Catholic confessions 'banned over Sars fears'

The Catholic Church in Singapore has temporarily banned priests from hearing confessions to help stem the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or Sars, it was reported today.

Catholic churches across the South-east Asian city-state have banned the practice, which puts the faithful in a booth with a priest so they can confess their sins, the Straits Times newspaper said.

Many Catholics usually make confessions in the days before the Easter holiday, which starts this year on April 18.

The island’s 150,000 Catholics are reportedly being instructed to instead “ask for forgiveness in their hearts” and priests are following services with a general absolution of silently confessed sins.

Churches there have also advised their members not to hold each other’s hands during services, and communion wafers are being placed in parishioners’ palms rather than on their tongues, the paper said.

Eight people have died in Singapore from Sars and 118 cases of the illness have been reported.