38
be one of the criteria to be taken into account
in considering a reform of the Church and her
preaching which would enable it to reach every-
one.
44.âMoreover, pastors and the lay faithful who
accompany their brothers and sisters in faith or
on a journey of openness to God must always re-
member what the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
teaches quite clearly: âImputability and respon-
sibility for an action can be diminished or even
nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear,
habit, inordinate attachments, and other psycho-
logical or social factorsâ.
49
Consequently, with-
out detracting from the evangelical ideal, they
need to accompany with mercy and patience the
eventual stages of personal growth as these pro-
gressively occur.
50
I want to remind priests that
the confessional must not be a torture chamber
but rather an encounter with the Lordâs mercy
which spurs us on to do our best. A small step,
in the midst of great human limitations, can be
more pleasing to God than a life which appears
outwardly in order but moves through the day
without confronting great difficulties. Everyone
needs to be touched by the comfort and attrac-
tion of Godâs saving love, which is mysteriously
at work in each person, above and beyond their
faults and failings.
49
âNo. 1735
50
âCf. J
ohn
P
aul
II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
Familiaris Consortio
(22 November 1981), 34: AAS 74 (1982), 123.
