The October session of the Roman Catholic Synod of Bishops will include a penitential service in which participants will be asked to join in confessing sins that the Church community has committed against the defenseless.
In announcing the unusual service, the Synod Office explained: “Pope Francis has taught us that it is also necessary that the Church ask for forgiveness by calling out sins by name, feeling pain and even shame, because we are all sinners in need of mercy.”
Francis’ list of seven deadly sins are:
- Sin against peace
- Sin against creation, against indigenous populations, against migrants
- Sin of abuse
- Sin against women, family, youth
- Sin of using doctrine as stones to be hurled
- Sin against poverty
- Sin against synodality / lack of listening, communion, and participation of all
“The aim is not to denounce the sin of others, but to acknowledge oneself as a member of those who, by omission or action, become the cause of suffering and responsible for the evil inflicted on the innocent and defenseless,” the document stated.
The service will include testimony from victims of each of the sins that are to be confessed and conclude with an address by Francis.
