General Absolution Services

[MrsFrozen]

My "An Examination of Conscience" booklet lists mortal and venial sins. "Willful participation in illicit (non-emergency) 'General Absolution' services" is listed as a mortal sin. I have heard of general absolution services and was under the imperssion that they were somewhat common. Why was this listed under mortal sins? Are there certain circumstances that would make it a mortal sin (not meaning the criteria for a sin being mortal)? This is very confusin to me.

Thank you and God bless.

[BLAZEr]

A priest would be better to answer this, and hopefully Cappy or Fr. Pontifex will poke their heads in soon, but let me try to field this a little.

A general absolution is when a large group of people are given absolution in a time of emergency when individual confession could not be given practically. For instance, the most common way this is done is for soldiers going into battle. For the absolution to be valid, the soldiers must be contrite, and resolve to sin no more. You are also bound to do a private confession as soon as they reasonably can, if they survive the emergency situation.

In some places in this country it has become common practice for priests to offer general absolution to penitents at Penance Services. These are illicit and quite possibly invalid. However, most penance services are just communal prayer services with Private confessions heard by a variety of priests. This is licit, and it is not a general absolution.