A good article (from 2009) on indulgences

[Tis_Bearself]

While searching for something else earlier, I found this 2009 New York Times article on the return of the indulgence. I note that the special indulgence tied to St. Paul mentioned in the article is no longer in force to my knowledge since such indulgences are usually only put into force for a year, but there have been several other special indulgences offered since then, including the Jubilee of Mercy one which helped bring me back to the Church.

This article pretty much depicts my own experience in that indulgences provided me with a big motivation to return to regular Catholic practice, not miss Mass, avoid committing other grave sins, and go to Confession at least once a month and usually twice. It’s nice to see that they apparently have the same effect on other people in terms of bringing them back to the Church and encouraging them to pray for others and perform other spiritual works that increase grace.

For Catholics, a Door to Absolution Is Reopened (Published 2009)

Indulgences are available at several churches in New York City, where many have never heard of them outside history class.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Vico]

…

The article states: “Like the Latin Mass and meatless Fridays, the indulgence was one of the traditions decoupled from mainstream Catholic practice in the 1960s by the Second Vatican Council,”.

What does decoupled mean? Vatican II was 11 October 1962 – 8 December 1965. The Apostolic Constitution of Pope Paul VI Indulgentiarum Doctrina was published in 1967. The 1950 Handbook of Indulgences (Enchiridion indulgentiarum) was revised twice in 1968 in again in 1986 and 1999.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

First, it’s the New York Times…like all secular media, what most of their staff knows about Catholicism or religion in general, you could put on the head of a pin.

But setting that aside, what they probably mean is that starting in the post-V2 era, nobody bothered around with indulgences any more. Which seems likely true because I went through 12 years of Catholic school starting in 1968, and nobody ever mentioned “indulgence”, ever, except in the history lesson on Martin Luther (see below). I think I looked it up in a book once because I was always seeing old prayer cards and such with “Indulgence - 500 Days” and similar written at the end of the prayers, and I didn’t know what that was. I remember when I read the explanation I didn’t understand it either and assumed that “500 days” meant you got 500 days knocked off your purgatory stay, which is the common assumption, but not correct, especially since one of the big changes of 1968 was to do away with specific time periods.

As I’ve said before, my personal experience was that prayer devotions in general were not encouraged all through the 70s and 80s, and the only people doing them were old ladies and some (not all) religious. I was a regular churchgoer all during this time up to about 1987 (Sunday and throughout the 70s, usually one weekday with my school class) and I do not remember ever seeing any flyer or note in the bulletin or anything else noting “An indulgence is available for doing this or that prayer”. I don’t recall ever seeing anything about it in the Catholic weekly paper we received during the 70s and early 80s every week, either. The only time I heard about “indulgences” was when we learned about Martin Luther in school and were taught what an indulgence was, that people would buy them, and that the Church later outlawed the sale of them, and that this all happened centuries ago.

It’s possible that the indulgence concept had become obscure even prior to Vatican 2 because my mother, who was very devout, prayed for souls in Purgatory all the time, and had Masses said for the deceased, never pursued getting an indulgence for herself or anyone else to my knowledge, nor were any of her many Catholic relatives into this practice. I think people just didn’t understand it. I have often wished Mom were around so I could ask her whether she ever got indulgences for herself or the deceased, but unfortunately I took up this practice after she passed away, so I can’t.

 

[Vico]

nobody bothered around with indulgences any more.

I was educated during Vatican II and was well aware of it and only attended one year of parochial school. I had religion classes (CCD) on Saturdays at my Catholic parish. Did you?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I had 12 years of Catholic school, the first 8 of which were at my parish school, which included daily religion classes. I won’t get into how badly the religion was usually taught, including when it was taught by any sister under age about 60. Pretty much all we learned was that Jesus was a nice guy and we should be kind, share and love one another. Let’s just say my mother was pretty appalled and often wondered if she should even continue to send me to the school, but she kept it up because she felt it was her duty as a Catholic parishioner to support the school.

The children who attended the Catholic school did not attend CCD, which was one day a week on Saturday or Sunday and was taught by many of the same people who taught in the school, plus a few volunteers. CCD was for the children who were part of the parish but attended the local public school (usually because their parents claimed they couldn’t afford the tuition at the Catholic school). Those of us who attended the Catholic school were not required to take CCD, and there was no benefit to doing so.

CCD was also pretty poorly taught; the students were very undisciplined and most of them didn’t even know the basics like how to say the Hail Mary. My mother taught it for a year, threw up her hands and quit because she didn’t have the patience to deal with the lack of discipline and lack of basic knowledge shown by her students. We knew other people including a close family friend who taught it for many years. It didn’t get any better. At some point I think they stopped offering it there.

I learned most of my Catholic religious training from my mother.

I am glad you had such a good catechesis, but your experience was not a universal one.

 

[adgloriam]

I was educated during Vatican II

I had 12 years of Catholic school,

I love you kids God bless.