific person to do that should they wish to record the liturgy.
The bishops have also instructed the clergymen not to take phones and other such devices into the confessional booth. As Bishop Trochanowski told PAP, he does not suspect the phones could be used to make recordings during the confessions or even be bugged, but said even a muted phone set to vibrate could distract the priest and the faithful confessing their transgressions.
“This disrupts the intimacy of the confession,” he said.
But the head of the Olsztyn-Gdańsk Eparchy conceded that while he and his fellow bishops are categorical regarding the use of digital devices by priests and deacons when it comes to the faithful, he “is ready to make some concessions” and permits their use to access the digital version of prayers and hymns during the service.
