Restore central role of Confession, Pope urges [CC]

[Catholic_Press]

Pope Francis called for a restoration of the central role of Confession, in a March 4 address to participants in an annual course offered by the Apostolic Penitentiary. As confessors, …

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[casslean]

The Pope said that priests should prepare themselves to serve as confessors, and recognize that they must “place obstacles to this gift of salvation.” Even when they find that they cannot give absolution, he said, confessors should “speak like a father: ‘Listen, I cannot absolve you of this, but I can assure you that God loves you, God awaits you.’”

I’m confused by this, especially the bolded part. Does he mean priests should be more reluctant to grant absolution? I thought as long as you were truthful and contrite and had a firm resolve not to sin anymore, they had to grant absolution.

Can someone clarify for me?

 

[casslean]

I’m confused by this, especially the bolded part. Does he mean priests should be more reluctant to grant absolution? I thought as long as you were truthful and contrite and had a firm resolve not to sin anymore, they had to grant absolution.

Can someone clarify for me?

Never mind. I went to the original document and saw that they misquoted. The original quote was:

The Pope reminded the participants in the audience that when they enter the confessional as confessors, they must always bear in mind that they are “instruments of God’s mercy” for the brothers and sisters they receive, and** must therefore be careful “not to place obstacles to this gift of salvation.** The confessor is himself a sinner, a man always in need of forgiveness, and he first of all cannot do without the mercy of God Who has ‘chosen’ and ‘constituted’ him for this great task … for which he must prepare with an attitude of humble and generous faith, with the sole desire that all the faithful may experience the love of the Father”.