To: All Parish Priests, Major Superiors of Religious Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life

(A) A lot of the faithful desire to go to confession and receive Holy Communion during Holy Week. Regrettably, Hong Kong is being afflicted with the atypical pneumonia (SARS) virus, so that it would be inappropriate, and indeed unsafe, for the same priest(s) to hear the confessions of individual faithful for a prolonged period in the same location. Moreover, it is reckoned that it would require weeks before the SARS virus could be contained. In order that the faithful may not thereby be deprived of the sacramental grace of confession or of Holy Communion for a relatively lengthy period of time, Bishop Joseph Zen, SDB, applying the norms of canons 961-962 of the Code of Canon Law, has granted permission for priests to give general sacramental absolution at any weekday or Sunday Mass during the period from Monday of Holy Week (14 April) to the Second Sunday of Easter (27 April) inclusive. The rite of general sacramental absolution includes the following:

(1) Brief explanation of the rite by the celebrant;

(2) a form of general confession by the penitents together, followed by the Lord's Prayer;

(3) the giving of sacramental absolution to all the penitents.

To ensure that the above rite is celebrated lawfully and validly for the spiritual benefit of the faithful, priests are to follow strictly the procedures and the prayers indicated by the Diocesan Liturgy Commission, the English texts of which will be promptly provided.

(B) After the second Sunday of Easter, the above rite of general sacramental absolution will no longer be permitted, unless so announced by Bishop Zen in consideration of the latest development of the viral pneumonia outbreak.

(C) After the second Sunday of Easter, if the SARS virus continues to spread ─

(1) Whenever for pastoral reasons a priest has to hear the confessions of individual faithful, he is required, in accordance with the Pastoral Guidelines issued by the Chancery Office on 1 April this year, to wear a surgical mask, while the penitents are required to at least put on an ordinary mask. Confessionals and closed reconciliation rooms without windows or ventilation should not be used temporarily. The most appropriate way of hearing the confessions of individual faithful would be at a location with fresh air and ventilation, and in a "face-to-face" manner.

(2) Those faithful who have committed grave sins and who, for hygienic reasons, find it morally impossible to confess individually to a priest, may receive Holy Communion after making an act of perfect contrition. However, they must resolve to confess, as soon as the SARS outbreak has been contained, each of the grave sins which cannot for the moment be confessed (cf. canon 960).

Given at the Chancery Office,

11 April 2003.

(Parish Priests are asked to make a brief announcement to the faithful about the temporary measure during Mass on Sunday, 13 April, and to post the above Chancery Notice on the parish noticeboard. Major Superiors are kindly requested to communicate the Notice to their own communities.)