The Council of Trent (1545 - 1563)
"But our Lord instituted the sacrament of
penance notably
on the occasion when after his resurrection, he
breathed
upon his disciples saying: "Receive the Holy
Spirit; whose
sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and
whose
sins you shall retain, they are retained" (John
20:22).
The universal agreement of the Father has always
understood
that by such a striking action and by clear words
the power of
remitting and of retaining sins, and of reconciling
the faithful
who have fallen after baptism was communicated to
the
apostles and to their legitimate successors; ...
Therefore this
holy council accepts and approves the true meaning
of these
words of our Lord and condemns the false
interpretation of
... those words."