How Forgiveness Works?

[ahs]

I debated whether to post this here, or in Apologetics. I think it more appropriate here? Anyway, a person was asking how to respond to an argument against the authority of the Priesthood in forgiving sins (when Christ confers this authority on the Apostles…it "only meant what Christ had already done). [I don’t need a response to that, by the way…that’s just for background and introduction.]

Another person (Catholic) responded with the following, and I’m trying to figure out if this is what the Church actually teaches. He has not provided any doctrinal citation, and I can’t find anything on the subject in the short time I have available this week. So, is the following explanation a “Catholic” explanation, and where can I find sources/citations about it ?

We do believe it is God who forgives.
The difference is the word “forgiveness” protestants have a different meaning for it. The “Faith Alone” meaning.

Forgiveness, break it down, it means “fore” “give”, pretty much it means passing or giving something forward. Here’s the etymology.

Priests in the Old Testament basically gets the sins of the penitents and puts it upon themselves. And then he’ll transfer those sins to a lamb or a goat and sacrifice that lamb, eat it, and the remains will be burnt as offerings, a holocaust (I know it sound familiar). The goats are set free in the desert, after a few days it will just die out there. If it comes back they tie it to a tree, usually near a cliff. (that sounds familiar too right? Judas?) Anyway, that’s basically what forgiveness REALLY means. When “Faith Alone” believers forgive someone they would just be like “That’s okay, I forgive you.”
Okay… But that’s just 50% of the work.
God is merciful, Yes… BUT we always forget that HE IS ALSO JUST. So forgiving someone like that is not enough. There is no justice there.

God’s way is the Catholic’s way of forgiveness. When we forgive someone, we take their sins put it upon ourselves. This is what priests do. And it is God, our Lord, the Lamb will be used to forgive those sins.

Christ died for the forgiveness of sins.

Christ died so that sins may be forgiven.

Christ is the Lamb, Christ is the Highpriest, he took all our sins, and put it upon himself, and then sacrifice himself as a highpriest sacrifice a lamb. Eat it (Eucharist).
And the remains will be for offering… “The Ascension.”

 

[BlackFriar]

I believe its fair to say that two different aspects of forgiveness operate in the Sacraments.

Baptism is the first experience of forgiveness.
It is wholly gratuitous, given even before we ask or even know we are sinners.
Just like the woman caught in adultery who was forgiven by Jesus even though she never asked or even sought forgiveness. Her thanks likely made it effective.
This seems to be what Protestants are referring to.

Then the Church realised people also sin after baptism. Hence Reconciliation.
This is what you understand forgiveness to involve.