-
-
Extension of Plenary Indulgence in November 2020
Vatican News, October 23, 2020
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fspMany of the Church’s pastors have requested an adaptation to the requirements to obtain the Plenary Indulgence for the deceased in the month of November. Thus, “by the special mandate of His Holiness Pope Francis”, the Apostolic Penitentiary released on Friday some changes to the normal practice. The Decree containing these modifications was signed on 22 October, the liturgical memorial of Pope St John Paul II.
Plenary Indulgence during month of November
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the need to avoid large groups from forming where prohibited, the Plenary Indulgence applicable to the deceased by those who visit a cemetery has been extended beyond the normal dates of 1 to 8 November. This year, the indulgence can be obtained by anyone who visits a cemetery, even if only mentally, on any day in November, and devoutly prays for the faithful departed.
Plenary Indulgence for Feast of All Souls’ Day
Regarding the Plenary Indulgence attached to All Souls’ Day, 2 November, this year, it can be obtained not only on the preceding or succeeding Sunday, or on the actual Feast day, but on any other day of the month chosen by each member of the faithful. In this case, the indulgence is obtained by “devoutly visiting a church or an oratory”, along with the recitation of the Our Father and the Creed, and the other requirements associated with a Plenary Indulgence.
The homebound
For anyone who cannot leave their home for various reasons, including anti-Covid restrictions, they too can obtain the Plenary Indulgence by “uniting themselves spiritually to other members of the faithful”. In this case, the condition of being “completely detached from sin” and the intention of completing the other requirements for obtaining a Plenary Indulgence remain. These conditions are Sacramental Confession, reception of Holy Communion and a prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions.
The Decree suggests that such prayer take place before an “image of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mary”. Among the various prayers that are recommended are “prayers for the deceased, Morning or Evening Prayer from the Office of the Dead, the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, meditating on various Gospel passages proposed for the liturgy of the Dead, or completing a work of mercy by offering to God the suffering and discomforts of one’s own life”.
Invitation to Priests
Directing a word to priests, the Decree asks that they make the Sacrament of Confession generously available and that they make Holy Communion available to the sick. In addition, all priests are invited to offer three Masses on All Souls’ Day.
-
-
-
What is an Indulgence?
“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1471).
Contrary to common misconceptions, an indulgence is not a way of earning or buying forgiveness from God. To those who are truly sorry for their sins, God freely grants forgiveness of sins and the remission of the eternal punishment due to our mortal sins through the merits of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance (sacramental confession). However, even after our sins are forgiven by God, we are still in His debt with regards to what the Church calls “temporal punishment” (CCC, 1472-1473). This means that we still have to make up for the ways we’ve hurt God, the Church, other people, and ourselves. These temporal punishments also include our need for purification from attachment to sin. Purgatory is the place where we receive this punishment and purification after death, but we don’t have to wait for Purgatory to make reparation for it!
The purpose of an indulgence is to “pay the debt” of this temporal punishment in this life. The Church is richly endowed with what is called the “treasury” of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints (CCC, 1476-1477). This treasury is the power of Divine Love coursing through the veins of the Mystical Body of Christ. Through the power of the “Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,” given by Jesus to St. Peter (Matthew 16:16-19) and his successors, the Bishops of Rome, the Church has the power to “super-charge” the good actions of the faithful with the merits from this treasury (CCC, 1478).
The practice of indulgences helps us to appreciate more practically the reality of the Church as the Body of Christ. This holy practice teaches us the beautiful and consoling truth that whatever belongs to Jesus and Mary and the saints belongs to me in the communion of the Church (CCC, 1474-1475). Indulgences teach us that we’re all in this together in the beautiful family of God, which we call His Church. We belong to the Communion of Saints!
Thus, according to the guidelines issued by the Pope, who has the power of the Keys, when I do some good action determined by the Church to bring an indulgence, this good action pays the debt of my temporal punishment. This is a way in which we live out our baptismal call to die with Christ by dying to sin, so that we may rise to the new life of ever greater perfection in him.
An indulgence can be gained for oneself (this is the proper way of gaining an indulgence) or for a soul in Purgatory (we ask God to apply the indulgence to the deceased person) (CCC, 1479). An indulgence gained may be either a plenary (full) indulgence, which removes in full temporal punishment due to sin, or a partial indulgence, which removes punishment in part. The faithful may gain one indulgence per Holy Communion per day.Conditions for Gaining an Indulgence
To obtain an indulgence, one must be a Catholic in the state of grace and free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin. In addition to the pious act, it is necessary to fulfill the following three conditions in order to gain the indulgence:
- sacramental confession,
- Eucharistic Communion,
- and prayer for the intention of the Pope (this can be satisfied by reciting the Year of Mercy Prayer, or one Our Father and one Hail Mary, or any other prayer for the intention of the Roman Pontiff).
A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences, but Holy Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence, which can be done only once in a day.
The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; it is, however, fitting that Communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day on which the work is performed.
And so the Church provides that those fulfill the pious act, along with availing themselves of sacramental confession and absolution, the reception of Holy Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, while remaining free from all attachment to sin, including venial sin, may gain this favor from God.
-