When Jesus gave HIS DISCIPLES/the Apostles that empowerment, HE was conveying THAT POWER. There is NOTHING in the catholic religion which has JESUS presenting Himself to convey that POWER, so this is a fantasy that perpetuates catholiciism but does not bring forgiveness of sin by some 'power of the priest'.
IF you are forgiven in the confessional booth it is just as available if there is no priest on the other side of the partition.
I can get the same forgiveness by humbling myself privately before HIM and confessing TO HIM and asking for HIS forgiveness. Forgiveness is NOT CONVEYED by the catholic priest, it is given BY GOD ALONE because JESUS said GOD will forgive when we confess to HIM, because HE HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE.
We Catholics don't go by the Bible ONLY.
We also believe also in Apostolic Tradition.
And, when the Pope, any pope, speaks
Ex cathedra, "from the Chair of St. Peter" then he has the
full authority of office... (especially of the pope's infallibility as defined in Roman Catholic doctrine).
I don't expect a non-Catholic to believe in that. Why would I? But that is the way it IS with us Catholics.
Google those terms, if you like, or go to a Catholic web site for definintions:
Apostolic Tradition
ex cathedra
papal infallibility
full authority of office