In his Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tell us that this Body of Christ, which is the Church, has joints (Eph 4:16) and even names them: they are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

- Pope Benedict XVI, Homily on the Vigil of Pentecost, June 3, 2006

You will also learn, as the Apostle says, to let yourselves be reconciled with God (2 Cor 5:20).  Especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus waits for you to forgive you your sins and reconcile you with his love through the ministry of the priest.  By confessing your sins humbly and truthfully, you will receive the pardon of God himself through the words of his minister.  What a great opportunity the Lord has given us with this sacrament to renew ourselves from within and to progress in our Christian life!  I recommend that you make good use of it all the time!

-Pope Benedict XVI, Message to young Catholics in the Netherlands, November 21, 2005

The Apostle introduces himself as an ambassador of Christ and clearly shows precisely how, in virtue of Christ, the sinner-that is each one of us-is offered the possibility of suthentic reconciliation. "For our sakes god made him who did not know sin", he said, "to be sin, so that in him, we might become the very holiness of God" (2 Cor 521).  Only Christ can transform every situation of sin into newness of grace.

- Pope Bendict XVI, Homily for Ash Wednesday, February 21, 2007

The duty of the priest and the confessor is primarily this: to bring every person to experience the love of Christ, encountering him on the path of their own lives as Paul met him on the road to Damascus.   We know the impassioned declaration of the Apostle to the Gentiles after that meeting which changed his life: "he loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20).  This is his personal experience on the way to Damascus the Lord Jesus loved Paul and gave himself for him.  And in confession this is also our way, our way to Damascus, our experience: Jesus has loved me and has given himself for me.

-Pope Benedict XVI, Address to participants in a course on the Sacrament of Penance, March 16, 2007