Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins To A Priest?
Most Rev. Michael Sheehan
Archbishop of Santa Fe
Founding Bishop of the Diocese of Lubbock

One of he greatest criticisms Protestants make against the Catholic Church questions our practice of sacramental confession.  "Why tell your sins to a priest when you can go directly to God?" they ask.  Our reply?  Because this sacrament is one of the greatest blessings Catholics have.  A sacrament - which no other church has - providing us with absolution of sin.  The wonderful Catholic sacrament of reconciliation (confession) through which we who are repentant are assured of the Lord's forgiveness by one of God's special representatives, our priests.

"Someone With Skin"

     I am reminded of the little boy who was afraid of thunder and lightning.  One night, as he was sleeping, a violent storm blistered the skies.  He awoke terrified, and ran into his parents' bedroom, crying.  His mother tried to calm him.  "Jimmy, I told you God loves you and is with you.   Don't ever be afraid.  You are never alone."  Jimmy replied, "I know, Mommy, that God loves me and listens to my prayers.  But sometimes I need someone with skin!"
    
     We all need "someone with skin."  When we have sinned, offending God and His people, the Church, we need to open our hearts to another person..."someone with skin."  For Catholics, that "someone with skin" is the priest, ordained by the Church to represent Jesus and the Church herself.  "Someone with skin" from whom we can ask God's forgiveness.   And hear that it is granted.

A Scriptural Foundation

     Where in the Bible does Jesus give priests the power to forgive sins?  In John 20, verse 23, Jesus says to the disciples, "As the Father has sent me so I send you...receive the Holy Spirit.  For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained."   Jesus  clearly expected the successors of the disciples, the bishops and priests down through the centuries, to continue His work...to preach, to pray,  to forgive our sins when we are truly sorry for our failures.
    
     The New Testament tells early Christians, "confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, and this will cure you (James 5:16)."   The admonition is as important today as it was then.

God's Representative

     Catholics do not confess sins to a priest instead of to God.  We confess to a priest representing God.  The prayer of absolution, which the priest prays while administering the sacrament, says "I absolve you from your sin the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  It is in God's name the priest forgives, not in his own name.
    
     When Catholics receive the sacrament of reconciliation, we have the opportunity not only to be forgiven, but to receive advice from the priest...kind and wise counsel as to how to do better in the future, living the Christian life.

Healing Relationships

     Sin offends not only God, but others.  The Body of Christ, the Church, is wounded whenever we sin. (Adultery, anger and racism are obvious examples.)
    
     When the priest speaks the word of absolution, we are forgiven by the Church as well as by God.  We are reconciled.  Our relationships are healed.
    
     The priest can also advise us, offering ways in which we might make up, to some extent, the offenses caused others.
    
     A communal celebration of the sacrament provides a rich opportunity to experience the social nature of sin and forgiveness.  At the same time, penitents at these services confess sinfulness and receive absolution privately, protecting confidentiality.

Sacred Trust

     Protestant friends have told me how embarrassing it would be for them to tell in confession the shameful things that they have done.   Actually, our priests are trained to reflect the compassion and understanding of Jesus to the sinner.  The priest knows that he, too, is a sinner.

     How often, for example, have you told a close friend something, very confidential, only to find out later that your confidant then told someone else?   A priest, on the other hand, has a sacred trust.  He may never tell anyone what someone has told him in the secrecy of the sacrament.  Not even if it would save his own life!

Good Health

    It is healthy, spiritually an psychologically, to unburden ourselves in a humble way through this wonderful gift of Jesus to His Church.

     Yes, all of us can tell God we are sorry in our hearts.  But only the Catholic that has the good sense to confess regularly has the light hearted joy of hearing "someone with skin" say those comforting words, "Your sins are forgiven.  Go in peace."