Question to all SERIOUS Catholics regarding forgiveness...?

Question

Why do Catholics have to go to priests to ask God to forgive them? Don't priests go to God for forgiveness? (Am I right? Please correct me if I'm not!) Why can't they go straight to God for forgiveness?

Answer 1

that is one question that the catholics must explain
why member ask forgiveness from priests

no where in the bible u can find such a thing

god can forgive u, jesus can, many verses support this
but to ask forgiveness from a human being, i dont think this is biblical
it is clear in the bible that the forgiveness of our sins are paid thru jesus death on the cross

Answer 2

Catholics believe in the Sacrament of Penance. Now called Reconciliation.

We always have the ability to go straight to God. Everyone does.

However, priests stand in as Christ's representative. Priests are not your average people. They spend so much time in prayer. They have spent many years studying. As such, they have more wisdom.

Not only do they offer absolution, but they offer guidance as well.

Many non-Catholic denominations confess to one another. It is not so unheard of or unusual to go to another person.

Even priests go to other priests for confession. It is said the former pope went to confession every day.

In truth, it IS God who forgives. A priest can offer absolution, but unless the soul is truly repentant - then forgiveness just isn't given.

Answer 3

You can but the sacrament does not work in that way. Christ works through the priest He is in fact in the confessional as you enter. The human person needs to hear the words of absolution and the forgiveness he or she longs for.

Confession is very clearly set forth in Scripture. See Matt. 9:8 where the authority to forgive sins "was given to men." See also John 20:21-23 where the Lord, after the Resurrection, breathes on the apostles and says "whose sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins you retain are retained." Jesus gave the apostles the authority to forgive sins.

Since Christ entrusted to his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, bishops who are their successors, and priests, the bishops' collaborators, continue to exercise this ministry. Indeed bishops and priests, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, have the power to forgive all sins "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit

Answer 4

They can.

However, in one of the letters to Timothy, it is made clear that sinners must confess to the community as well, or the one they have wronged at the very least. With large communities and congregations, this would get unwieldly -- hence, the priest acting as a representative of the community.

Also, if we did not need to forgive others, why would Jesus have made such a deal of giving over the power to forgive sins? The apostles forgave sins, in the Bible, so if your church does not obey this example, you must ask yourself if your church truly follows the example of the Bible.

(Ex-Catholic atheist)

Answer 5

We can and frequently do go directly to God for forgiveness.

The Catholic Church believes that "Only God forgives sin."

When a penitent person asks God for forgiveness, his (or her) sins are immediately forgiven.

Catholics also believe that when someone sins they not only hurt their relationship with God, they also injure the entire church, the body of Christ.

Jesus said, "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 16:19)

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." (Luke 20:22-23)

Oral confessing sins is recommended over and over in both the Old and New Testaments:
+ James 5:16
+ Acts 19:18
+ Matthew 3:5-6
+ Mark 1:5
+ 1 Timothy 6:12
+ 1 John 1:9
+ Numbers 5:6-7
+ Nehemiah 9:2
+ Sirach 4:26

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with a priest ordained in the name of Jesus Christ not only reconciles the sinner to God but with the entire church, including you and me.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1422 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

If you want Jesus Christ to forgive you, You have to leave the Luciferian cult, which is the catholic church, and start reading the true word of God -the bible.