Pope Francis penned requests for forgiveness, which were read by the most influential clerics at the Vatican, listing the church’s sins against peace, against the poor, the environment, women, abuse survivors and young people. They also asked forgiveness for using doctrine as a tool of exclusion and not welcoming dialogue.

During the penitential celebration on the eve of the Synod on Synodality, confessions and testimonies were shared by bishops, religious, and laypeople.

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Pope Francis addressed the Belgian victims of clerical sexual abuse again on Saturday, offering words of contrition in a speech at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg. "Abuse generates atrocious suffering and wounds,

A snippet from some impromptu remarks caused a stir, but the pope’s point was that all religions are ways of communicating with God, not that they are all “the same.”

In his first general audience since returning from the longest international trip of his pontificate, the pope expressed gratitude to God for his experiences.

Pope Francis launched the second phase of his big Catholic reform project Tuesday by asking forgiveness for a host of sins, reasoning that the church must atone for its transgressions if it wants to re-establish credibility with the faithful.