I don't understand some of the complaints. We have a General Confession at most every service, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. It's certainly nothing new. The only way it would be illicit, IMO, would be if the Priest granted absolution. I was piscopo, but am now Catholic. I like the way our Priests do it better because they say "May the Lord have mercy on *us*". In the piskie church the 'priest' says "May the Lord have mercy on *YOU*" which sounds much more like he's granting absolution, though really in neither case is he doing so.
I also like the Catholic way of absolution when the Priest says "I hereby absolve you of your sins. Now go and pray for me, a sinner." I really like that humility. In fact, I admire the humility of Catholic Priests a great deal.
"I also like the Catholic way of absolution when the Priest says "I hereby absolve you of your sins."
I have always thought that the "Absolvo te" of the Latin Rite absolution is a good example of the different views about the Mysteria of The Church which prevail in the Latin West and the Greek East.
Here's the Greek absolution form:
"My spiritual child, who have made your confession to my humble person: I, humble and sinful, have no power to put away sins on earth unless God does it. But, trusting in the divnely uttered pronouncement that was addressed to the Apostles after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying, "If you remit the sins of any persons, they are remitted; if you you retain the sins of any persons, they have been retained"--in that import we also boldly say: As many offences as you have owned up to to my mosst humble lowliness, and as many as you have failed to say either though ignorance or forgetfulness--of whatever kin--may GOD absolve you both in the present age and in the age to come."
[Then bidding the penitent to kneel, the priest places his tole and hand over the head of the penitent, and touching it in four places in the form of a Cross, says the following Prayer of Absolution]:
"May GOD, Who through Nathan the Prophet forgave David when he confessed his sins; and Peter, who wept bitterly over his denial; and the harlot who shed tears on His feet; and the Publican and the Prodigal; may the very same God, through sinful me, absolve you of all transgressions both in the present age and in the age to come; and may He let you stand uncondemned before His dread Judgment Seat. As for the sins that you have confessed, have no further anxiety about them; go in peace.
The Grace of the all-holy Spirit, through me, least of all, has exonerated and forgiven you. At the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, God, have mercy and save us. Ameen."
Very different from the West, isn't it.