Vatican official distinguishes sacramental confession from psychotherapy

During the V Seminar on Celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Rome, Monsignor Krzysztof Józef Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, emphasized that sacramental confession should not be confused with psychotherapy. Speaking at the Apostolic Palace, Nykiel cautioned against a “psychological, static, and self-referential” sense of guilt that can lead individuals to become trapped in their errors or seek only emotional relief.

Nykiel described authentic contrition not as a price to be paid, but as “the beginning of a new creation worked by the Holy Spirit.” He stated that true repentance does not stem from self-contempt, but from the certainty of being loved and welcomed by God. He further clarified the role of the confessor, noting that they are not “a judge of ruins” but rather “a servant of reconstruction who accompanies the penitent from guilt to mercy.”