Pope to Vatican confessors: 'Always forgive'

By Lisa Zengarini

“Always forgive everything, because we are here to forgive; let others argue!”

Pope Francis reiterated this refrain on Thursday as he addressed the community of the Vatican College of Penitentiaries on occasion of the 250th anniversary of the entrusting of the Ministry of Confessions in St. Peter’s Basilica to the Conventual Franciscans. This ministry has been under their care since 1774.

God's tenderness

Addressing the 60 Vatican confessors accompanied by their Rector, Father Vincenzo Cosatti O.F.M.Conv., in the Consistory Hall, the Pope highlighted the vital importance of their service in the Basilica, both for those who go there to confess and also for other visitors.

He said the ministry "bears witness to them that the Church welcomes them first of all as a community of the forgiven, who believe, hope, and love in the light and strength of God’s tenderness.”

The Pope focused his reflections on three key aspects of their ministry: humility, listening, and mercy. 

Humility

Drawing from the example of the Apostle Peter, who, after his own personal failings, learned humility through seeking forgiveness, he invited the Franciscan confessors to view themselves as “penitents” first, always seeking God’s mercy.

This humility, the Pope said, should be reflected in their prayers and actions within the sacred space of the Basilica.

Compassionate listeners, not psychiatrists

Pope Francis then highlighted the importance of  active and empathetic listening, especially to the young and vulnerable, warning, however,  that a confessor is not a psychiatrist.

“The less you talk, the better,” he said. “Just listen, console and forgive.”

The Pope urged the confessors to approach each person’s words as a gift from God, which not only helps in guiding others but also aids in their own personal conversion.

He reminded them that by truly listening to the penitent in the Sacrament of Reconciliation the confessor listens “to Jesus himself, poor and humble”, thus facilitating a personal encounter between that penitent and Christ.

Forgiveness and mercy

Finally, Pope Francis urged the confessors to be merciful, compassionate, and gentle toward the penitent, recognizing that those seeking confession are already humbled by their sins.  

“As dispensers of God’s forgiveness, it is important to be ‘men of mercy,’ radiant, generous, ready to understand and console, in words and attitudes," he stressed, drawing from the words of the Capuchin Saint Leopold Mandic, a contemporary of Padre Pio known for being merciful and generous with his penances.

“The confessor must be close, merciful and compassionate” like God, Pope Francis insisted, citing the example of another Capuchin friar, Luis Pascual Dri, whom he made Cardinal in 2023, and whom he has often pointed to as an icon of what a confessor ought to be.

Concluding, Pope Francis thanked the Vatican Penitentiaries for their service, while again encouraging them to carry out their ministry in humility, listening, and mercy.