I am not yet allowed the sacrement of confession, nor communion. Won’t be until The Easter Vigil. I have much to confess and much to answer for. Indulgences require confession and the Eucherist “within the octave” (8 days before or after the act). Have no attachment to sin, including venial sin.
Those requirements (confession, receive the Holy Eucharist, pray for the Pope’s intentions) are for a plenary indulgence. If you don’t do those things, a partial indulgence can still be earned. Unless you are in a state of grace you cannot earn the indulgence for yourself – but even then I think you can still earn indulgences for Holy Souls in Purgatory. And they in turn will pray for you and you will greatly benefit. Those requirements (for a plenary indulgence) do have at least one exception. For example, the plenary indulgence that can be earned by a Christian at the moment of death. If a Priest is not present and the Christian does not have confession or Holy Communion available, the Christian may still earn the plenary indulgence (if in a state of grace) if it had been their daily habit to pray. In that circumstance their having a longstanding daily habit to pray is sufficient to substitute for the three remaining requirements (confession, Holy Communion and praying for the Pope’s intentions). Also note that in some circumstances a priest may permit substitution of certain requirements for indulgences. For example, if somebody cannot read or if somebody is unable to walk to properly do the stations of the cross. Since Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Earth, the Queen of Confessors and is also in possession of many other important titles, I am confident that she may permit substitution in other circumstances and petition God to grant a greater indulgence. There is adequate testimony of Saints and written accounts that identify Mary’s capability of granting the grace of perfect contrition. And having perfect contrition puts one in a state of grace.
God is the God of mercy. Mary is a wonderful mother – the best that there ever was. She is so encouraged to see you grow with every step of faith that you make. She pays attention to you even when you are only trying and frequently stumbling.
Frankly I think one benefits far more from earning indulgences for Holy Souls in Purgatory than earning them for oneself. For example, I sin every day. Even if I could earn a plenary indulgence for myself, it would be quickly lost and I’d need to earn another. And another and another as I sin every day. But the Holy Souls in Purgatory are incapable of sinning. Each partial indulgence earned for a Holy Soul is fully utilized. None of its potential value to the Holy Souls is lost. And therefore all of its potential value is fully realized and is then remembered for eternity.
And an indulgence is only towards temporal punishment. The very same acts that earn an indulgence can gain you merit. The merit has eternal value that greatly exceeds the value of the indulgence because eternal things are far greater and more important than temporal things.
Even if you cannot gain merit now, once you are in a state of grace (perhaps this Easter) all these works of mercy or charity are regained in value as though you were in a state of grace all along. They count.
Don’t worry so much. Just do the things you figure you would like to do if you had just received Holy Communion. And by the time you receive Holy Communion, you will already be in a habit of not closing your will to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
So do not lose heart in doing good. Instead be open to working with whatever treasures you find and whatever seems to be Christian in thought or deed. Show mercy and you will be given mercy. It will ultimately help you to help the one(s) that you help. Give of yourself and it will be given back to you shaken down and overflowing.
Read good books. Get an accurate, complete and up-to-date book regarding indulgences and learn about partial indulgences. And think and pray.
jmm08
