Confession to a priest shouldn’t be needed

[Anastasia13]

Confession to a priest is just a feel-better way of soothing fears about failure and doesn’t have a real biblical basis, and is just a way for the church to enforce power over people. Please prove me wrong.

Edited September 22 by Anastasia13

[Luigi]

I don't know if this annoys Dust, but it does annoy me. Just stop. 

[Anastasia13]

1 hour ago, Luigi said:

I don't know if this annoys Dust, but it does annoy me. Just stop. 

No, I want to be proved wrong for my own faith understanding. I am not trying to annoy Dust. I just asked the same thing on discord. I am sorry I bothered you. I can go away. 

Edited September 22 by Anastasia13

[Luigi]

This board is for debate. The Sacrament of Penance is non-debatable - the theology of it has been done to a fine fare-thee-well. It's also one of the standard warhorses that all anti-Catholics drag out when they want to denigrate the Church, along with Mary, and the saints, and priestly celibacy, and the papacy, and... and... and... And I don't know enough about your faith understanding to prove you wrong. 

I didn't ask you to go away or even suggest it. What I said (scroll up just a little) was "Just stop." 

 

Edited September 23 by Luigi

[Luigi]

Here's a link to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the section on the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.
Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

Here's a link to the Catechism, paragraphs 14-20-1426, which also deal with Penance and Reconciliation. 
https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/catechism/#!/search/1420-1426

Here's a link to a 20-minute video "The Catechism in a Year - Day 195: Penance and Reconciliation" taught by Father Mike Schmitz. He discusses paragraphs 1420-1426. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1yAPFE0Z4o - I think you'll have to copy and paste the URL because I just got a message saying the link couldn't be embedded. 

See also others 'days' in Fr. Schmitz's catechism in a year, especially 'days' 197 to 201. Here's the link to the playlist. 

Hope this helps. 

 

[Anastasia13]

39 minutes ago, Luigi said:

This board is for debate. The Sacrament of Penance is non-debatable - the theology of it has been done to a fine fare-thee-well. It's also one of the standard warhorses that all anti-Catholics drag out when they want to denigrate the Church, along with Mary, and the saints, and priestly celibacy, and the papacy, and... and... and... And I don't know enough about your faith understanding to prove you wrong. 

I didn't ask you to go away or even suggest it. What I said (scroll up just a little) was "Just stop." 

 

I did t think you asked me to go away. I just thought you thought I was nothing but an annoying troll.

 

My faith understanding is a rusty pile of pieces that once held together more that those around me hold to, left abandoned in early parenthood and a mixed family, under deep review in case maybe it can hold something it once touched.

24 minutes ago, Luigi said:

Here's a link to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the section on the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.
Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

Here's a link to the Catechism, paragraphs 14-20-1426, which also deal with Penance and Reconciliation. 
https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/catechism/#!/search/1420-1426

Here's a link to a 20-minute video "The Catechism in a Year - Day 195: Penance and Reconciliation" taught by Father Mike Schmitz. He discusses paragraphs 1420-1426. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1yAPFE0Z4o - I think you'll have to copy and paste the URL because I just got a message saying the link couldn't be embedded. 

See also others 'days' in Fr. Schmitz's catechism in a year, especially 'days' 197 to 201. Here's the link to the playlist. 

Hope this helps. 

 

Thank you for putting all this together for me. I will surely review it.

[Anomaly]

On 9/22/2025 at 11:46 PM, Anastasia13 said:

My faith understanding is a rusty pile of pieces that once held together more that those around me hold to, left abandoned in early parenthood and a mixed family, under deep review in case maybe it can hold something it once touched.

Thank you for putting all this together for me. I will surely review it.

Your description of your faith is super interesting.  
Although I’m a fallen away Catholic, I have deep respect for Catholicism, both as a religion, but philosophically.   I was educated at catholic schools, taught faith classes for a few years, etc.  I still stay connected through family, reading, etc.  

It’s a big step to leave Catholicism.   Most people leave because they don’t really understand it, or disagree with another’s beliefs about what it is, or how they manifest it in their lives.  
 

There is much that can be said to defend confession, theologically, as well as with behavior sciences, and solid philosophy. 
The theological aspects of forgiveness to get into heaven is pretty technical in detail, but it certainly is healthy as a CBT tool. It’s fantastic for mind and body, so why not your afterlife soul?

[Anastasia13]

2 hours ago, Anomaly said:

Your description of your faith is super interesting.  
Although I’m a fallen away Catholic, I have deep respect for Catholicism, both as a religion, but philosophically.   I was educated at catholic schools, taught faith classes for a few years, etc.  I still stay connected through family, reading, etc.  

It’s a big step to leave Catholicism.   Most people leave because they don’t really understand it, or disagree with another’s beliefs about what it is, or how they manifest it in their lives.  
 

There is much that can be said to defend confession, theologically, as well as with behavior sciences, and solid philosophy. 
The theological aspects of forgiveness to get into heaven is pretty technical in detail, but it certainly is healthy as a CBT tool. It’s fantastic for mind and body, so why not your afterlife soul?

How is confession like CBT?

[Anomaly]

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 
If we hold on to our faults, mistakes, sins, both past and present, it’s very damaging to our psyche.   Unless you’re a sociopath, you Carry this guilt and shame.    You only can exist and live in the present (while on earth, theologically).   Confession is great therapy to acknowledge errors, and look beyond them to who you really are.  A worthwhile human with inherent dignity.   
 

A great Confession with a good priest, is very real psychological therapy, as well as having the religious aspects.   Fundamentally, the deeper theology is about you striving (and struggling) to be the best person you can become, while acknowledging faults and seeking to grow beyond them.    You shouldn’t just be considering it as a magic spell to earn heaven.   You are called to become better as that is your true nature.   As social beings, we aren’t in this alone.  We need others help at times.  

Edited yesterday at 06:22 PM by Anomaly

[Luigi]

Anomaly said: "You shouldn’t just be considering it as a magic spell to earn heaven. You are called to become better as that is your true nature." 

That's why it's a sacrament - sacrament are channels of grace, to help us progress in holiness. So the psychological aspects may be beneficial, but they don't necessarily make us holier, whereas the grace derived from the sacrament does make us holier. Another reason - I suppose (I'm no theologian) - you need to confess to a priest is that sacraments are always administered by one person to another. In the case of penance, the administer-er is a priest. 

[Anastasia13]

54 minutes ago, Luigi said:

Anomaly said: "You shouldn’t just be considering it as a magic spell to earn heaven. You are called to become better as that is your true nature." 

That's why it's a sacrament - sacrament are channels of grace, to help us progress in holiness. So the psychological aspects may be beneficial, but they don't necessarily make us holier, whereas the grace derived from the sacrament does make us holier. Another reason - I suppose (I'm no theologian) - you need to confess to a priest is that sacraments are always administered by one person to another. In the case of penance, the administer-er is a priest. 

But why is the administrator a peristaltic and not a faithful lay person?

[Anomaly]

2 minutes ago, Anastasia13 said:

But why is the administrator a peristaltic and not a faithful lay person?

I’m guessing you meant priest, not peristaltic, lol.  
Luigi answered that.   It’s because it’s a sacrament.   In Catholic theology, assurance of Gad’s forgiveness is a huge, and weighty action.   It’s too important and impactful than to be weiled Willy nilly by anyone.  It’s a significant thing to really “know” you have God’s forgiveness.   It’s not really limiting God’s forgiveness, but assuring to your forgiveness ‘from God’ is real and effective.  It’s also a reminder of grace being granted to grow beyond your imperfections.  
Assured forgiveness, and grace to help, together as Sacrament.  That’s very impactful.  

What specifically troubles you about Confession?   What do you feel is wrong or lacking about how Catholics administer it?   Do you think it puts limits on the availability of God’s forgiveness as a means of power or control?

[Anomaly]

Looking back at your initial post, I realized I didn’t comprehend you original post well.   You are challenging the use of the priest.   
Catholics call confession “Reconciliation”.  You are repairing a relationship.     Sins all sins are an affront against God, you need to reconcile with Him, and know you are okay.   It’s a rich action.  More than a sorry, and everyone forgets all about it.  It’s sorry, can you help me do better,  with a response.  That’s why a priest is needed.  A spokesman on a human level.  Not just a kind person to speak kind words.   You need a God representative, speaking for God, with assured forgiveness and grace to work with your faith that God is represented by a priest.  

[Luigi]

Anomaly is correct, but in addition, Jesus gave the power of forgiveness of sins to the apostles; bishops continue the apostolic office; priests have some powers of the apostolic delegated to them, including the forgiveness of sins. The average practicing Catholic doesn't have that authority. Now, if Jesus had wanted to give that authority to the average person, he could have done so somehow or another - at Pentecost, or 

And from a practical perspective: Once upon a long time ago, I was at a lecture by a priest who was applying for a teaching position in a seminary; he opened his remarks by saying, "I am a moral theologian - we deal in sin." All priests have at least minimal training in moral theology, whereas the average practicing Catholic does not. Sin is a complex topic, much more than simply venial vs. mortal. There are 'reserved cases' that even the average priest can't forgive. Those have to be referred to higher authorities, sometimes as high as Rome. Knowing how to fit the penance to the sin, knowing the penitents' state of life and the concomitant responsibilities (could a lay person administer Reconciliation to a priest? a bishop? a doctor?), knowing what to say to the penitent, being able to recognize contrition - administering the sacrament of Reconciliation takes a lot of pastoral skill. 

So lay people can forgive each other for personal offenses and/or social offenses, but as Anomaly pointed out, real sins are offenses against God. Therefore, God - or his duly authorized representative/minister - needs to forgive those.