text: I believe your missing my point.  When someone goes to confession, they seek Gods mercy, not the priests.  But the priest is tasked with letting them know they are forgiven.  The priests knows the individual is forgiven based on understanding of church teaching that if you are sorry, attempt to mend your ways, and confess it, than you are forgiven.  A priest is held responsible for guiding the individual on what is required of them to be forgiven.  If a person goes to confession because they are divorced and remarried but have no intention of changing there ways, how is a priest supposed to be able to absolve them with any sense of certainty?  I think the certainty of the confessional would have to be removed as well.  Or maybe Pope Francis could provide details as to how he has handled ambiguity with the laity without just saying "be merciful".  Hope I'm making sense.