True remorse, however, is possible if people understand the nature of past sins and how they occurred because of a lack of love and respect between people. To restore that love and respect often requires actions more than words. Each individual or group must decide if an act of repentance must also come with an act of making others whole again. Forgiveness is possible when a sin and its effects are truly eliminated. Confessions are just a first step down a path toward a moral understanding that brings a sense of wholeness without sin.
Renewal often requires institutions and people to see the errors of their ways.
And how that is done can make all the difference.