The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is a dicastery of the Roman Curia and is one of the three ordinary tribunals of the Apostolic See. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church. The Apostllic Penitentiary has jurisdiction only over matters in the internal forum (an act of governance made without publicity). Its work falls mainly into these categories: the absolution of excommunication latae sententiae (a latae sententiae penalty is a penalty that is inflicted ipso facto , automatically, by force of the law itself, at the very moment the law is contravened), reserved to the Holy See the dispensation of sacramental impediments reserved to the Holy See the issuance and governance of indulgences The head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Major Penitentiary , is one of the few Vatican officials who retain their positions sede vacan