I don't know what the pope is trying to say (from the headline) -- but from this quote he says you have to go to God with a sincere and contrite heart (we agree) ... Ergo, the person must believe in God -- otherwise said person would not go to God (with a sincere and contrite heart).
Seems like the headline and this quote don't mesh together.
I read it the same way you did. I agree with you. My guess is the media is evil and misquoting him on purpose.
"You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience. “Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”
I find the third sentence strange.
"The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience."
He seems to imply that some should just be left to their conscience .. which denies the Great Commision to Go into all the world a preach, teach and baptize ... (go soul winning)
The last sentence;
"“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”
Is troublesome.
By extracting the clause;".. even for those who have no faith, .. "
We're left with sin being the result of disobeying one's conscience, which denies Romans 3:23;
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;.
We sin because we are sinners.
Sinners are in Heaven ... FORGIVEN sinners, by salvation by Grace through faith ... and THAT not of ourselves .. it is the gift of God.
God offers us a gift, we should accept it.
If we don't, we don't have it.
The quote seems to point out that people who don’t believe in God still sin, because they do not 100% of the time follow what their own conscience tells them. Like he was trying to show how all men are sinners, even those who claim they can’t “sin” because they don’t believe in God or God’s law, because they can’t even follow their OWN “law”.
It is an interesting argument.