When I first spotted Sean Kittridge’s article (“Catholic Church might be due for an update,” Mar. 3), I was actually optimistic that it might be suggesting a positive direction for the Catholic Church to move. Alas, this was not the case. All things considered, I applaud the Conference of French Bishops’ decision not to sanction ABBAS Interactive’s confession phone-line.

First, the idea of charging for such a service is horrifying, as anyone who remembers Martin Luther’s protest at the sale of indulgences should realize. Putting even that aside, Mr. Kittridge’s reaction reveals an unsophisticated (but sadly quite common) understanding of Christianity.

The point that he is missing is that the Christian life is not meant to be easy, and in many instances in the Gospels, Jesus is quoted as explicitly promising that it would be hard. This struggle is for God’s glory (because it demonstrates that He’s worth it), and for our own good, too, because it helps us realize what’s really good for us and where our priorities should be. The Church should never stop telling people to sacrifice things that they don’t really need.

In the case of confession in particular, the process, the conversation and the time spent force you take your sins seriously. Though it has no impact on God’s forgiveness, our determination to overcome our sins is as crucial to our spiritual growth as God’s power to aid us is. I rather doubt that the common problem in Europe is a truly packed schedule; if people cared about their religion, they would find time for it. If instead France has an epidemic of apathy, this service is not likely to re-inspire them.

Brandon Biagioli ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science.