Some Catholics, in the face of the clergy sex abuse crisis, choose to give up on being Catholic, so deeply are they scandalized by this great evil. Understandably so. But I don't think this is necessarily the best or the most courageous choice.

What questions do you have about Catholicism? Submit them online, or fill out the form below.  By Mitch Finley Is purgatory mentioned in the Bible? The word “Purgatory” does not appear in the Bible.  It’s simply a shorthand term that refers to a concept that is, indeed, scriptural.  The Catechism of the …

At the same time, it is also a fact that many—probably the great majority—of Catholic moral theologians disagree and would advise a woman that she may, in good conscience, use an artificial method of birth control to avoid a life-threatening pregnancy.

The bottom line answer to your question is that God alone can forgive sins, so of course Catholics confess sins to God, even when they confess them to a priest in the sacrament that is called, variously, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Conversion, Penance, or Confession.