General absolution in my parish - should I act?

[trials]

Hi,
Been here before with confessional queries, so from information given here and my own studies, I have a very good idea of how important it is to go to confession for absolution from mortal sin. I know what the Church teaches on General Absolution, that it can only be administered under very serious circumstances, and I now understand (though I didn’t before because I was afraid to confess a particular sin) how important this sacrament is, administered through the person of Christ.

OK, so today at Mass our priest announced we have a General Absolution service on next weekend after Mass - in the bulletin it states we will be given a talk after Mass and can then go up to the priest in a queue “to receive absolution” from our sins. No private individual confession, no explanation that this is not to be considered a substitute - just a general absolution.

And in his sermon at Mass, the priest explained that in his previous parishes these services were very popular (I’ll bet!) , 1000+ attendance, and that he always wondered about the benefits of confession, he says we go in, dump our rubbish on the priest, who takes it away like a garbage truck and then go out of the confessional and carry on sinning.

At this stage of the sermon I felt sick to my stomach. What I’m wondering is, should I remain silent? I mean, who am I with my sinful past to criticise a priest’s actions, number one. The only thing is I am acutely aware of the benefits of confession, and can see that this service will endanger other people’s souls. And if I should act, how do I act without causing bitterness - if I contact the Archbishop, I will feel like I’m a telltale and this priest would feel huge resentment towards me - he is also suffering from cancer, and I don’t want to cause him unnecessary stress. I’m praying about it anyway.

 

[WMM]

Hi,
Been here before with confessional queries, so from information given here and my own studies, I have a very good idea of how important it is to go to confession for absolution from mortal sin. I know what the Church teaches on General Absolution, that it can only be administered under very serious circumstances, and I now understand (though I didn’t before because I was afraid to confess a particular sin) how important this sacrament is, administered through the person of Christ.

OK, so today at Mass our priest announced we have a General Absolution service on next weekend after Mass - in the bulletin it states we will be given a talk after Mass and can then go up to the priest in a queue “to receive absolution” from our sins. No private individual confession, no explanation that this is not to be considered a substitute - just a general absolution.

And in his sermon at Mass, the priest explained that in his previous parishes these services were very popular (I’ll bet!) , 1000+ attendance, and that he always wondered about the benefits of confession, he says we go in, dump our rubbish on the priest, who takes it away like a garbage truck and then go out of the confessional and carry on sinning.

At this stage of the sermon I felt sick to my stomach. What I’m wondering is, should I remain silent? I mean, who am I with my sinful past to criticise a priest’s actions, number one. The only thing is I am acutely aware of the benefits of confession, and can see that this service will endanger other people’s souls. And if I should act, how do I act without causing bitterness - if I contact the Archbishop, I will feel like I’m a telltale and this priest would feel huge resentment towards me - he is also suffering from cancer, and I don’t want to cause him unnecessary stress. I’m praying about it anyway.

***Are you sure that it wan not a communal reconciliation service with individual confessions?

Our parish gathers twice a year for a Gospel reading and communal examination of conscience, followed by private confession to one of 10 priests present in the church.***

 

[trials]

***Are you sure that it wan not a communal reconciliation service with individual confessions?

Our parish gathers twice a year for a Gospel reading and communal examination of conscience, followed by private confession to one of 10 priests present in the church.***

Yes - unfortunately, he asked us to think about our sins during the week and bring our desire for repentance and forgiveness next week, but the actual format, will be to make an orderly queue at which he will say a prayer over us and “absolve” us.

 

[paperwight]

That’s what it sounds like to me - a communal service of exam of conscience, sorrow etc and then individual brief confessions and absolutions. Why else would people be going to the priest individually?

I cetainly don’t think it’s worth making waves over. The priest isn’t going to cancel on your say-so, is he, as he’ll have thought through the issues already and decided it was a good thing to have such a service. Nor is the bishop likely to come galloping round.

 

[paperwight]

Yes - unfortunately, he asked us to think about our sins during the week and bring our desire for repentance and forgiveness next week, but the actual format, will be to make an orderly queue at which he will say a prayer over us and “absolve” us.

Hmmm… I’d be very surprised if he didn’t ask people to say a sentence about what they were most conscious of, once they got before him.

And don’t forget, we don’t have to confess venial sins out loud anyway, so there’s no need for the quotes round ‘absolve’ in those cases. The absolution is valid.

Can you report back once it happens, or won’t you be going on principle?

 

[Jennifer_J]

Maybe ask your priest for clarification. It could be a communal penance service. Just ask. Or you could go and see what happens…

 

[glenconnor]

We had General absolution in my parish last week, but it was clear that there would be individual confession first (we had ten priests there) and then the absolution/penance portion was in the group. But you had to have the individual confession first. I have my first confession coming up and we are doing that in a group too…but again we have to have individual confession first. I’d definitely seek clarification from your priest first and if that does not work I’d go to your bishop.

 

[rskempf]

I would say it is definitely not worth making a fuss over with the priest or “leadership” of the parish. You will simply be ridiculed and ostracized. This is my experience anyway.

Your thinking is correct however, in my opinion. You have to wonder, what is wrong with the good old fashioned Sacrament of Penance? Why is there a confessional complete with operating green and red lights in the church? And why is this room so infrequently used?

The Sacrament of Penance has fallen and is no longer properly dispensed in some parishes (liberal parishes). These parishes typically cite “by appointment only” in the bulletin. Or, if there is a fixed time for Sacrament of Penance, it is for the hour before Saturday mass, or some other time convenient for the priest. Odds are, if you go there at the prescribed time, you may find one or two people at the most. In my parish, you will find zero!

You are much better off, and more effective in salvation of souls, by talking a friend into going to Sacrament of Penance at the nearby “orthodox” parish. Do it the prescribed way. Stay in your parish and try to increase your circle of “frequenters of Sacrament of Penance.” Over time, you might get several people to give it a try. You just might get several people into heaven. What a deal!

 

[trials]

Hmmm… I’d be very surprised if he didn’t ask people to say a sentence about what they were most conscious of, once they got before him.

And don’t forget, we don’t have to confess venial sins out loud anyway, so there’s no need for the quotes round ‘absolve’ in those cases. The absolution is valid.

Can you report back once it happens, or won’t you be going on principle?

I get what you’re saying, totally, but the priest did make it clear that there would be no individual confessions made. However, I do not want to cause ructions in my parish either. I will be going because it’s going to be held at our usual Mass next week. I suppose I should just keep schtum.

 

[Stylites]

I get what you’re saying, totally, but the priest did make it clear that there would be no individual confessions made. However, I do not want to cause ructions in my parish either. I will be going because it’s going to be held at our usual Mass next week. I suppose I should just keep schtum.

The name of the sacrament is “Reconciliation,” and while the format has changed through the years, the purpose is the same. In a “Communal Penance Service,” the faithful make an act of contrition together, and confess their sins in private with the priest. Whatsoever format of the sacraments the Church does is orthodox.

.

 

[benedictgal]

I get what you’re saying, totally, but the priest did make it clear that there would be no individual confessions made. However, I do not want to cause ructions in my parish either. I will be going because it’s going to be held at our usual Mass next week. I suppose I should just keep schtum.

What you described in your initial post is a serious abuse. Please read what the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments wrote in its Circular Letter on the Integrity of the Sacrament of Penance:

1. In giving consideration to the authenitic discipline of the Church concerning “general absolution”, the recent interdicasterial meeting of the Roman Curia with a representation of Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Australia noted that:

. . . communal celebrations have not infrequently occasioned an illegitimate use of general absolution. This illegitimate use, like other abuses in the administration of the Sacrament of Penance, is to be eliminated.

The teaching of the Church is reflected in precise terms in the requirements of the Code of Canon Law (cf. esp. canons 959-964). In particular it is clear that “A sufficient necessity is not … considered to exist when confessors cannot be available merely because of a great gathering of penitents, such as can occur on some major feastday or pilgrimage” (canon 961, § 1, 2°).

…4. With respect to the administration of “general absolution”, the exclusive authority enjoyed by diocesan bishops to determine whether a grave necessity is truly present in a given case in their diocese 11 does not permit them "to change the required conditions, to substitute other conditions for those given, or to determine grave necessity according to their personal criteria however worthy."12 Indeed, the Diocesan Bishop makes "this judgment graviter onerata conscientia, and with full respect for the law and the practice of the Church."13

1. Local Ordinaries and priests, to the degree that it applies to them, have an obligation in conscience to ensure that penitents have regular and frequent scheduled opportunities for individual and integral confession of sins in all parish churches and insofar as possible in other pastoral centres.14 In addition, priests are called upon to be generous in making themselves available outside of those scheduled times to celebrate individual and integral confession whenever the faithful would reasonably ask for it.15 "Other works, for lack of time, may have to be postponed or even abandoned, but not the confessional."16

1. The Holy Father has pointed to the personal nature of sin, conversion, forgiveness and reconciliation 17 as the reason why the Rite of Reconciliation of several penitents with individual confession and absolution “demands the personal confession of sins and individual absolution”.18 Since individual and integral confession of sins is not only an obligation "but also an inviolable and inalienable right"19 of the faithful, any innovation which would interfere with their fulfillment of this obligation, such as when penitents are invited or otherwise encouraged to name just one sin or to name a representative sin, is to be eliminated.

With all due respect, you need to bring this to the attention of your Archbishop, as what you have experienced is a serious abuse.

 

[trials]

What you described in your initial post is a serious abuse. Please read what the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments wrote in its Circular Letter on the Integrity of the Sacrament of Penance:

Thanks for that info, I know from my Catechism that only extreme circumstances warrant general absolution so I know from the details my priest gave, that this service without individual confession does not suffice to provide absolution.

I was thinking maybe if I keep quiet for now and instead contact the Archbishop after the event, say a few months after, and ask him to write a general letter to the diocese about correct practices for the Sacrament of Confession then? Then it wouldn’t seem like our parish in particular was being targeted. The same thing happened in a neighboring diocese, where 3 priests were offering these absolution services without individual confessions, and the Bishop wrote to all the parishes explaining that such services did not suffice for the absolution of serious sins. The priests continued to act in defiance of their Bishop though.

 

[benedictgal]

Thanks for that info, I know from my Catechism that only extreme circumstances warrant general absolution so I know from the details my priest gave, that this service without individual confession does not suffice to provide absolution.

I was thinking maybe if I keep quiet for now and instead contact the Archbishop after the event, say a few months after, and ask him to write a general letter to the diocese about correct practices for the Sacrament of Confession then? Then it wouldn’t seem like our parish in particular was being targeted. The same thing happened in a neighboring diocese, where 3 priests were offering these absolution services without individual confessions, and the Bishop wrote to all the parishes explaining that such services did not suffice for the absolution of serious sins. The priests continued to act in defiance of their Bishop though.

No. You need to contact him right away. Many innocent souls who do need confession are, as I see it, being misinformed and misled. This is a serious and grave matter. Now that you know that this should not be done, you need to have this thing nipped in the bud.

Doing the right thing is not always easy. A couple of years ago, the local Cursillo group was going to have a penance service somewhat similar to what you described, although, this involved writing your sins down and handing them to the priest and then burning them. I reported this to the Chancery and the service got cancelled ASAP.

 

[Catholic1954]

Before jumping to conclusions, why not attend this service and see for yourself what is really going on? It sounds like this sort of thing is common with your parish and priest, and if that is the case, someone else would have complained long ago and the bishop would have put a stop to it. If there is something seriously wrong going on, you can always call the diocese the next day to file a complaint and will be able to give them first hand facts.

 

[benedictgal]

Before jumping to conclusions, why not attend this service and see for yourself what is really going on? It sounds like this sort of thing is common with your parish and priest, and if that is the case, someone else would have complained long ago and the bishop would have put a stop to it. If there is something seriously wrong going on, you can always call the diocese the next day to file a complaint and will be able to give them first hand facts.

Actually, this is a very serious and grave matter. The OP already stated and re-stated that the priest said that individual confession will not be offered. This is a serious abuse that needs to be reported before any such “celebration” can take place because this is ilicit. The Holy See has already decreed that such General Absolution cannot be administered in this manner. What the OP reported does not even meet the conditions of General Absolution. If nothing is done, then many innocent souls who do not know better will be, as I see it, misled and a lot of misunderstanding will take place. Action is needed now, not after the fact.

 

[MarkThompson]

Before jumping to conclusions, why not attend this service and see for yourself what is really going on?

A typical CAF exchange:
Q. My priest said he is going to offer a Black Mass for the intentions of Lucifer, with Twinkies and Jack Daniels instead of bread and wine. I don’t know very much about Catholicism, is this permitted? I saw him put some Twinkies in the tabernacle.
A1. You must book a flight to Rome immediately. PM me for Cardinal Arinze’s apartment number.
A2. Are you sure you understood the priest correctly? Maybe he said, “for the intentions of Lucy,” that could be a parishioner’s name, right? And some types of bread, even unleavened bread, can look thicker, maybe that’s what you saw in the tabernacle? You said yourself that you don’t know much about Catholicism, so charity demands that you not judge this priest until you have full facts and understanding. Why don’t you attend the Mass and report back on your observations?

 

[Dicerning]

If I may chime in.

I heard an heterodoxical priest mention a few years ago that General Absolution was OK because the Church was in a situation of extreme crisis and there is not enough priests avail. SO he turned the confessional into an elevator and ceased hearing confessions due to the fact that he personally declared the priest shortage an emergency and gave general absolution. Of course he blamed the shortage on the run of the mill complaints…women priests, married priests…etc.etc.etc…

My only real question is the fact that he may be riding that elevator to hell some day.

 

[Dicerning]

A typical CAF exchange:
Q. My priest said he is going to offer a Black Mass for the intentions of Lucifer, with Twinkies and Jack Daniels instead of bread and wine. I don’t know very much about Catholicism, is this permitted? I saw him put some Twinkies in the tabernacle.
A1. You must book a flight to Rome immediately. PM me for Cardinal Arinze’s apartment number.
A2. Are you sure you understood the priest correctly? Maybe he said, “for the intentions of Lucy,” that could be a parishioner’s name, right? And some types of bread, even unleavened bread, can look thicker, maybe that’s what you saw in the tabernacle? You said yourself that you don’t know much about Catholicism, so charity demands that you not judge this priest until you have full facts and understanding. Why don’t you attend the Mass and report back on your observations?

Arinze is no longer the prefect for the CDWDS .

 

[Stylites]

Actually, this is a very serious and grave matter. The OP already stated and re-stated that the priest said that individual confession will not be offered. This is a serious abuse that needs to be reported before any such “celebration” can take place because this is ilicit. The Holy See has already decreed that such General Absolution cannot be administered in this manner. What the OP reported does not even meet the conditions of General Absolution. If nothing is done, then many innocent souls who do not know better will be, as I see it, misled and a lot of misunderstanding will take place. Action is needed now, not after the fact.

No, the prudent and charitable thing to do would be to assume the best. Unless you yourself were directly involved with communicating with this particular priest then you really have no business trying to escalate what is most likely a misunderstanding twice-removed into a big earth-shattering event. Priests are way too busy to have to be dealing with busy-bodies; they need our support and not our false-judgments.

.

 

[Stylites]

I will be going because it’s going to be held at our usual Mass next week. I suppose I should just keep schtum.

By all means do report back so that some people don’t have any more conniptions.

.