Regardless of the length of time it has been practiced, Christ gave the abilities to forgive and retain sin to the apostles, the first priests and bishops.
I can’t see why anyone would be drawn to such practices.
Now if the women and unordained (including deacons) want to advertise this as merely a counseling session — I could accept this. But it is NOT the Sacrament of PENANCE!
“Regardless of the length of time it has been practiced, Christ gave the abilities to forgive and retain sin to the apostles, the first priests and bishops.”
Well, to bishops, who in turn authorize priests and in the East as they always have, others. The length of time this has been done may indeed have some relevance since the very oldest order for Confession is not Western but Eastern It is from Patriarch John the Faster (Constantinople) and dates from the 6th century, or so it is claimed. It was put together from manuscripts found in a monastery at the Holy Mountain by St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite and is called Exomologetarion or Manual of Confession.
“But it is NOT the Sacrament of PENANCE!”
You particular church disagrees with you, S.
I think the apostles are considered the first bishops, though they were also priests!
In any case, Christ conferred the authority on the bishops -- as the Church. He didn't go into the practical details of how that authority should be exercised. One imagines that in a community of a few hundred, the bishop could hear all the confessions. Even in the West, priests have the authority only as derived from the bishop (with some exceptions).
It seems to me we heard in high school that in the very early Church (first few years or decades?), the practice was for public confession (I assume "public" in the sense of the Christian community, not the world at large), with public penance frequently required. I don't know what "formula" might have been used or who spoke what words and, if it's known, I'm unaware of it.