Only an ordained priest or bishop can hear a confession.
The Sacrament of Penance.
It is a sacrament of Healing.
The name of the sacrament which you confesses your sins is called the Sacrament of Penance. Its three names are reconciliation, penance, and confession.
foRmula of sacrament of reconciliation
Penance
It is called the sacrament of Penance, the sacrament of Reconciliation, the sacrament of Forgiveness, the sacrament of Confession, and the sacrament of Conversion.
the sacrament of reconciliation (penance or confession)
The form of the sacrament of penance consists of the words spoken by the priest during the absolution, specifically, "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The matter of the sacrament includes the acts of the penitent: sincere contrition for their sins, confession of those sins to a priest, and the intention to perform the assigned penance. Together, these elements facilitate reconciliation with God and the Church after sin.
the sacrament of reconciliation or penance
In the sacrament of reconciliation or confession, you receive sanctifying grace if you make a worthy confession. The priest will hear your confession and absolve you of your sins, if he is able (which means that you are genuinely contrite and intend to not sin again), and give you a penance, which is usually a token punishment for you to show your repentance to God. The sacrament of penance restores you to baptismal purity.
Roman Catholic AnswerThe sacrament in which one confesses one's sins is called Penance. The common name used by the laity is Confession, but technically it is the Sacrament of Penance.
The five steps to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily are: 1) Examine Your Conscience - Reflect on your thoughts, words, and actions to identify sins. 2) Sorrow for Your Sins - Feel genuine remorse for having offended God. 3) Intention to Amend - Resolve to change your life and avoid sin in the future. 4) Confession - Confess your sins to a priest in the sacrament. 5) Perform the Penance - Complete the penance assigned by the priest to demonstrate your commitment to reconciliation.