An article by Kathleen N. Hattrup | Mar 20, 2020 in Aletheia explains how General Absolution might be used during this COVID-19 pandemic.
My first thought was what a boon this would be for Catholics who feel estranged from the church.
However, memories recollected brought back my wedding ceremony.
The celebrant was Father Paul Keyes. The date was July 4, 1971. Since it was a holiday and the church was a little crazy then in the years immediately after Vatican II, Father agreed to my request to give the congregation General Absolution. But I noticed many in the congregation didn't receive Communion. How Come? They just received absolution!
Later when the occasion arose, upon talking to some of the people who had attended my wedding, why they didn't receive Communion, they responded that they didn't understand what it was.
So with that incident in mind, I don't think people would understand if they were given General Absolution. Somewhere I read that people have to hear something three times to hear it to understand.
So would General Absolution have any meaning? Would it matter?
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