Why do Catholics confess sins to a priest?

Catholics confess sins to a priest because Christ gave the Apostles — and through them, their successors — the divine authority to forgive sins in His name. Confession to a priest is not a mere human custom but a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ Himself, through which God's forgiveness is truly and objectively conferred on the penitent.

Mercy, Not Burden

The Church warmly encourages frequent confession even of venial sins, not as a legalistic exercise, but as a profound encounter with the mercy of God poured out through the ministry of His priests.