The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1422
What is reconciliation?
Only God has the authority to forgive sins. Yet, this authority is mediated through others. The Jews questioned why Christ was forgiving sins, because they did not realize He was God. We must not forget that Jesus was also a man. He passes on this authority to forgive sins to his apostles.
The Catechism says that while it is God alone who forgives sins, “he entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ ( 2 Cor 5:18).”
There are two parts in reconciliation. Those two parts are contrition, and repentance by the person who is seeking restoration and forgiveness of sins. Catholics believe that the church, through the bishop and the priests forgive sins in the name of Christ and determines the manner of penance. Biblical support for this sacrament can be found in John 20:22-23
Sin destroys our relationship with God and with others
Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion.
Isn’t it good enough to just ask God to forgive me?
Yes and No.
We are told, as we see clearly in Scripture, that we are to confess our sins to one another. Thus, the ordinary way we have our grave sins forgiven is through the Sacrament of Confession. Thus, this is the way that Christ has established as the ordinary way to forgive grave (i.e. mortal) sins.
We, as Catholics, feel that confession is a vehicle for forgiveness. There is something extraordinarily peaceful about confessing in a conversation with a priest.
Are the Catholics the only ones who are truly forgiven?
We cannot put God in a box. Thomas Aquinas, for example, never tells us who God is only who he is not. His is a kind of anti-doctrine. He does this to undermine our idolatrous attempts to turn God into something understandable or controllable, something we could manipulate or avoid. God is simply not another category we can define.
If the person has contrition (sorrow) for their sins and turns from them, God will forgive those sins.
While Confession is the ordinary way to have your sins forgiven, it is not the only way. The Catechism says: “When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible” (CCC 1452).