I thought this article was really interesting.

In all my years of being a good, little Catholic girl, I never knew such an office existed, or that there were sins a priest couldn't forgive.

Of course, I pretty much gave up on reconciliation as a sacrament back in high school, after a couple of bad experiences. For a sacrament that is supposed to be healing, it has never done anything other than cause me pain. As far as I'm concerned, sin is a matter that can be (and has been) handled directly between human beings and God in the person of Christ.