Of course you can go straight to God — and Catholics do. We pray directly to God constantly. But Scripture also calls us to pray for one another. That’s part of what it means to belong to the Body of Christ.
James 5:16 teaches, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” Intercessory prayer is not optional; it’s a biblical expectation.
At the same time, Christ established specific roles within His Church. The priesthood isn’t a human invention — it’s rooted in Jesus’ own actions. In John 20:23, the risen Christ breathes on the apostles and tells them, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” That moment institutes a concrete model for the forgiveness of sins, one that involves the ministry of priests acting through the authority Christ gave them.
So yes, we go directly to God. But we also follow the structure Christ Himself put in place, where the prayers of the faithful support one another, and the priest serves in the role Jesus entrusted to him.
Regarding the priest you encountered on your ship, please remember that there are many different areas of theological and religious study, and not everyone excels or even has interest in all areas. Most priest would be well trained in areas of pastoral care. However, there is another specific area of study known as apologetics, which focuses on being able to delve into and respond to queries or challenges to the faith such as these. While some priests are very skilled at this type of Q&A, most are not. I would trust my soul to most of them, but I wouldn't necessarily trust that they could answer detailed questions such as these.
Regarding the priest you met on your ship, it’s worth remembering that theology is a broad field, and not every priest specializes in every area. Most priests are thoroughly trained in pastoral care — guiding, supporting, and ministering to people. But there’s another discipline called apologetics, which focuses on answering detailed questions and challenges about the faith.
Some priests are excellent in that area, but many are not, simply because it isn’t their primary focus or interest. I would trust nearly any priest with the care of my soul, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’re equipped to handle complex theological Q&A on the spot. Different gifts, different strengths — all within the same Church.