Forgiveness is always related to the Gospel. It is only by the preaching of the Gospel that a person can be saved and forgiven.
In the Bible, confession is always public, not private. Beginning with John, people publically confessed there sins and were baptized.
**And that is exactly how it was done in the early church, however, private confession probably seemed a bit more discrete and far less humiliating; if I had to confess my sins when I first came back to Jesus’ established church, publicly, I doubt I’d be a catholic today! LOL…
Jesus also forgave sins publically, not privately. **
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"–then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.
What does teaching in public have to do with confessing sins in public? 
Peter forgave sins publically on the day of Pentecost and retained sins publically as well.
But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
**So, if Peter could righteously bind or loose, then surely his chosen disciples via the imposition of hands could do the same? **
The Bible knows nothing of a dark room in secret with a priest. Your understanding of confession of sin is straight out of the dark ages, not the Bible.
**Like I said: I’d rather confess my sins in private than in public, and I think the C.C. eventually started realizing that this was a far better approach than public humiliation; what do you think Russ; is that a possibility?
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And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized…John 3
**Russ, doesn’t the following mean: his deeds may be clearly seen by God, not people in general?
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“he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
**Can you imagine if a husband cheated on his wife and he had to publicly confess this in front of her and her family at the assembly!
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If the Catholic Church is truly the Apostolic church, why don’t you follow the example of the Apostles.
**As you can see; we do! The apostles did not say one thing about the Trinity, and yet you believe the C.C. properly defined this piece of doctrine; why is that, considering the fact that the apostles are dead silent on the matter?
Couldn’t they be WRONG??? **
Retaining sin is also always related to the rejection of the Gospel and retention of sin is also always public and not private.
**Do you still feel that way considering the preceding hypothetical? As far as I can tell, the Holy Bible conveys one thing vis-a-vis the binding and loosing of sins: only Jesus Christ and His established church have the right to forgive or not to forgive. **
But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
**What does this have to do with confession?
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Russ, man, I give you a lot of credit; you juggle well when it comes to multitasking here at CAF!!! 
Even if we still disagree by the end of this thread, it’s been a pleasure debating with you!
I simply tell her that I hope she’s happy and is having a blessed life; Russ, I hope you are happy and having a blessed life my friend!