At their November 2024 meeting, the French bishops (La Conférence des évêques de France) considered the pastoral practice of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and issued a document setting out guidelines for good practice.
In a succinct opening summary, the bishops recall the theology of the sacrament: “The sacrament of reconciliation allows the faithful to allow themselves to be renewed in their baptismal life. The confessor takes care not to focus excessively on the confession but to recall the goodness and mercy of God in all circumstances. He invites the penitent to renew their confidence in the action of the Holy Spirit who supports their request for forgiveness, opens a path to conversion and satisfaction (reparation) and invites us to marvel at the greatness of God’s love.”
They remind us that “to the sinner who manifests his conversion to the minister of the Church, God grants his forgiveness by the sign of absolution” but that “absolution does not exempt the penitent from answering for their actions and their consequences. . . . If the penitent has caused damage or scandal, the confessor will bring them to a resolution to make reparation as appropriate. Then the priest gives the penitent a satisfaction which must not only be a compensation for the past, but also a help to renew their life and be a remedy for their weakness.”
Bearing in mind the need for stronger safeguarding and clear professional boundaries in the hearing of confessions, the bishops set out clear guidelines and expectations:
- that the proper place for the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation is first of all places of worship with spaces specially designed for this purpose with clear religious symbolism;
- the sacrament, even in special situations (pilgrimage, prayer vigil, scout camp, gathering, etc.), must be celebrated in a manner visible to all and in a setting adapted to the sacramental approach and must never be celebrated in the private room or home of the priest;
- the sacrament should usually be celebrated during the day and not at night unless there are particular reasons for doing so, such as community celebrations, pilgrimages, sick people, adoration vigils, scout vigils, etc.;
- that confessions are not offered in “a too strong emotional context – mainly towards young people”;
- during sacramental absolution, the confessor extends his hands towards the penitent, without touching them;
- the confessor ensures that the confession does not extend excessively and does not become a place of accompaniment.
The bishops explore the attitude desirable in the priest hearing confessions and characterize it as “chaste listening” (“une qualité d’écoute chaste”), noting that penitents make an effort to open their heart, drawing from the source of God’s mercy, and so makes themselves vulnerable – this vulnerability must be matched by the attentive and gentle quality of listening on the part of the confessor. The priest must strictly adhere to a sacramental relationship, “without any familiarity or intrusion into the moral conscience of the penitent. He welcomes the words of the penitent in an attitude of chaste listening, freed from any complacency or unhealthy curiosity.” The confessor, the bishops counsel, is not to verify the veracity of what has been said – rather he accepts that he will not know everything about the penitent’s situation and that the “definitive judgment on the actions of the penitent: that belongs to God.” There should be no interrogation.
The bishops consider the difference between confessional practice, spiritual accompaniment and therapy. “The confessor does not seek to resolve by himself all of what he perceives of the penitent’s difficulties. With tact and if the penitent seems able to better understand the scope of their actions, the confessor can help them to become aware of their seriousness or not. The sacrament is lived in faith. This is not a psychotherapeutic exercise.” In certain cases, it may be appropriate to refer the penitent to external support.” They continue, “The logic of the sacrament of reconciliation and that of spiritual accompaniment are different and it is necessary to distinguish them. If the accompanist is also the confessor, it is important to consider a change of location or a move to the same space” but that it is not necessary for the priest to fulfil both roles.
The bishops echo Pope Francis’ concerns in Desiderio Desideravi (2022) that the faith be properly informed and formed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as in all other expressions of the liturgy “through regular training in parishes or other pastoral places. Preaching, which opens one to the sense of God and to his mercy, is also an important place for the formation of the faithful. It is good to provide the places where the sacrament is celebrated with brief documents recalling the meaning of the sacrament and the essential rules. . . . Particular attention is required to support young people by ensuring appropriate initiation into the catechesis of children and adolescents or the training of young adults.”