Many parishes hold communal penance services during Advent and Lent. This is a form of sacramental confession and mixes public prayer and individual confession of sins to a priest, followed by absolution. There are some legitimate variations in the way in which this is celebrated, but a communal penance service must always include: 1) the penitents’ sorrow for sin (usually expressed in an Act of Contrition); 2) confession of sins to a priest with absolution given; and 3) an act of “satisfaction” or penance.
Usually, a communal penance service includes a Scripture reading and brief exhortation by the priest. This is followed by an examination of conscience, and then the entire community prays the Act of Contrition together. Sometimes, a single, general penance is assigned to everyone participating; at other times the assignment of a penance is done during the individual confession.
After the communal part of the ceremony, those present individually confess their sins to the priest and receive absolution (and a penance if it has not been assigned in the communal setting). The Act of Contrition is not repeated privately, because it has been part of the communal section of the service. Note that the words of absolution are said by the priest individually over the penitent. A person who participates in only the communal parts of the service has not been to confession!