Fides Et Ratio

Sin seems to be more available than the sacrament of confession. Nonetheless, it is the vocation of all the faithful, priest or lay-person to seek out God`s healing grace in the sacrament, and not to burden ourselves with the crushing weight of sin. The precepts of the Church teach us that we ought to attend the sacrament once a year (not excluding those times we go for devotional reasons or due to mortal sin). The reason for this is that there must be some sort of tangible recognition of our sin before God, and His ministers whom He has imparted the authority to forgive sins. This is the way God wants us to ordinarily seek His mercy.