I fear it's the gross abuse of "general absolution", reserved for soldiers about to enter battle or others in extraordinary circumstances.
Large group of priests, a formal service with prayers, examination of conscience, individual confession, then absolution by all the priests.
They're quite helpful, to a lot of people, and if you're not in a big hurry.
That occurs when the Bishop and the Auxilliary Bishop enter the Sacred Space at the terminus of the newly-constructed labyrinth installed behind the Cathedral. Prepared to engage in a face-off, their Crosiers nervously being tapped on the ground, the Bishops anxiously await the Papal Nuncio's dropping of the latest Liturgical Law. When it is dropped the Bishops start flailing away at it until it is totally eviscerated and he who is judged by the NCCB as being the "winner" gets to keep his Bishopric even though he is a pederast.
His Penance consists in publicly acknowledging some recent problems in the American Church and bemoaning the fact; " mistakes were made."