Need a clarification- who forgives?

[OnlyAmbrose]

Just to clarify my understanding of Church doctrine-

Is it the priest who forgives you, or is it God/Jesus who forgives you when you go to confession? The priest says “I absolve you for your sins…”, which would indicate to me that it’s the priest. Still, God clearly has a hand in it somewhere, so what exactly does the Church teach on the Lord’s role in Reconciliation?

 

[Della]

It is Christ who forgives in the person of the priest who stands in Christ’s place. I find this reassuring because I can know I am forgiven when the priest says, “I absolve you…” and not simply hope I am forgiven.

 

[HailMary]

God forgives you.

Absolution:
a remission of sin or of the punishment for sin, made by a priest in the sacrament of penance on the ground of authority received from Christ.

 

[Mommyof02green]

BCS:

The Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another. It also tells us that God gave men the authority on Earth to forgive sins. Jesus sends out His disciples with the authority on earth to forgive sins. When Catholics confess our sins to a priest, we are simply following the plan laid down by Jesus Christ. He forgives sins through the priest…it is God’s power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest

Source: biblechristiansociety.com/2min_apologetics.php?id=12

So it’s Christ that forgives our sins in the confessional, He just do it through the priest.

When the priest says “I forgive you…”

You are to imagine that it’s God speaking, seeing He is speaking through the priest.

 

[HailMary]

Source: biblechristiansociety.com/2min_apologetics.php?id=12

So it’s Christ that forgives our sins in the confessional, He just do it through the priest.

When the priest says “I forgive you…”

You are to imagine that it’s God speaking, seeing He is speaking through the priest.

The words of absolution do not include the preist saying “I forgive you”.

It says,

God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sin, through the ministry of the Church. May God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

[HailMary]

Just to clarify my understanding of Church doctrine-

Is it the priest who forgives you, or is it God/Jesus who forgives you when you go to confession? The priest says “I absolve you for your sins…”, which would indicate to me that it’s the priest. Still, God clearly has a hand in it somewhere, so what exactly does the Church teach on the Lord’s role in Reconciliation?

You might also want to read newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm for a better understanding of the Sacrament in general.

 

[HailMary]

Just to clarify my understanding of Church doctrine-

Is it the priest who forgives you, or is it God/Jesus who forgives you when you go to confession? The priest says “I absolve you for your sins…”, which would indicate to me that it’s the priest. Still, God clearly has a hand in it somewhere, so what exactly does the Church teach on the Lord’s role in Reconciliation?

This is also nice: catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0301sbs.asp