“But the words concerning the forgiveness and retention of sins was addressed to the Apostles whose office was continued in the episkopos and prebuteros priesthood of the Catholics and Orthodox of today.”
By definition the office of Apostle ended with the last to have been an eye witness to the resurrection. It could not have been passed on. There is no evidence that the apostles ever used that “forgiveness and retention of sins” as Jesus did. John says if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse. He does not mention that the confession could be blocked by someone here deciding not to allow the promised forgiveness. We have access to the Father through Jesus, there is no earthly “gatekeeper”.
Act 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection
"Apostle" does not mean by definition a "witness" but rather an "envoy". It would be quite natural that when selecting a replacement for Judas that a witness to the Resurrection would be preferred since his testimony would carry greater weight. But there is nothing in the Bible to say that they authority of the Apostles would cease after that first generation. On the contrary, "apostleship" that is conferred upon Matthias is identified as an "episcopacy" in v. 20, the same episcopacy that is identified by Paul in 1 Timothy.