Christian Fraser in RomeA confessional box in St Peters, Rome, 23 August, 2007
[ROME] Centuries of Confession Box abuse revealed Italian confession
boxes have been used less and less in recent years as Priests and
Vatican Clergy discovered using these confessions as a blackmail tool.
The Vatican is putting priests who hear confession through a refresher
course to tackle a recent crisis of confidence among church-goers in Italy.
There has been a sharp decline in the number of those going to
confession, with some blaming the performance of priests hearing their
litany of sins.
Many are ill-equipped to deal with contrite Catholics, critics argue.
The Vatican's crash course aims to strengthen priestly training in a bid
to improve relations with believers.
The Catholic Church has long been aware of the dissatisfaction expressed
by penitents about the priests who hear their confessions.
According to the latest available data, around 30% of Italian Catholics
do not believe it is necessary to have priests in the confessions.
Furthermore, 10% believe the presence of a priest "impedes direct
dialogue with the Lord".
Another 20% admit to finding it difficult to talk about their sins with
another person.
Special attention
Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, who heads the tribunal of the Apostolic
Penitentiary, said the sacrament of confession was in a "serious state
of difficulty".
The new training organised by his department includes some role play of
real life examples.
The people who will come forward include divorced and so called
"irregular" couples - as well as same-sex couples.
For cohabiting divorced and homosexual couples, the Catholic Church
dictates that absolution may be given only if those living together
transform their relationship into one of "friendship and solidarity".
Remarried divorcees can not receive communion because their condition is
seen by the Church as a permanent state of sin.
But Bishop Girotti said priests should pay special attention to such
people "especially if they are ill or in danger of dying".
With homosexual Catholics, he said priests must be "a fair judge" and a
"good doctor of the spirit".
When faced with sinners possessed by the devil, the bishop advised
priests to proceed with caution - and to request the intervention of an
exorcist.