Just curious.
2007-12-17 13:42:28 · 11 answers · asked by Spoken4 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I confess to another Priest. We all have our own Father Confessors. It's a personal choice WHO we go to...but rest assured, we go!
2007-12-17 13:47:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Priests confess their sins to another Priest. Even the Pope goes to confession. No man is without sin.
2007-12-17 13:50:52 · answer #2 · answered by keydoto 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
He confesses to another priest. They confess among each other. Catholics believe in Apostolic Sucession and this is crucial to confession.
John 20:23 - Jesus says, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.
Jesus said this to his apostles and since we believe in Apostolic Sucession then the priest have the same authority as the apostles to hear people's sins. Then, they give advice and they forgive you in the name of the Trinity.
2007-12-17 14:13:50 · answer #3 · answered by cynical 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To another priest or bishop.
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.
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.
2007-12-17 13:49:53 · answer #4 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
a priest, a monk, the pope, all must go to another priest for their own private confessions. They too are sinners in need of God's mercy.
2007-12-17 14:22:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most likely another priest or a really close friend. They'll know who they're suppost to do it to because they'll feel it when they've done the right thing.
2007-12-17 13:47:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes, he confesses it to another priest.
2007-12-17 14:42:09 · answer #7 · answered by .. 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Interesting... and if you all have "Father Confessors", who does the pope confess to? Just curious...
2007-12-17 13:52:42 · answer #8 · answered by Sam 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How can a sinner confess to another sinner for forgiveness ??? Romans 3:23 " For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God ".
2007-12-17 13:48:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
Another clergyman.
2007-12-18 04:53:52 · answer #10 · answered by Daver 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋