Why confess to a priest?

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate is a national, non-profit, Georgetown University affiliated research center that conducts social science studies on the Catholic Church. CARA conducted a study and discovered that "nearly three quarters of Catholic surveyed reported that they never participate in the sacrament of reconciliation or that they do so less than once a year." As a class we discussed how these statistics are surprising because there are a large number of Catholics that attend mass regularly, but choose not to attend the sacrament of reconciliation.

Here are some of the benefits of confession that we developed as a class:
1. Confession is psychologically freeing: on a natural level there is a feeling of freedom and a weight being lifted off our shoulders when we admit or confess that we've damaged a relationship or done something wrong.
2. Taking time to reflect on our day is important: we are more likely to take stock of our spiritual, social, and emotional lives and our sins if we regularly approach the sacrament of reconciliation and make an examination of conscience before doing so.
3. Talking to a priest is free: many priest, brothers, and sisters have experience working with people and their struggles; some priests even have degrees in counseling and clinical psychology. Seeking profession help and guidance is important; however, a priest does not have any financial interest at stake.
4. All sin is public: sin fractures our relationship with God, our world, our neighbor, and ourselves. Therefore, it is fitting that we confess our sins to another person.
5. We are not purely spiritual beings, but also flesh and blood beings: making the act of confession (performing the actions) makes our sins and failures more real or more present to us.
6. And finally, Christ instituted the sacrament: Jesus encouraged people to repent from their sins and live better, more meaningful lives.