I would say that she is not confessing "to a man," but rather Christ himself. The priest is the instrument. Christ is working through him! Confession and Pennance is a way for us to get clean again and be restored. It's something that we have to do. It also goes hand in hand with recieving the Eucharist. We can't be in grave sin when we recieve the Eucharist, because the Eucharist is the Flesh and Blood of Christ Himself.
oops..lazy brain..meant to say "...Body and Blood of Christ..." on #22