Why must we confess to God through a priest? The question of whether we can confess our sins directly to God rather than through a priest is a common one. While Catholic doctrine recognizes that God is omnipotent and capable of forgiving sins directly, the Church emphasizes the necessity of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) for several profound theological, scriptural, and pastoral reasons. Let us explore this in-depth. -- I. The Biblical Foundation of Confession Catholics believe that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is rooted in Jesus Christ’s institution of the sacrament. The practice of confessing sins to a priest is not a human invention but is based on explicit biblical teaching and apostolic tradition. 1. Jesus Grants Authority to the Apostles After His Resurrection, Jesus gave the apostles the authority to forgive sins: > “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, i...