Can I gain a plenary indulgence?

[Rae8]

Can a baptized candidate for Catholicism - waiting to be confirmed (as I am) gain a plenary indulgence?

I read in a book on indulgences that “the faithful” can give a plenary indulgence with
an article of devotion if blessed by the Pope & if used devoutly - on the feast of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, provided they also make a profession of faith according to any legitimate formula.

My husband thinks it does not apply to me and that “the faithful” refers only to confirmed Catholics. I have a rosary that was blessed by Pope Benedetto XVI.

 

[dshix]

Can a baptized candidate for Catholicism - waiting to be confirmed (as I am) gain a plenary indulgence?

I read in a book on indulgences that “the faithful” can give a plenary indulgence with
an article of devotion if blessed by the Pope & if used devoutly - on the feast of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, provided they also make a profession of faith according to any legitimate formula.

My husband thinks it does not apply to me and that “the faithful” refers only to confirmed Catholics. I have a rosary that was blessed by Pope Benedetto XVI.

You can obtain a plenary indulgence.
The requirements for a plenary indulgence are as follows:

1. 
   *]Do the indulgenced act. (Group rosary, Stations of the Cross, etc.) Say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father.
   *]Receive Holy Communion on the day the you do the indulgenced act. (One reception of the Eucharist only applies for one indulgence.)
   *]Go to confession 20 days before or after the indulgenced act, with the intention of gaining an indulgence. (One confession may apply for any number of indulgences.)
   *]Be free from any attachment to sin. (This is the hardest part, and why it is difficult to obtain plenary indulgences. Almost everyone living is attached to one sin or another. If you are attached to a sin, but you do all the other requirements, your indulgence simply becomes a partial indulgence, instead of plenary.
   
   Only one plenary indulgence may be received per day.
   As long as you are able to receive Holy Communion and go to Confession, you can obtain indulgences. Confirmation is not necessary.

 

[Rae8]

You can obtain a plenary indulgence.
The requirements for a plenary indulgence are as follows:

1. 
   *]Do the indulgenced act. (Group rosary, Stations of the Cross, etc.) Say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father.
   *]Receive Holy Communion on the day the you do the indulgenced act. (One reception of the Eucharist only applies for one indulgence.)
   *]Go to confession 20 days before or after the indulgenced act, with the intention of gaining an indulgence. (One confession may apply for any number of indulgences.)
   *]Be free from any attachment to sin. (This is the hardest part, and why it is difficult to obtain plenary indulgences. Almost everyone living is attached to one sin or another. If you are attached to a sin, but you do all the other requirements, your indulgence simply becomes a partial indulgence, instead of plenary.

1. 
   Thank you but I didn’t make my post clear . I cannot take communion or give confession at this point.
   In other words, I am baptized as a protestant and a candidate to become a Catholic. I am still in RCIA and will not be confirmed for a while yet.

 

[dshix]

Thank you but I didn’t make my post clear . I cannot take communion or give confession at this point.
In other words, I am baptized as a protestant and a candidate to become a Catholic. I am still in RCIA and will not be confirmed for a while yet.

Ahhh, I see now.

You cannot receive plenary indulgences until you are received into the Church, but it is definitely possible to do partial indulgences.

 

[Rae8]

Ahhh, I see now.

You cannot receive plenary indulgences until you are received into the Church, but it is definitely possible to do partial indulgences.

So “the faithful” only refers to Catholics received into the church?

 

[dshix]

So “the faithful” only refers to Catholics received into the church?

I cannot answer for what the book you are referring to intended to say or what it meant; all I can tell you is the law of the Church concerning indulgences.

 

[DavidFilmer]

So “the faithful” only refers to Catholics received into the church?

Yes, as far as the terms of a plenary indulgence are concerned. These terms require Eucharist and Sacramental Confession.

In other contexts, “the faithful” could refer to those seeking reception. For example, the Church recognizes “Baptism of Blood” where the merits of Christian Baptism are applied to those “faithful” who are seeking, but have not yet been received into the Church, and are martyred before their reception.