Father Z Hits 'em Where it Hurts...
Talking to a much loved aunt yesterday, I was regaled with stories from her parish of general absolution and face to face confession. Of course, to offer general absolution in place of individual confession is strictly prohibited. The Code of Canon Law states that: Can. 959 In the sacrament of penance the faithful who confess their sins to a legitimate minister, are sorry for them, and intend to reform themselves obtain from God through the absolution imparted by the same minister forgiveness for the sins they have committed after baptism and, at the same, time are reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by sinning. Can. 960 Individual and integral confession and absolution constitute the only ordinary means by which a member of the faithful conscious of grave sin is reconciled with God and the Church. Only physical or moral impossibility excuses from confession of this type; in such a case reconciliation can be obtained by other means. Can. 961 §1...