ReligionPope Francispope newsChristianity

Pope Francis Tells Roman Curia To Hear Confessions As Part Of Pastoral Reforms For Vatican Government

'The Pope Doesn't Want Bureaucrats, He Wants Pastors'
Religion News Service
Open Image Modal

ROME (RNS) As part of Pope Francis’ pastoral reforms, all 44 senior members of the Roman Curia, or governing body, must take turns hearing confession at a church near the Vatican.

There is even speculation that Francis himself could hear confessions at the Church of the Santo Spirito in Sassia, just outside the Vatican walls, where his bishops and cardinals have been directed to perform the sacrament of penance and reconciliation.

“I think it’s likely the pope will discreetly hear confessions at some point,” said Giacomo Galeazzi, a veteran Vatican watcher from Italy’s La Stampa newspaper. “The pope has long been an advocate of the pastoral aspects of the ministry and now the Curia will as well.”

Galeazzi and others said the change, announced Sunday (Dec. 15), is part of a wider reform of the Vatican bureaucracy under Francis that includes the appointment of Archbishop Pietro Parolin as secretary of state. The two share a similar approach with an emphasis on humility.

The Curia, which has a powerful and central governing power at the Vatican, is seeing its role change.

“The pope doesn’t want bureaucrats,” Galeazzi said. “He wants pastors.”

The selection of the Church of the Santo Spirito in Sassia as the location for the confessions is not a coincidence: The church is dedicated to the Divine Mercy devotion of Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who was named a saint in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

The centerpiece of the devotion, according to Robert Moynihan, founder of Inside the Vatican Magazine, is the belief that God’s mercy and love are always available for human beings even if they are not deserving of that love.

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Pope Francis' Best Photos
Kissing Prisoners' Feet(01 of13)
Open Image Modal
A mere two weeks after he was announced as pontiff, Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 prisoners incarcerated in Rome as part of the traditional Holy Thursday rite. The unorthodox component of the ceremony was the inclusion of two women, one of whom was a Muslim. This show of acceptance and compassion was just a hint at what was to come, as the pope has continued to make statements about the importance of interfaith understanding as well as the importance of a greater role for women in the church. Francis sent personal Eid al-Fitr holiday greetings to Muslims around the world, rather than relying on his office to do so in a show of care and good will that hasn't happened since Pope John Paul II sent a similar personal message in 1991.
Greeting Disfigured Man(02 of13)
Open Image Modal
Soon after he became pope, Francis tweeted, "The pope must serve all people, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable," and he's made sure to personally do so by comforting and greeting the sick after his weekly general audiences in St. Peter's Square. He moved many hearts, as pictures of him tenderly embracing and kissing some severely disfigured men showed his human concern for all people, especially the marginalized.
Pope Francis' Humble Car(03 of13)
Open Image Modal
Pope Francis refused to live in the luxurious papal apartments located in the Apostolic Palace and prefers to live in more modest accommodations to show his personal commitment to humility and encourage other leaders to follow suit. He's also gained notice for his unusual choice of a car -- a humble Ford Focus with a starting sticker price of only about $16,000. He can rarely be seen in the ostentatious vestments that he could certainly wear as pope and prefers his usual garments of a simple white hat and robe. He's always done so -- when he still lived in Argentina, he gave up his chauffeur and took the bus to work.
Mobbed By Young People(04 of13)
Open Image Modal
Arriving at World Youth Day, Pope Francis had rock-star appeal, as thousands of young people swarmed his car after it took a wrong turn. Though the mob of excited youth alarmed his security staff with the frenzy of their excitement, "the pope was happy, with his hand out the window waving," said a Vatican spokesman. World Youth Day was a great success, and this pope seems particularly in tune with the younger generation.
Pope Francis Invites Teen With Down Syndrome On Popemobile(05 of13)
Open Image Modal
Pope Francis has given a 17-year-old boy with Down Syndrome the ride of his life – sort of.Francis invited Alberto di Tullio up onto his open-top Mercedes at the end of his general audience Wednesday, letting him spin around on the pontiff's white chair while tens of thousands of people looked on.Read more (credit:AP)
Pope Shares His Birthday With The Homeless(06 of13)
Open Image Modal
Four homeless people, one of them bringing his dog, helped Pope Francis celebrate his 77th birthday at the Vatican Tuesday.Read more here (credit:AP)
Little Boy Brings Pope To Tears(07 of13)
Open Image Modal
Meet Nathan de Brito, the little boy who broke past barriers to run into Pope Francis' arms on Friday in order to tell him something that moved the pontiff to tears.They embraced on the Popemobile as de Brito confided to Pope Francis, "Your Holiness, I want to be a priest of Christ, a representative of Christ."Read more here (credit:Getty Images)
Popes Pray Together(08 of13)
Open Image Modal
In this photo provided by the Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis, left, and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI pray together in Castel Gandolfo Saturday, March 23, 2013. Pope Francis has traveled to Castel Gandolfo to have lunch with his predecessor Benedict XVI in a historic and potentially problematic melding of the papacies that has never before confronted the Catholic Church. The Vatican said the two popes embraced on the helipad. In the chapel where they prayed together, Benedict offered Francis the traditional kneeler used by the pope. Francis refused to take it alone, saying "We're brothers," and the two prayed together on the same one. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano, HO) (credit:AP)
Pope Francis With Boy In Yellow(09 of13)
Open Image Modal
This adorable little boy was on top of the world when he made friends with Pope Francis by wandering up onto the stage during the Pontiff's address to a crowd of families.Read more (credit:AP)
Pope Francis Kisses Man With Rare Disorder(10 of13)
Open Image Modal
Pope Francis' compassionate nature was poignantly captured in this image of him tenderly comforting a sick man by kissing him on the head.Read more (credit:Claudio Petri EPA / Landov)
Pope Francis Takes A Selfie(11 of13)
Open Image Modal
Pope Francis is winning Twitter. The tweeting Pope upped the ante yesterday by posing for an incredible selfie at the Vatican on Wednesday. Read more (credit:AP)
Pope Francis Carries His Own Luggage(12 of13)
Open Image Modal
Pope Francis boards a plane at Rome's Fiumicino international airport, Monday, July 22, 2013. It's wheels up on Pope Francis' first trip abroad as pontiff. A special Alitalia flight carrying Francis, his entourage and journalists who will cover him on his week-long visit to Brazil took off 10 minutes behind schedule Monday from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport. Keeping to his example that the Catholic church must be humble, Francis carried his own black hand luggage. He even kept holding it with his left hand while he used his left to shake hands with some of the VIPs who turned out to wish him well and while he climbed the stairs to the jet's entrance. Among the dignitaries was Italian Premier Enrico Letta. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca) (credit:AP)
Pope Greets Boy With Cerebral Palsy(13 of13)
Open Image Modal
In this Sunday, March 31, 2013 file photo, Pope Francis hugs 8-year-old Dominic Gondreau, who has cerebral palsy, after celebrating his first Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Gondreau is the son of Dr. Paul Gondreau, a faculty member at Providence College in Providence, R.I. Read more here (credit:AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip