what are indulgences
Every sin carries with it a guilt and a penalty. Guilt is the offense done to God; Penalty is the punishment that the offense deserves. The guilt of sins is erased through confession. The pain, called ‘temporary pain’, must be atoned for in this life or in purgatory. In life he is satisfied with every act of God’s love and every good deed done in a state of grace, as well as through indulgences.
Indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal penalty for sins, already forgiven in terms of guilt, that a willing faithful and fulfilling certain conditions, obtains through the mediation of the Church (…). (1983 Code of Canon Law, Book I, Title IV, Chapter IV, Canon 992).
Indulgences can be earned for oneself or applied to the deceased (one per indulgence). Indulgences can never be applied to other living people.
Indulgences are grouped into two types:
* Plenary indulgences: they erase all traces of sin, leaving the soul ready to enter heaven immediately.
* Partial indulgences: they erase part of the penalty that the sins committed claim.
plenary indulgences
The conditions to obtain the valuable plenary indulgence are:
1.- The same requirements as for partial indulgences, that is:
– Perform the action that the Church rewards with this indulgence.
– Be in the grace of God before finishing the award-winning work.
– Have the intention, at least generally, of gaining the indulgence.
2.- Have the interior disposition of a total detachment from sin, even venial.
3.- Go to confession, at least fifteen days before or after carrying out the awarded action (without forgetting that you have to be in the grace of God before finishing the action).
4.- Pray for the intentions of the Pope an Our Father and a Hail Mary, or other prayers. One prayer is needed for each plenary indulgence.
5.- Communion, in the same period of time. One communion is needed for each plenary indulgence.
The following must also be taken into account:
– Only one plenary indulgence can be earned each day, except in case of death.
– The prayer for the Pope and communion must be done on the same day.
– The same confession can serve to gain several plenary indulgences.
– Each indulgence can be applied to oneself or to the soul of a deceased person, but it is not applicable to another living person on earth. That is, you can take a soul out of purgatory by dedicating a plenary indulgence to it.
– Some indulgences can only be applied to the deceased. An example is praying for them in a cemetery, since a partial indulgence is achieved, which will be plenary if it is done from November 1 to 8 (one each day).
What actions are rewarded with plenary indulgence?
Any day a plenary indulgence can be obtained, if the 5 conditions mentioned above are met and one of the following actions is carried out:
– Adoration of the Eucharist for half an hour.
– Realization of the Via Crucis, going through the fifteen stations erected meditating the Passion of the Lord.
– Prayer of the Holy Rosary (5 mysteries in a row) in a church, or with the family, or accompanied by others.
– Reading or listening to the Holy Scripture for half an hour.
Plenary indulgences in special circumstances.
On certain occasions, plenary indulgences can be earned if the 5 conditions mentioned above are met, plus one of the following actions. For example:
– Pray an Our Father and a creed in a sanctuary or basilica (granted once a year per sanctuary)
– Receive the papal blessing Urbi et Orbi (or listen to it on radio or television, live).
– Carry out spiritual exercises for at least three full days.
– Attend a First Communion.
– At the time of death to whoever prayed something during his life. In this case, confession, communion, or prayer for the Pope is not required; but it is necessary to be well disposed: in the grace of God, rejecting any sin, and having once wished to earn this indulgence.
Plenary indulgences on special dates.
There are several days a year where plenary indulgences can be obtained. To do this, in addition to complying with the 5 conditions mentioned above, it is enough to carry out one of the following actions on the indicated days:
– January 1: solemnly reciting the “Veni Creator” in a church.
– Fridays of Lent: after communion, praying before a crucifix the prayer “Look at me or my beloved and good Jesus.”
– In the Holy Week services:
. Holy Thursday: reciting the “Tantum ergo” during the exposition that follows the Mass.
. Good Friday: attending the services.
. Holy Saturday: renewing baptismal promises at the Easter Vigil.
– Divine Mercy Sunday (Sunday following Resurrection Sunday)
– Pentecost: solemnly reciting the “Veni Creator” in a church.
– Corpus Christi: participating in the Eucharistic procession (inside or outside the church).
– August 2: praying an Our Father and a creed in the cathedral or parish.
– December 31: solemnly reciting a “Te Deum” in a church, giving thanks to God for the benefits received last year.
Particular plenary indulgences
Many institutions enjoy indulgences on certain days of the year, normally coinciding with dates or their own saints. There is an especially interesting case, because those who wear the Carmelite scapular join the Carmelite family and can gain a plenary indulgence on the day the scapular is imposed on them and on the following days (fulfilling the 5 conditions mentioned above):
May 16 (San Simon Stock).
July 16 (Virgen del Carmen).
July 20 (Saint Elijah Prophet).
October 1 (Saint Therese of Lisieux).
October 15 (Saint Teresa of Jesus).
November 14 (All Carmelite Saints).
December 14 (San Juan de la Cruz).
PARTIAL INDULGENCIES
Conditions for obtaining a partial indulgence.
Every day many partial indulgences can be earned by meeting only three conditions: being in the grace of God, performing the works that the Church rewards with that indulgence, and having the intention, at least generally, of earning the indulgence.
Benefits provided by partial indulgences
Partial indulgences provide a sentence remission of the same value as that granted for that same action. In other words: in partial indulgences, the Church doubles the merit of those actions.
Sentences awarded with partial indulgence.
A few are indicated below (all of them must be prayed piously, of course):
– The Angelus, the Magnificat, the Hail, the Remember, the Litanies or other approved Marian prayers. The same to Saint Joseph or to the guardian angel himself. Also with the Creed.
– Pray with filial devotion for the Pope an approved prayer.
– Pray gratefully the prayer for the benefactors.
– Pray before and after eating an approved prayer of supplication and thanksgiving. The same at the beginning and end of the day or work.
– Visit the Blessed Sacrament adoring him; pray a spiritual communion; recite one of the approved prayers of thanksgiving after Communion (eg, Soul of Christ; Look at me or my beloved and good Jesus).
– Examine conscience with the purpose of amending; pray the I Confess or other approved act of contrition.
– Make the sign of the cross saying In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Other examples of partial indulgences.
If any requirement is missing from a plenary indulgence, a partial indulgence is usually achieved. In addition to this, there are many actions rewarded by the church with partial indulgence. Let’s say a few:
– Mentally say a short prayer when working or enduring the sufferings of life.
– Dedicate oneself or spend goods in service to others, for the love of God.
– Freely deprive yourself of something pleasant and correct, with a spirit of penance.
– Bear witness to one’s own faith; work on the teaching or transmission of Christian doctrine.
– Piously use a blessed object of piety (crucifix, rosary, scapular or medal).
– Dedicate time to prayer.
– Devoutly attend any preaching of the word of God.
– Piously attend a public novena (for example, that of the Immaculate Conception).
Participation in the mass or in the sacraments is not included among the indulgences, since they already have a great sanctifying and purifying efficacy in themselves.
Javier Lopez
Javier’s Catholic website
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