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[Dory]

I know that the apostles were given the right and command to forgive or retain sin when Jesus said, "Whose sins you shall forgive shall be forgiven and whose sins you retain shall be retained." But when did the apostles actually start "hearing" confessions. It seems they were more involved in forgiveness of sins through baptism. Does anyone have an idea when and how this sacrament began?

Dory

[Gail OCDS]

This may be of help....

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm

God Bless +

[Dory]

Gail:
Your reference was quite a treatise on the sacrament of penance! I enjoyed the whole thing. What it seems is that most of the usage of the sacrament of penance was perhaps after the Acts of the Apostles. That would make it mostly Tradition or information from the Church Fathers. There is one reference to the gospel of St. John. I will read more carefully to see if I can discern any early examples in Scripture for this sacrament. Some of my non-Catholic friends use notations indicating that only baptism is necessary since there are no apparent examples of sacramental reconciliation in Scripture.

Thanks for the reference.
Dory