I agree with all the biblical evidence of why we must confess our sins to Jesus through a priest. For me I find it helpful to speak my sins, to say out loud what I have done that is sinful and to beg for forgiveness.
As a convert, Reconciliation did not come easy to me. For years I had been taught my sins were between God & I, and telling them to another was not necessary. But I also realized, in my continuing journey that speaking of my sins helps me to know what they are as well as helps me to avoid the temptation to do it again.
By speaking our sins we are given tremendous graces to shape up our lives. I had a really big sin that I had never confessed. I just kept throwing it in there with the line “for this and all my other sins”. It was a very old sin, something that had happened long before I converted, but a sin that had to be confessed. I knew it was wrong but I didn’t have the courage to actually say it. It was a huge weight on me, getting bigger & bigger. One day I decided this is it, I will confess this sin (as I had told myself many times). I went early to spend some time in prayer. I started a praying a rosary and about midway through it I heard a message to go now. The priest had just come in and no one was in line yet. I went in, sat face to face, (which I rarely do) and just told him. After hearing the words of absolution I knew I was forgiven. I knew that Mary told me to just go in and confess it and she was there to give me the strength to say the words. It was very freeing and healing. It was also very strengthening.
I try to go to reconciliation every 4-6 weeks. I get to tell Jesus my sins and I get to hear the words of absolution. It is a wonderful sacrament, one that should be used often.
