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Self-proclaimed priest accepts confessions over Snapchat

A self-proclaimed — and anonymous — ordained priest in the San Antonio, Texas, area says he is accepting digital confessions over social media app Snapchat.

The mystery man of cloth who goes by “@PriestDavid” told News 4 San Antonio that he’s handling missives for the religious sacrament digitally until March 16.

But the unconventional gambit is turning some heads among the faithful.

“It’s not confession. It’s not what the sacrament is all about,” said the Rev. Tony Vilano, who hears confessions the old-fashioned way at San Fernando Cathedral.

“He’s not a Catholic priest. The church teaches when you go to confession, you should go to a priest either behind a divider or face to face,” he said.

The computing cleric told the station that he started his social media experiment as a way to help a college student with a project and also as a way to reach younger folks.

He said he prefers to stay anonymous, but stressed that he has been a priest for 23 years.

Deacon Pat Rodgers of the Archdiocese of San Antonio also slammed penance by Snapchat — saying digital confessions are contrary to church teachings, Fox San Antonio reported.

The ephemeral confessions will miraculously disappear on Snapchat, which allows users to set a time limit for how long recipients can view their Snaps before they vanish.