Indulgences in General

Introduction

An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins, whose guilt has already been forgiven, which a faithful Christian who is properly disposed obtains 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

SIN WOUNDS. Every sin has consequences. It damages our union with God and disrupts our communion with the Church. It weakens our ability to resist temptation. And it hurts others.

HEALING NEEDED. These consequences ‐ these wounds ‐ need to be healed, even after the sin itself is forgiven and eternal punishment is remitted. The soul remains in need of purification, either while still on earth or afterward in Purgatory, because even venial sin entails an unhealthy attachment to things that are not of God. The necessary healing and purification of these consequences is called temporal punishment.

MERITS OF CHRIST. We have the unfathomable blessing to be heirs to the fullness of redemption obtained for us by Christ. With the help of God’s grace, we as Christians strive to grow more Christ‐like, to purify ourselves of sin, and to become holy. We are not alone in our discipleship. The grace of His redemption has been actualized in the lives of countless saints, our elder brothers and sisters who have walked the journey of life before us.

EXCHANGE OF SPIRITUAL GOODS. In the Communion of Saints there exists a link of charity between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those undergoing temporal punishment for their sins in purgatory, and those of us who are still pilgrims on earth. Because of this unbreakable link of love, because we all are One Body in Christ, there is an abundant exchange of all good things. The act of love of one member brings about good for the others; the sacrifice of one profits the others; the holiness of one member is of benefit to the others. All our brothers and sisters aid us on our journey.

CHURCH’S TREASURY. These spiritual goods exchanged among the members of the Mystical Body of Christ are called the Church’s treasury. This does not mean to imply that it is the sum total of the material goods which have accumulated during the course of the centuries. Rather, the treasury of the Church is the infinite, inexhaustible value which Christ’s merits have before God, and which has borne abundant fruit in the faithful who have followed in the footsteps of Christ throughout time and, by His grace, made their lives holy and carried out the mission the Father entrusted to them.

MERITS ENTRUSTED TO CHURCH. The infinite merits of the divine Bridegroom, the Head, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, and the merits of its manifestation through the prayers and good works in the lives of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, have been entrusted to the Bride, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, as an unfailing treasury. The Church is responsible to see that these merits are made available to the faithful, to be applied to the remission of sins, (which is given primarily, and in the case of mortal sins necessarily, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation), and to the consequences of sin. The Church applies the merits of Christ by virtue of the power of binding and loosing which Christ conferred on Peter and the other Apostles, and through them on their successors, the Supreme Pontiff and Bishops.

INDULGENCES. Therefore, that the treasury of the merits of Christ and the spiritual goods of the Communion of Saints may be made accessible to the faithful in this time and place, the Church attaches to certain prayers, fasting, almsgiving and other words of charity an indulgence, a pardon, that either in full or in part, remits the temporal punishment due to sin. It is Christ Himself, acting through the Church which is His Body, who brings about the healing of the consequences of sin when an individual uses such a prayer or engages in such an action.

TO GROW IN LOVE. Ultimately the desire to gain an indulgence, either for oneself or for the souls in Purgatory, should be in view of increasing devotion and supernatural charity in the individual members of the Church. A proper understanding of indulgences views them not only as aiding the faithful to make satisfaction for the punishment due their sins, but also, and above all, as a means to move the faithful to a greater zeal for the exercise of charity and holiness of life.

Partial Indulgence A partial indulgence PARTLY frees one from the temporal punishment due to sin. A partial indulgence can be acquired MULTIPLE times during the course of a day. Capacity: to gain a partial indulgence one must…  be baptized;  be in the state of grace, at least at the completion of the prescribed acts;  have the intention of receiving the indulgence (which includes sorrow for sin);  fulfill the act properly (time and manner) with devotion and interior reverence.

Plenary Indulgence A plenary indulgence TOTALLY frees one from the temporal punishment due to sin. A plenary indulgence can be acquired ONLY ONCE in the course of a day. Capacity: to gain a plenary indulgence one must…  have the capacity as for a partial indulgence (given above), PLUS:  be free from ALL attachment to sin, even venial sin;  fulfill 3 conditions:  Sacramental CONFESSION (a single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences [Norm 20])  Eucharistic COMMUNION (must be received to gain each plenary indulgence [Norm 20])  PRAYER for the intention of the HOLY FATHER (must be recited to gain each plenary indulgence [Norm 20]) This condition is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, one has the option of reciting any other prayer according to individual piety and devotion, if recited for this intention. (These three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after performing 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 the work is performed. [Norm 20]) If any component is lacking, the indulgence will be partial.