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Questions / God and the Trinity

Why confess to a priest, not straight to God?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Ascension Presents

Video: Why Confess My Sins to a Priest?, Ascension Presents, published Feb 28, 2018. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: Only God forgives sins, full stop. Then Jesus chose to hand that power to men, so you could actually hear the words “you’re forgiven.” CCC 1441

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

The Catechism begins plainly: only God forgives sins. CCC 1441

Jesus, the Son of God, forgives sins on His own authority, and He gives this power to men to exercise in His name. CCC 1441

He entrusted the power of absolution to the apostles and those who follow them. CCC 1442

Our words

You can always tell God you’re sorry, and you should. Confession is Jesus making sure you actually hear the words, out loud, from someone He sent: you are forgiven.

Next step: Your reading and ours

Honestly? The best answers come from people, not websites. Take the next step: find a parish near you

Related questions

Can you prove God exists? Ascension Presents · 10 minDoes science make God unnecessary? Bishop Robert Barron · 2 minWhat if I do not feel anything? Ascension Presents · 9 minIs the Trinity in the Bible? Dr. Brant Pitre · 11 min

Sources on this page

How we know · 2 Catechism paragraphs
  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1441, 1442 (official text on vatican.va).

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.