Catholic Confessors Get Vatican Crash Course

ROME, March 6, 2008— -- A crash course for priests who hear confessions is being held at the Vatican this week, as part of an effort to restore confidence in the practice among the Catholic faithful.

The sacrament of penance has been "in a serious state of difficulty" for years, said Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, organizer of the course and head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Church tribunal responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins.

Quoting figures from the most recent Catholic survey on confessions, from 1998, Girotti said that about 30 percent of Italian Catholics believe there is no need for priests in confessionals, while 10 percent believe the presence of a priest "impedes direct dialogue with the Lord."

Many faithful also complained about the performance of priests during confession and believe the priests are unable to penetrate the mysteries of the conscience.

People must confess their sins to a priest, and be absolved by him, before they can take communion, according to Catholic doctrine.

While admitting that the survey is dated, Girotti says the practice of penance, a sacrament "so fundamental for the health and santification of souls," is in continual decline. "The sense of sin has come unglued," he told ABC News.

The voluntary, six-day course aims to strengthen the training of priests in an attempt to lead the faithful back to confession.

Participation in the course, which is open to all priests, deacons and seminarians, is high, Girotti says.

"Over 600 people have enrolled in the course," Girotti told ABC News. "Many of them are students and young priests, but also older parish priests and confessors from the sanctuaries who want to refresh their skills." They come from all over Italy, he added.

Girotti himself will be addressing the question of "special penitents," a tricky category that includes divorced and "irregular" couples, and fellow priests or nuns.

Couples who are not married in the Church, or remarried divorcees whose marriages were not annulled by the Church, cannot take communion because they live in a permanent state of sin, according to Catholic doctrine. But many of these are devout Catholics who want to take part in the Eucharist.