Rom. Catholics love to claim Scripture for about 3 or so self-serving reasons. The rest of the time Scripture is seen as the crazy uncle they keep locked in the attic.
....”the first thing he did when he appeared to the apostles was to give them authority to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation”....
What utter nonsense....The Apostles were never given authority to forgive sins....ONLY Jesus is worthy of such an Authority. It’s his blood pored out for the forgiveness of men...not theirs.
No interpretation should be placed on that scripture that would place it in direct conflict with numerous other clear texts..... The fact is, though all Christians are to forgive one another, ultimately, only God can bestow absolute pardon The Lord did not grant that right to the apostles or anyone else.
On Pentecost the apostles, in harmony with the Spirit’s guidance, did not personally forgive the sins of anyone rather, they merely announced the conditions of pardon.
John 20:23 does not sanction the catholic clergy procedure of granting “absolution” from sin.