Is the History Channel correct that confession began in 1213?

[pattysm]

On the History Channel they said the Catholic Church didn’t start confession sacrement with a priest till the year 1213, could this be correct? I thought it started when Jesus told Peter he was the rock he would build his church on and whatever he bound or loosed he would uphold?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

I have found that the History Channel is far more often incorrect than correct when in comes to the Catholic Church.

This Catholic Answers tract is filled with quotes about the Confession of sins in Scripture and from the Church Fathers in the earliest days of the Church’s existence:

• catholic.com/library/Confession.asp
  You can also get a fuller treatment from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
• Confession

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.