When Fr. Paul (from US), a special invitee for a high-profile Vatican seminar, met Pope, after the function he asked: “How was the seminar?” Fr. Paul told Pope: “I have to talk to you about something else that disturbs my mind.” Yesterday I visited a small church near to my accommodation. In the vicinity of the church, I identified one of the beggars as ex-Fr. Tom who received Ordination along with me years back. He too identified me and remembered the good old days, but asked me to keep away from me “as I am a sinner.”
Pope instantly made a special note inviting ex-Fr. Tom for next day’s special dinner with Pope and asked Fr. Paul to hand-over the invitation (personally signed by Pope) to ex-Fr. Tom and ensure that he attends the dinner next day. Fr. Paul brought him to his room, gave him new dress and brought with him next day for the dinner with Pope. After the dinner, Pope took ex-Fr. Tom to his room and asked him: “I want to do Confession.” This was unbelievable for ex-Fr. Tom that Pope wants “me to sit for confession, that too of Pope.” He told Pope: “Never, I am a sinner, and I am no longer a priest.”
Pope said: “Using my authority, I am restoring you as priest and everything you lost. Now, please sit for confession.” And Pope had his confession with this instantly-reinstated priest Fr. Tom.
This incident was narrated to me by another Seminar delegate who is one of my fleshly relatives. When I heard about this, I was thinking—how much JWs denounce Catholic Church. In the 1990’s they had even a Watchtower cover page portraying Catholic Church as a prostitute. Yet see the difference in the response of Pope the head of the Catholic Church to an ex-priest and JWs response to ex-JW or an ex-Elder!