Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has called on Christians who hold responsibility in armed conflicts to examine their conscience and seek reconciliation with God, stressing that true peace begins with personal conversion.
Pope made the appeal on Friday while meeting priests and seminarians taking part in the 36th Course on the Internal Forum organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary at the Vatican. The course provides special training on issues related to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and usually concludes with an audience with the Pope.
Addressing the future confessors, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the power of confession to restore peace within individuals and among people. He asked whether Christians who have serious responsibility in armed conflicts have the humility and courage to seriously examine their conscience and approach the sacrament of confession.
Pope described the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a place where unity is rebuilt. Through confession, he said, people restore their relationship with God and receive sanctifying grace, which helps them rediscover unity with the Church, with others and within themselves.
He explained that this inner unity is essential for peace in the world. According to the Pope, only a person who is reconciled with God can truly live in a way that rejects violence and promotes peace among people.
Pope Leo XIV said that when Christians set aside pride and accept God’s forgiveness, they can become agents of reconciliation in their daily lives. Those who are reconciled with God, he added, are also better able to recognise the empty promises of consumerism and the confusion that comes from a freedom separated from truth.
He said that through divine mercy, Christ awakens in people a deeper awareness of their human limits and their desire for truth and love. These questions, the Pope said, ultimately lead people to discover that only Christ can fully satisfy the deepest desires of the human heart.
Reflecting on the importance of confession, Pope recalled the Church’s long tradition of the sacrament and reminded Catholics that the Church asks them to receive it at least once a year. However, he said many people do not approach this great gift of mercy often enough.
Pope Leo XIV encouraged priests and seminarians to recognise their great responsibility in offering God’s forgiveness through the sacrament. He also recalled the example of several saints known for their dedication in the confessional, including St John Mary Vianney, St Leopold Mandic, St Pio of Pietrelcina and Blessed Michal Sopocko.
Pope said the sacrament of reconciliation not only renews individuals but also strengthens the life of the Church, giving it renewed energy to serve society and the world.
He concluded by encouraging priests to regularly receive the sacrament themselves with faithful commitment so that they may become true ministers of God’s mercy, remembering that they are the first to receive that mercy.