Youth vigil for Pope Leo to feature ‘listening centers’ instead of confessionals

MADRID (LifeSiteNews) — Confessionals will not be installed during Pope Leo XIV’s youth events in Madrid next month as organizers plan to provide “listening centers” staffed by lay pastoral workers.

On May 19, the Archdiocese of Madrid announced that no confessionals will be set up during the June 6 youth prayer vigil at Plaza de Lima or during other public events linked to Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, opting instead for “listening centers” where young attendees may speak with trained “listening agents.”

“The listening spaces don’t substitute for confessionals; they go hand in hand,” Sara de la Torre, communications director for the archdiocese, told The Pillar. “Nothing is comparable to the sacrament of confession. It’s a different thing, the listening spaces are established for anyone who wants to be listened to, and wants to have a conversation.”

de la Torre said the initiative is intended to accompany young people pastorally and does not replace the sacrament of confession, which she said remains available throughout Madrid’s parishes and churches. In other words, confession will be relegated to the background, giving priority to a “pastoral” and ecumenical “listening.”

According to the archdiocese, the listening centers are being organized together with the San Camilo Center for the Humanization of Healthcare, a Spanish Catholic institution run by the Camillian religious order and centered on a humanist approach to healthcare.

During a press conference held on May 19, de la Torre said the initiative was created especially for young people who would be welcomed by specially prepared “listening agents.” She described the project as an effort “to begin a process of accompaniment” for participants who may need support or conversation during the papal events.

READ: Italian bishop calls for ‘full integration’ of ‘LGBT Catholics’ during vigil against ‘homotransphobia’

The absence of confessionals at the youth vigil nevertheless became a subject of internal debate among organizers, according to several sources cited by The Pillar. Some members of the organizing team reportedly proposed transforming the June 6 vigil into a “day of reconciliation,” during which hundreds of priests would hear confessions simultaneously at Plaza de Lima.

That proposal was ultimately abandoned. Sources close to the planning process told The Pillar that some organizers considered confessionals “not necessary for events with young people,” while others argued that confessions should instead take place beforehand in local parishes.

Additional concerns reportedly included the demands that extended hours of confessions could place on priests expected to participate the following day in the Corpus Christi Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV.

One organizer involved in preparations, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to comment publicly, described the absence of dedicated confession spaces during the vigil as “a missed opportunity.”

Dedicated confession areas have frequently been included at major papal gatherings, especially World Youth Days. de la Torre acknowledged that hundreds of confessionals had been installed during World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, but argued that the Madrid visit differs substantially in scale and format. She said World Youth Day involves several days of preparation and pilgrim activities before papal appearances, whereas Pope Leo’s visit is a shorter trip centered on a specific youth prayer vigil and Corpus Christi celebrations.

The “listening centers” planned for Madrid resemble a similar initiative introduced in St. Peter’s Basilica in September 2025. At that time, Father Orazio Pepe, secretary of the Fabric of St. Peter, explained that a dedicated listening room had been created to allow pilgrims and visitors to speak openly about personal struggles or concerns. Pepe stated that the service was open not only to Catholics but also to people of other religions and those no longer practicing the faith.