[Salvation]

For your perusal -- The Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation -- especially about who can be the Minister of this Sacrament.

  

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SECOND EDITION

  ARTICLE 4: THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION

          I. What Is This Sacrament Called?
         II. Why a Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism?
        III. The Conversion of the Baptized
         IV. Interior Penance
          V. The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life
         VI. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
        VII. The Acts of the Penitent
       VIII. The Minister of This Sacrament
         IX. The Effects of This Sacrament
          X. Indulgences
         XI. The Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance
             IN BRIEF

[Kolokotronis]

Thank-you for the link to the catechism. What it says stands in rather stark contrast to what the Orthodox Church teaches about confession as set forth in the GOARCH link mom posted earlier.

It’s good that we see and understand these very basic differences in praxis and theology, especially since they are not matters of dogma and thus might not be noticed in the enthusiastic rush we seem to be seeing toward reunion.