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"What are holy orders?

You really don't know? It's the sacrament that changes a man into a priest."

So this is a sacrament that only a small group participate in, why is it called a sacrament if all RC don't participate in it?
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"One who is dying and has no access to a priest is not doomed, he may make an act of contrition in his own heart."

If one can make an act of contrition on their own when dying, why must you confess to a priest? Why can't you go straight to our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST all the time?

"If one can make an act of contrition on their own when dying, why must you confess to a priest? Why can't you go straight to our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST all the time?"

That's a bit like asking, why do I need to go to the Bible for answers, why can't I go directly to the Almighty? Because God set it up that way. He spoke to the Prophets, the Evangelists, the Apostles and others, and it is through their words that we encounter God. In Scripture, we encounter and even confront God, but the Scriptures themselves were delivered through men.

As far as the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we do go directly to God in the Sacrament, but the Sacrament itself is mediated by the Priest, who has been delegated to minister it by Jesus Christ, via the Apostles.

This is the Act of Contritions, it is one of the Prayer you say in Reconciliation:

Oh my God, I am heartly sorry
For having offended you.
And I detest all my sins because of your just punishments,
but most of all because they offend You, my God
Who art all Good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of thy Grace
To sin no more,
and to avoid the narrow occasions of Sin. Amen

You'll notice that the prayer is addressed to God, directly. As far as being able to go directly to God, sometimes he sets up an alternative arrangement:

"After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Te'manite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friend." (Job: 42: 7-10)

Here we see the Lord delegates Job as an intercessor for his friends. They don't go directly do God, because God has told them to go to Job, and then they were forgiven AFTER Job prayed for them.

Likewise, Christ established a Church on earth.

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it."

Scripture commands us to confess our sins to one another,

"Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." (Jas 5:16)

and it also speaks of the Apostles having the ability to forgive sins.

"Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20: 21-23)

Here we see Christ sending the Apostles forth as the Father sent Christ forth. He gives them the ability to forgive and retain sins. Christ has sent them as His Representatives. Muslims can pray directly to the God of Abraham, but the Apostles are sent forth as the personal representatives of Christ on earth. and it is through the Church that Christ builds upon these men that people encounter Christ.

From a practical standpoint, most people intend to confess their sins to God, but in practice, we probably don't do it very often or very thoroughly. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we confess our sins to God in the presence of another Human Being. The very set up of the Sacrament leads us to examine our conscience and consider how we have failed to God. It is a very healthy thing to do.

So this is a sacrament that only a small group participate in, why is it called a sacrament if all RC don't participate in it?

How can marriage be a sacrament if not all Catholics participate in it?

So this is a sacrament that only a small group participate in, why is it called a sacrament if all RC don't participate in it?

Who told you that all Catholics must partake of all 7 sacraments? Not everyone gets married, does that bother you, too? Many do not receive the Annointing of the Sick (Last Rites) prior to dying. Does this trouble you as well?

Did Paul leave Titus in charge of the local church he established, or did he leave everyone there in charge. Check your Bible.

If one can make an act of contrition on their own when dying, why must you confess to a priest? Why can't you go straight to our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST all the time?

Because ordinary times and extraordinary times are different. Sacramental confession serves many more purposes than just the granting of saving grace. When was the last time you sat down with a disinterested person and took an inventory of your spiritual faults? When did you last seek guidance in overcoming a difficult attachment to sin?

A different reason is for troubled things, really bad and evil things. Sometimes people are wracked with guilt about a deep dark sin. Hearing that one is absolved from another person can help greatly in healing the person from their own deep wounds.

How many Churches (Catholic and non) run programs, for example, to help women who regret having had abortions and feel guilt for their earlier action? This is all about reconciling the person to God's forgiveness and healing the harm.

SD