Pope Francis has made moves towards reform - but can he overcome a bedrock of opposition, asks Sarah Dunant.
Looking
back on it I think I was about 10 or 11 when the sacrament of
confession worked best for me. I have vivid memories of a sense of
burden as I entered the confessional box. Had I remembered all the
things I'd done wrong? Was I truly sorry for them? Equally powerful was
the relief that came upon me afterwards. Penance was never hard - a few
Hail Marys next to a colourful statue of the Virgin crushing a snake
underfoot - and walking home everything seemed suddenly brighter. I was
forgiven, absolved. The world, and I inside it, felt new again.http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34866283