What is general absolution?

Answer 1

General absolution is absolution of venial sins given to a congregation all at once, without private confession. It does not apply to mortal sins; except in rare emergencies. For instance, when there is no time to hear individual confessions and there is a high danger of death, like right before a battle during a war, the priest might give general absolution to a whole mass of soldiers. If (in that instance) they survived the battle, they are still obliged to go in individual confession and mention any mortal sins that were absolved during the general absolution.

Answer 2

Roman Catholic AnswerGeneral absolution in the Catholic Church is only given in an emergency when there is no possibility of individual confession and there is an immediate possibility of death, for instance right before a battle when it can be foreseen that many may die without otherwise receiving the sacrament. If one lives through the imminent disaster, one is bound to confess all those sins in individual confession at a later, convenient time.

Some priests have abused this privilege in the United States by pretending to give general absolution when there is no just cause (for instance a whole bunch of people show up for a Lenten penance service, and only two priests make it there). This latter case has been entirely forbidden by the Holy Office, and one is still bound to individual confession if one was subjected to such a travesty.