Questions Catholics are Asked:Why do you confess your sins

to a priest?

The short answer:“Because priests are sacramental

representatives of the Church—to which Christ entrusted his mission of

forgiveness and reconciliation.”

When did Christ entrust his mission of forgiveness and reconciliation to the Church?

According to John’s gospel, the resurrected Lord appeared to his disciples

hiding in the upper room..

Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

John 20: 21-23

And…Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah…

Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood have not revealed this to you,

but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever

you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Matthew 16:17-19

Peter represents the Church!

And…

Jesus, speaking of conflict among believers, encourages them to resolve it personally.

If that fails however, the matter is to be taken to the church:

“If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be

bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 18:17-18

Every member of the Church—everyone baptized into Jesus’ death,

resurrection and ongoing mission—is a minister of forgiveness and reconciliation.

And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us

the ministry of reconciliation… 2 Cor 5:18

Priests are sacramental ministers of the Church.In the Sacrament of Confession

the priest represents the Church, which in turn represents God and his constant mercy.

Remember, Sacraments are “visible signs of invisible grace.”

So…Just as a handshake or words of affection are

“sacramental” celebrations of friendship…Just as a Mother’s Day gift is a “sacramental”

celebration of love for one’s mother…Just as singing the national anthem is a “sacramental”

celebration of love for Jamaica…

Confession to a priest is a sacramental celebration of God’s love and mercy

The Sacrament of Confession opens us up to new graces of courage, confidence, renewal

and especially humility!

Those who criticize Catholic confession can be asked, If you do not confess your sins to a priest,

then to whom do you confess them?

After all, the Scriptures are replete with accounts of conversion that include confession of sins to someone:

At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to John the Baptist and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River

as they confessed their sins. Matthew 3:5-6

Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices. Acts 19:18

If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 1 John 1:8-9

Was today’s Sacrament of Confessionknown in the early Church?

No. The sacramental practices of the Church are grounded

in Christ. They are also evolving according to historical circumstances and pastoral need.

The original—and still most dramatic—sacramental celebration of

forgiveness and reconciliation is Baptism.

Confession as a distinct celebration of the renewal of the grace of Baptism developed over many centuries.

It was officially canonized as a Sacrament in 1551, and revised in the Spirit of Vatican II in 1973.

The 1973 ritual gives not one but three forms of the rite, all stressing reconciliation rather than absolution.

1. The private form: The screen became optional, and the priest now prays

with and for the person before giving absolution.2. Semi-private:

Hymns, liturgy of the word first, then private confession and absolution.

3. Public form: Like above, except silent confession and general absolution.

The intent of the 1973 Revised Rite was to make the celebration of Confession less individual and

more communal, less legalistic and more liturgical, less concerned with enumeration of sins

and more concerned with conversion of heart.