Our friends at St. Mary's in Le Center invite us to participate in their Reconciliation Service with Communal Absolution on Sunday, December 20, 6:00 pm at St. Mary... What? A reconciliation service with communal absolution. Communal absolution means absolution of sins without individual confession of sins to a priest beforehand. Why? Due to the pandemic, the Vatican has temporarily granted permission for communal absolution world-wide. We have chosen to offer this because we know that there are some who may desire the sacrament, but who don’t feel safe coming to confess individually due to the virus. How will it work? The penance service will occur in the church in a way similar to Mass. There will be a reading from scripture, a homily, and time for an examination of conscience. Then the service will conclude with absolution. The service will also be broadcast via FM transmitter (FM 90.7) into the parking lot so that parishioners have the option to attend in their cars without coming into the building. Is absolution allowed to be given through the radio? Sacramental absolution is permitted to be given with live electronic amplification so long as it is at least within seeing/hearing distance. Practically, how we will do it for this service is that the priest will offer absolution for those in the church first, then he will walk outside and give absolution to those in their cars. Since, absolution cannot be given remotely, the service will not be live-streamed. What’s the catch? Due to the importance of individual confession, the Church still requires recipients of communal absolution to confess any mortal sins (i.e. serious sins) individually within one year’s time.