Why Do Catholics Go To Confession

  Many people find it strange that we Catholics go to confession so many times during the year. In some other faiths they believe that once saved always saved. In other words if they sin they are automatically forgiven, because they have accepted Jesus as their personal savior. The problem with this is that it is not biblical. If you are looking for an excellent website with information about confession Click Here Now. Now there are many other excellent websites out there with awesome information. I would suggest checking out EWTN and Catholic Answers if you are looking for answers and help.
16                                           Matthew  Chapter 16: 16-19
16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”1717 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.18 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.19 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”


                                    John Chapter 20: 19-231919 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.
23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” 




As you can see it is clear in these few places in scripture that the power of forgiving sin was given to the Apostles.


Okay so how has confession changed through the years. Well confession in itself has not changed at all. The only difference is how and where we go to confession. In my day as a young child in the Catholic Church, we would go to the church on Friday and went in the confession booth. There were three booths, the priest was in the middle and two people on either side. It was dark and a screen separated you from the priest. He could not see you and you could not see him, maybe just a shadow. You said the act of contrition and confessed your sins. He gave you your penance to say, such as the Our Father and maybe some Hail Marys. He would also ask that you think about your sins. Next he would absolve you of your sins and say go and sin no more.
 In today's catholic church you can use a type of partition with a screen or you can sit face to face with the priest. Everything else is the same as it has been for a long time. My advise is to go to church and confession, then receive The Holy Eucharist.
  Just remember there will be those out that will try to destroy the Catholic Church in every way possible. Remember what Jesus said " the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" meaning the Catholic Church. Yes there are many many other faiths out there constantly trying to tear down the Church, but they have not and never will. I have a feeling that many of them will be quite surprised when they stand in judgement one day. They will not be raised on the last day according to the fact that they do not eat his flesh and drink his blood at Holy Communion. But this is for another day.