Advent Confession prepares us for Christmas Communion, even as John's baptism of repentance prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah.
First, regarding the duty of the priest when hearing confession, two points: 1) If a priest does not say the proper words of absolution (Specifically, "I absolve you"), he should be reported to the bishop. 2) If a priest in confession says that a sin against the 6th commandment isn't a sin, he must be reported (because he has committed a canonical crime, and he must be stopped from continuing in his ministry).
There are many priests who have said certain sexual sins are not sins (most especially, contraception or sterilization) - these priests aren't just "liberals," they are real criminals, they have broken canon law and must be stopped from continuing in ministry in this way. Bad advice is confession is one thing, but when the bad advice is given about a grave sexual sin, the Church treats the matter far more seriously as it is a far graver offense.
Secondly, we consider the acts of the penitent in making confession: Contrition (sorrow for sin), Confession (naming our serious sins by kind and number), and Satisfaction (fulfilling our penance).
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