[Claud]

No, only through/in the name of Christ.... The book of Acts is clear in this regard, never did the desiciples forgive outside of in Christ’s name...

Land's sakes man, in whose name do you think the priests are absolving????

"ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."

"I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

No one is saying the priest does it on his own....as if a man could forgive debts owed to God. God forgives through the priest.

If my kid gets dirty and I wipe his face, is it the cloth that's cleaning him up? No, I'm cleaning him up by means of the cloth. When I go to Confession, God cleans me up by means of the priest.

Just like Christ used the Apostles (John 20).

Your mistake is in treating the priest as the principle actor in this, instead of just the instrument that God is acting through.

[PigRigger]

So, can a believer bypass a priest and petition forgiveness directly from Christ...? Can a Priest withold forgiveness... if so, is he not deciding in the place of Christ... I would think so... How des he pretend to know the wisdom of God? BTW, I am not Catholic... and never have I asked another to forgive my sins in Christs name... I petitioned Him directly when repenting... and asking for forgiveness.