Do I Have to Confess My Sins to a Priest? 

Strangely, I had this same discussion with a close friend of mine who is Baptist a few months ago. He would ardently state "You don't need to go to a priest to confess your sins!" And quoted (KJV - 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;") I smiled and told him you are absolutely right. Confused by my statement he then inquired, "Then why do you go?" My response was simple. God has given us the sacraments, but is not bound by them. You are correct, I can confess my sins directly to Jesus, but I would not know if I am truly forgiven. By going to confession I am assured and know my sins have been forgiven, because Jesus himself told us so. (NABRE -John 20:23 "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.")

The more I learn about the Catholic Church, the more my heart says YES! I was born & raised a protestant. By God's great mercy, He led me home! Viva Christo Rey! JA

as a protestant I couldn't agree more I talk to my pastor sometimes about a sin have I committed. just to let it out and be assured. As matter of fact John Calvin didn't want to abolish this practice. I just believe in 2 sacraments baptism and communion. keep up the good work explaining the practice of the Catholics church may God bless you.

the sacraments are opporunities for us to meet Christ directly and face to face.. we should seize each opportunity to go meet Our Beloved God

I think it’s a good teaching to keep evaluating yourself, confessing in a sacramental way, and keep growing ☺️

I love my Catholic Faith, and love my Catholic Beliefs. I am super grateful for my Faith. Thank you so, so much for the video clip. Peace, and love to all. God bless you.

I went through confession after years and years of not going to mass. I confessed regularly-ish for the next couple of years but I always felt a load on my shoulders regardless. I finally talked to a priest and told him how I’d been feeling despite confession and a prayer life. He said that I was feeling that way because I had not forgiven myself. That I could not be forgiven because I had not accepted Gods Mercy. No sin is greater than Gods mercy.

All the Sacraments are like getting a receipt that you can wave in the Devil's face. I do it all the time.

As a protestant with a growing interest in Catholicism, the more I watch these, the more I think how much Catholics must themselves benefit from knowing the details of these priestly instructions and explanations.

Every time I go to confession and get absolved, I literally feel an indeterminable location near my heart get vacuumed of guilt. I find this mystical experience very interesting. I must wonder, does anyone else experience this?

I recently understood that when we have to confess and repent we must meet Jesus as the Lamb of God who was slain to take our sins.

I am both amazed and hurt there are so many people who dislike Catholicism. Jesus is Lord. He is the way the truth and the light.

Beautiful treatment Padre. Clarity is paramount! Well done!❤️🕊

I love confession, it unburdens your soul.

Yeah confession! Fr. Relax, your friends don’t need this, your enemies won’t heed this. Good work! 😊

Another difficult subject well tackled. Thank you Fr. Casey for giving us some explanation. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is often the hardest for us to undertake and many simply shy away from it.

Another great video Fr. Casey. I have had this dilemma for long. Now it's all clear

Very good explanation. Most protestants will have a better understanding on this sacrament with this video.

Really great video clarifying confession and it's true purpose in the Church. It was nice to see you go beyond the persona that is used to generalize priests as just spiritual guides. Very inspiring Father, thank you :)

The Holy spirit makes it very clear whether you are forgiven or are walking in sin though...

200k subscribers when I watched this video. Congratulations Fr. Casey! May your ministry continue to grow! May through this channel, many people will be lead to the love of our Lord Jesus Christ! God bless you always!

Thank you for this. I'm a cradle Catholic and my thought on Confession has mostly been that it makes us say what we've sinned out loud, and to be honest with ourselves about our failings. Because God already knows what we've done, and if we cant' be honest with ourselves by confessing out loud to the Priest, then how will be able to face God in the afterlife/Judgement day? Once again thank you for this. God Bless

1:55 to 2:38 It's amazing how you say everything with such accuracy and efficiency. God bless you Fr. Casey.

I love this sacrament,,,I always explain it to my non catholic friends, as me go to the priest and ask him to pray WITH me, to guide my prayer to GOD, as I reach within, and go to that humble place I need to be in order to make a good confession.

Casey, your channel is a blessing!

I was part of the Act of Contrition, with the Bishop. The hardest part, as a Catholic who loved the Stations of the Cross (Way of the Cross... as well as St. Mary's version of the Cross), is how to serve. Father Groschel, Father Corapi (Speeches) and especially Venerated Father Bishop Fulton Sheen. A diverse aspect, I realize. Thank you for providing the insight and answers we were to scared to ask at the time. We're a lot more understanding of people's perception.

Thank ! Thank ! For sharing this with us 🙏🏻💙

Thank you Father, you help me a lot with our Parish youth who often ask these questions. God bless you on your ministry

Thanks for the explanation! I hope I remember the key words when someone asks me why we Catholics go to confession.

Wow Fr. Casey! I've been following your page for a few years now, but I just realised how many videos I still haven't watched. As of Lent 2021, your recent Confession Q&A post has a lot of Qs which I just realised you answered already. Thank you for all the content you create. Maybe you should create a confession playlist with all the relevant videos

I'm brought to tears for two things for sure. There are other things but always the prayer of absolution and when taps is played at a military funeral.

I love being a Catholic and love doing the teachings of the church and it's one of our sacraments. True, you can just go to Jesus and confess. But being a Catholic and realizing that it is one of our sacraments, I go to confession because I know as a Catholic it is the right thing to do. I don't expect any non-catholic to agree with anything I say.

You are a wonderful and dynamic Priest. God Bless you Fr.

Good luck. Keep it up, accurate information is needed. Hope the backlash isn't too much. Sometimes people don't like comfort disturbed with Truth. I think the Habit is broken in.

Thank you Father Casey. I learned a lot from this video. I’ve be telling this to my Protestants brothers and sister for years. Now, I think I an explain it to them more clearly. One thing I know is how Catholicism is misunderstood.

Mind blown... thank U for clearing this up.

This is an extremely deep and rich subject theologically speaking, and there are more reasons (and information) than stated here. If any are interested, I would suggest to read what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about confession, as well as pick up a book on the priesthood of the Cure de Ars (St. John Vianny) and Padre Pio (two of the greatest confessors of all time).

Excellent ! In the Eastern Tradition the priest prays to God for absolution and assures the faithful saying "God forgives you". It is a great advantage to participate in this sacrament.

Yes Priest amen,,, I can confess to our God directly and also I have to confess it to priest cause it made me feel even more lighter receiving this sacrament personally.🙏✝🙏

Please show me where you get the office of priest for the body of Christ in the Pauline epistles???

Good video, Fr. Casey. But isn't confession not only reconciling us with the Lord, but also to the community (the church)...so, in that case, for serious sins - isn't it still necessary to go to confession? And isn't it also mandatory for serious sins before receiving the Eucharist? Thank you for addressing this topic.

I get scared of confession all the time but this is comforting

Great explanation... amen

Thank you for such a good video. I was quite surprised at my own ignorance a few years ago when I read R.C. Sproul’s (Presbyterian minister and founder of Ligionier Ministries) book “Does Prayer Change Things?” in which he writes that the Reformation fathers did not have any issue at the time with confession. It was the “works of satisfaction” assigned to the penitent afterward that was the cause of the controversy. He writes: -“The Roman Catholic sacrament of penance contains several elements: verbal confession, priestly absolution, and “works of satisfaction.” These works of satisfaction may be perfunctory tasks such as saying so many “Hail Marys” or “Our Fathers,” or they can be more rigorous acts of penance. The works of satisfaction are designed to accrue “congruous merit” for the penitent Christian, making it fitting for God to restore the grace of justification... It was this third aspect of the sacrament of penance that created so much controversy in the sixteenth century. The works of satisfaction, in the Reformers’ eyes, cast a shadow on the sufficiency and the efficacy of Christ’s finished work of satisfaction in our behalf on the cross... ...In practice, the priestly absolution differs very little from the Protestant minister’s “assurance of pardon,” which is given from pulpits across the land every Sunday.” - This seems to me to imply that the argument over ‘salvation by works’ really, at the time, may have had as much to do with this post confession practice as the argument over sanctification, which is the only thing everyone now seems to think it was about. There is so much misinformation about the Reformation among both Catholics AND Protestants.

I wish that you were my Priest. I hope I will be able to find a Priest like you some day. God Bless you

Beautifully Explained Father.

Thank you for making this video.

From Leo: So you are saying some man is uniquely qualified to put the stamp of approval in the finished work of JESUS the Christ. That does not sound right. .

This is the best. My friend thank you!

MAKE IT SHORT: VENIAL SIN: ASK FOR FORGIVENESS (PRAYER) MORTAL SIN: STRAIGHT TO CONFESSION (A.S.A.P)

Well done, Casey.

I remember reading somewhere that sin has a two-dimensional nature. I remember reading that sin both breaks your bond with God and also breaks your bond with your fellow Catholics. When you go directly to God to apologise, you deal with the vertical aspect of your sin but you don't address the horizontal aspect of your sin.

Love confession as you hear you are relieved of your sins from Christ through the priest.

What makes anyone think that they can go to school and learn how to forgive sins ? If that was the case then JESUS DID NOT HAVE TO DIE ON THE CROSS,but JUST GO TO A SEMINARY !

Thank you. Very clear.

Every thing you say is correct, but I am a bit troubled by the explanation. It may leave some to think that Confession through a priest is optional when the Church clearly states that going to Confession with a priest is mandatory yearly. I wish you would have expressed this as some will take this to mean that Confession is a good idea but not required. This would be a mortal sin in itself. Can you please make that point shortly?

A little confused- I’ve always been taught you MUST go to a priest for mortal sins or you will not be forgiven. for venial sins you can go to straight to Jesus. Is this not true or am I missing something?

I believe we should confess our faults and sins to one another as Brothers and Sisters in Christ, but ultimately we are each able to go straight to the Throne of God.

Christ is the covenant of faith and life. Christ is the only way to GOD.

No one should ever confess their sins to a Catholic priest, nor any man. Confessing your sins to the priest only insures that your prayers will never reach God. Priest literally blocks your prayers to God. God is in you, The Lord God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. The Lord doesn't need a simple man to interfere with God's holy salvation for his children.

Can you do a video on restitution. How to you pay for example back money you do not have. How to you ask forgiveness of those you can not contact?

Thank you so much!

As an evangelical minister, I often had parishioners come to me to confess their sins. I think this is common in our churches - for all the reasons Fr. Cole gives in his video.

Brother Casey, I have to say I love your videos. Though I would like to know your position on crusading, as I feel the church has been resting on it’s laurels on that front the last 450 years or so.

Good explanation.

In confession, it is Christ wo acts in the person of the Priest.

Very well said

Thank you Father

Love your videos, Father. What about the Eucharist? Without confession, merely asking for forgiveness and mercy privately we would not be able to receive the Eucharist, correct?

Altar Christus - confession holds hands with the Eucharist. Tangible mercy , There are Real graces for confession your sins. Humbling yourself before God the Father is the gift. How we need this space and God given time with our King of mercy. I have even seen the most merciful eyes of Christ looking back at me thru the eyes of the humble eyes of a priest. That is enough grace for me. God gives God takes away. 🙏🏽 Go to confession. It is truly the way .

I recently had my first confession and have my confirmation this Sunday. I had a really swell encounter in my first reco but since going to confession since then the priest got angry at me bc I didn't speak loud enough and I went out nearly crying and hadn't went back since. Am I aloud to just confess to God ?

Dear Br.casey,great explanation☺But why do priests go to confession?

Well said

Jesus said to Thomas do you believe because you have seen? Blessed are they who did not see and believe. It’s not about us or about what we did, it’s all about our faith in what Jesus accomplished at the cross. That is where we fall down at Gods mercy in repentance. If the priest is going to speak to anyone confessing about anything he should start with the gospel. If a brother wants to share for accountability, that is why churches need to practice discipleship and fellowship.

How do you do this when we are confined to our homes in this pandemic?

Perhaps I misunderstood, but we do need to go to confession before communion if we have committed a mortal sin. That has been the steadfast teaching of the Church for centuries. CCC 1415: "...Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance."

Humility of the penitent is also demonstrated in acknowledging one's before a priest.. confession before a priest has a lot of benefits- be it psychological, sociological, interpersonal etc..only a man with pride will not acknowledge one's sin before a priest.

I liked this video. It was a more nuanced topic then I initially thought it would be. But I do think that it may a slight case of splitting hairs, I'll go with it.

Just a question but what about Mortal Sins? Don't we have to go confession for Mortal Sins?

We confess in order to show how much we love God and mankind/neighbours!

Yes I believe

Lovely

You know that you are forgiven because he loves you, he died for you and redeemed you. That's how you know you are forgiven.

Sadly, Fr. Casey, the church HAS had "unspoken" requirements regarding confession (or, as it became known more clearly with Vatican II, the sacrament of Penance) for a LONG time. When I--at age seven--was in preparation for my First Communion, the nun who taught our second grade class taught us (yes, TAUGHT us) that without going to confession (meaning to a priest), we could not and would not be "holy enough" to receive Jesus--and that to do otherwise was "a very bad sin," this statement coming just after our class discussion on mortal sin--which had been described to us as "a very bad sin." Not hard for a seven-year-old to make the connection! And then there's that part at the beginning of EVERY Mass when we acknowledge before God (and our fellow parishioners) that we have sinned--in our thoughts and in our deeds, in what we have done and in what we have not done (that later part being the most disconcerting). But then the priest says, "May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life." That sounds like a kind of absolution to me. While I DO feel that mortal sins (and your video on what makes a sin mortal was very enlightening) SHOULD be confessed to a priest, wouldn't that prayer in the Mass serve as absolution for at least venial sins?

Pray about going to the Amazon.

Amen.... Christ can work directly with any repentant sinner and be forgiven. This is the route mature Christian's take. They know Jesus intimately and know whoever comes to Him, He will never drive away.. No doubt there. The church is great as a mother to guide the younger and weaker members of the Church to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ. Plus it's an excellent way to chat with a real person.

Wayibetha yacaca gca okwe kati imhlophe ehlungwini Brother❤️❤️😅

I can't believe how hard is to explain this to protestants, I quoted the bible to them but they simply resort to telling that the Bible doesn't make a clear indication on confessing to a priest therefore this catholic doctrine is false and serves other purposes of the church and they quote the next verse to convince you "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6

Please tell me how i can see God as 'the loving God' that everyone talks about? I'm serious, i view Him as a distant God that has little to do with out lives except to count up our offenses and deal out punishment when this life is over. I am an active Catholic. I participate in the sacraments and pray but i really have no affection for Him what so ever. I tried turning to Mary in prayer to see if it would help thru her but it has not changed. What am i missing? Is it a genetic fault or a mental impediment? I don't know.

Fr. Casey I am confused because the precepts of the Church tell us to go to Confession once a year if we have mortal sin. And not doing so would be a mortal sin. The precepts of the Church are bound under pain of mortal sin, so how could a person just keep going to God and not go to Confession if they have mortal sin?

Is it bad if I received my first communion without confession

0:32 "...why we have to confess to prist..." A "so called decalogue" is s law of war camp, and confessing sins is a method of keeping order between fighting "in peace' fractions of the people.

Can you make a video about the just war cause.

Father Cassey can you do a live Holy mass on RU-vid

So with that perspective then receiving the Eucharist is good but you can have a personal relationship with Jesus and it’s all the same . According to you it’s good to receive the Eucharist and Jesus gave it to us ( John 6:53-57) like confession but their are other ways am I getting this right? I would have loved to see you go to Padre Pio with that explanation of confession. Father you seem to be like Bishop Barron trying to please all religions and ignoring the doctrine of the church for 20 century’s . But it is nice to see you finally came out after not seeing you for a week and no mention of the Amazon Synod very interesting.

Why can we be sure that ours sins are forgiven when we go to confession but not sure when we ask Christ himself? Even if it is the same sin... It just doesn‘t make a lot of sense to me

Amen

Jon 6:37 Jesus says that anyone that comes to him he will not cast away or toss aside.🤗😇🤗😇🤗😇

It's not that we are unsure whether God forgives, since He always does - unconditionally, it's that we don't know whether we have accepted His grace and are transformed by it, in other words, if our contrition was true.

Dear br. Cassey. Did the virginity is the rigid requirements to become a Priest?