Cardinal Fools Faithful With Invalid Live-streamed General Absolution (Video)

It's very relevant. Although the Sacrament of Penance is by nature dialogic (with the penitent an exterior expression of his interior disposition by naming specific sins), it is at times not possible. Absolution is therefore possible (and valid) in such situations. Certain obvious situations include patients in comas.

Certainly in Particular Absolution there is a certain proximity to the penitent which is often not possible with General Absolution. There is no way someone standing near the front of a 747 (or similarly sized plane) can see those in the rear or be heard by them. How big can a group be that would validly receive General Absolution? Can it be as big as an Army division?

More to the point, can an Ordinarius Loci give General Absolution to the entire diocese, given the fact that his potestas iurisdictionis by definition extends to the entire diocese? All these questions are--despite your protestations--relevant.

If I might add: There is certainly a juridical component to the Sacrament of Penance--the forgiveness of sins. I do think, however, that despite present inclinations (stretching back at least 400 years) this juridical element circumscribes the Sacrament. Like all sanctifying grace (gratia gratum faciens) it is not only healing (forgiveness of sins) but also elevating. Certain post modern theologians have attempted to portray the Sacrament as an Encounter with Christ IMHO, such attempts fail, simply because they sentimentalize the Sacrament to the point that the forgiveness of sin is all but forgotten.

Nb: General Absolution always requires the later Confession of sins should it be possible.

You're trying to shoe-horn a bad example into a situaton that doesn't fit. I'm going to re-post much of my discussion with Liam Ronan since it applies here as well.

Can. 960 states, "Only physical or moral impossibility excuses from confession of this type" (i.e) "Individual and integral confession and absolution".

In the case of a crashing 747, there is, in fact, a physical impossibility to hear individual confessions.

This COVID sitation presents an entirely different set of circumstances. Is there a physical impossibility for a priest to administer confession as per Can. 960?

No. This virus can be stopped by a cheap disposeable face mask, eyewear and a gown. Thousands of medical professionals are already treating the infected every day and they're not all contracting the virus.

Hospitals were treating the far more contagious and far more deadly Ebola virus using more advanced yet essentially similar methods. There are, in fact, right now a number of priests (with their bishops approval) who are still hearing confessions.

Some do it outside, others are using improved screens in the confessional. Still other priests use a combination of these methods along with breath-masks.

Are those methods beyond the technical skills of Indonesian priests? Sitting outside? Wearing a paper mask? Hanging a paper sheet over the confessional screen?

Get out. :P

Can. 961.1 lists a number of extenuating circumstances for administering a general absolution.

1/ "danger of death is imminent and there is insufficient time for the priest or priests to hear the confessions of the individual penitents"

In your example, contrived and irrelevant as it is, death is both imminent and certain.

Again, that is NOT the case here. Most people don't die from this virus. It's usually the elderly and those with already weakened immune systems. So we're talking about a sub-set of an already limited group.

Further, even among those most at risk, they don't die right away, either.

So the "danger of death" is NOT imminent and there's plenty of time for priests to suit up, mask on, and visit the few people who really ARE at risk of dying.

The second extenuating circumstance is:

2/ there is grave necessity, that is, when in view of the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors available to hear the confessions of individuals properly within a suitable period of time...

Indonesia is 85% Muslim. Worse, there are three times as many Lutherans than there are Catholics. There isn't going to be "rush" on the confessionals, either. Most people don't go nearly as often as they should especially among the Novus Ordo.

How long does a confession normally take? Five minutes, ten tops for the truly conscience-stricken receiving extra counsel?

The same subsection also states "Sufficient necessity is not considered to exist (for a general absolution) when confessors cannot be present due only to the large number of penitents...."

So assuming the priests have to turn confession into 12 hour job five days a week, shouldn't they find the effort and the sacrifice worthwhile?

It's entirely possible for Indonesian priests today to administer confession given the existing situation, number of cases, and established virus containment methods.

So, no, however much you try to derive some tortured basis of comparison between your contrived fantasy and what actually is happening today, there simply isn't any relevance.

You're extrapolating what isn't there.

Bishop Hardjoatmodjo might have the final say, but he's taking the lazy way out.