The Church requires Catholics to attend the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once per year or when grave (or mortal) sins have been committed. We are urged to confess our sins more often during Lent as a way of removing barriers to our relationship with God.
Catholics are often asked why we confess our sins to a priest. It is important to remember that while the priest takes the visible place of Christ, Jesus is really and truly present in this holy sacrament. Through naming our sins out loud, we speak of our own sinfulness and it becomes a reality. Just as love unspoken can never be returned, sins unspoken can never be fully forgiven. The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers us the chance to name the ways we have failed ourselves, each other and God. The priest's absolution grants the grace we need to reconcile and repair our sinful behavior