You are wrong, of course, doctrinally, as to the priesthood. but that has nothing to do with the subject matter of the thread.
You can make a self-fulfilling prophecy by determining never to confess to a priest in which case, of course, no priest will be serving as a conduit for your seeking of forgiveness.
Remember in arguing, this is a no YOPIOS zone.
Priests have the authority...Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound” (Jn 20:22-23).