[MHGinTN]

You asked, perhaps innocent of the Truth the Word of God devlares, "But how do we know the forgiveness has been granted?" For those IN CHRIST we have God's Promise that He forgives when we approach Him for forgiveness. To those not born from above, 'ya pays yer coin and ya takes yer chances.' [1 John 1:7-9 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.] And that is confess our sins to HIM, for it is HE who forgives sin. Your priest has not been raised to God level righteousness in order to have that power. Sorry

[Claud]

And that is confess our sins to HIM, for it is HE who forgives sin. Your priest has not been raised to God level righteousness in order to have that power.

How about the Apostles? Christ gave them that very power to forgive sins in John 20.