What is an Indulgence?
-
-
Ever
y sin has consequences. It affects our relationship with God and the Church, weakens our ability to resist temptation, and hurts others. The need to heal these consequences, once the sin has been forgiven, is called temporal punishment. This temporal punishment is not inflicted by God, but could be thought of as the natural effects of sin.When we celebrate the sacrament of Penance, our sins are forgiven and the eternal punishment of sin is removed. However, the temporal punishment of sin remains. When we sin, it is like hammering a nail into a plaster wall. When we ask for and receive God’s forgiveness it is like removing the nail from the plaster. Although the nail is gone, the hole remains and needs to be to be repaired. Likewise, we have to repair the hurt we have caused to others and ourselves.
Christians are called to strive to grow in virtue and repair these hurts through works of mercy, charity and through prayer and acts of penance. Because of the fullness of redemption obtained for us by Christ, the Church attaches an indulgence or pardon to certain prayers and actions. Indulgences, which are granted through the mercy of God and the action of the Church, remove part (partial indulgence) or all (plenary indulgence) of the temporal punishment due to sins that have already been forgiven. Christ, acting through the Church, brings about the healing of the consequences of sin when an individual uses such a prayer or engages in such an action with that intention. Pope Francis declares that the gift of the Indulgence "is a way of discovering the unlimited nature of God’s mercy.”
Indulgenced prayers and actions are intended to encourage Christians to continue their spiritual growth, deepen their faith, and profess their faith in word and deed as, with trust in the mercy and love of Christ, they seek to heal the consequences of sin and grow in virtue.
General Norms for Indulgences
In order to obtain a plenary indulgence, the individual must be in a state of grace, desire to be truly free from all sin; confessed their sins; receive Holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.
It is appropriate that the sacramental Confession, Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.
Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth.
-
Gaining an Indulgence
This Jubilee year gives us many special opportunities to gain this indulgence in our own archdiocese by pilgrimages by fulfilling the general norms and
A) Participating in Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, the Stations of the Cross, or the rosary at St. Louis Cathedral or one of the twelve Archdiocesan Pilgrimage Sites.
B) Participate in Eucharistic adoration and meditation concluding with the Our Father, the Nicene Creed or Apostles Creed, and invocations to Mary, the Mother of God at St. Louis Cathedral or one of the twelve Archdiocesan Pilgrimage Sites.
C) The faithful will also be able to obtain the Jubilee Indulgence if, with a devout spirit, they participate in popular missions, spiritual exercises, or formation activities on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, held in a church or other suitable place.
D) Making a visit to the sick, prisoners, lonely elderly people, disabled people, the homeless or others in need or difficulty by in a sense making a pilgrimage to Christ present in them.
E) Participating in acts of penance at least for one day of the week such as a social media fast, fasting and abstinence from food, by donating a proportionate sum of money to the poor; by supporting the charitable works which support the poor, defense of life, supporting the quality of life of abandoned children, young people in difficulty, the needy or lonely elderly people, or migrants from various countries, and by volunteering time to serve the poor and disadvantaged.
-
-
“As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:21-23
