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LizKirb
Guest
I’ve heard a lot about them, but I still cannot quite grasp what they are and what good they have. How do you get indulgences?
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
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Joe_5859
Guest
Here’s the concise version. 
When we sin, there are both eternal (i.e. everlasting) consequences and temporal (i.e. earthly, non-eternal) consequences.
In the Sacrament of Confession, God wipes away the eternal consequences of sin. That is the hard part. But the temporal consequences remain.
Think of it this way. If you say something mean to someone and then confess it, God forgives you, but the damage to that relationship is still there and still will require repair. That is where indulgences come in. Indulgences are the Church-approved way we can have confidence that we are repairing the temporal damage caused by our sin.
For more information and for a complete list of what prayers gain indulgences, I recommend picking up the Manual of Indulgences.
When we sin, there are both eternal (i.e. everlasting) consequences and temporal (i.e. earthly, non-eternal) consequences.
In the Sacrament of Confession, God wipes away the eternal consequences of sin. That is the hard part. But the temporal consequences remain.
Think of it this way. If you say something mean to someone and then confess it, God forgives you, but the damage to that relationship is still there and still will require repair. That is where indulgences come in. Indulgences are the Church-approved way we can have confidence that we are repairing the temporal damage caused by our sin.
For more information and for a complete list of what prayers gain indulgences, I recommend picking up the Manual of Indulgences.
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JohnMPhilomena
Guest
I haven’t read through these responses, but here is how they answered the question in the Ask an Apologist forum:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=370320&highlight=indulgences
But in a nutshell, if I drive a nail into my hand and then remove it, there is still a hole that needs to be healed.
So if I sin and repent, the nail is removed, but there still is damage (to my soul) that needs to be healed. This damage can either be repaired on earth (by indulgences) or in purgatory.
In his apostolic constitution on indulgences, Pope Paul VI said: “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 defined conditions through the Church’s help when, as a minister of redemption, she dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions won by Christ and the saints” (Indulgentiarum Doctrina 1).
I hope this helps.
Peace,
John M Philomena
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=370320&highlight=indulgences
But in a nutshell, if I drive a nail into my hand and then remove it, there is still a hole that needs to be healed.
So if I sin and repent, the nail is removed, but there still is damage (to my soul) that needs to be healed. This damage can either be repaired on earth (by indulgences) or in purgatory.
In his apostolic constitution on indulgences, Pope Paul VI said: “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 defined conditions through the Church’s help when, as a minister of redemption, she dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions won by Christ and the saints” (Indulgentiarum Doctrina 1).
I hope this helps.
Peace,
John M Philomena
G
Glacies
Guest
As defined by the 1983 Code of Canon Law (Cann. 959-997), an indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven, and can be partial or plenary insofar it partially or completely frees from this punishment which has to be paid in this life or in Purgatory. The source of indulgences is considered to be the abundant satisfactions of Christ and the Saints as applied by the Catholic Church. Indulgences can be applied to oneself or to the deceased, and to gain an indulgence one must have a general intention to do so, be a Catholic in communion with the Pope, be in state of grace at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed, and perform the required works of the particular indulgence. The 4th edition of Enchiridion Indulgentiarum contains a list of actions carrying an indulgence as can be read from the Latin online version, while older editions can be found in English as well. For example the Magnificat and the Te Deum both carry an partial indulgence.
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JLDMP
Guest
We ask the saints to pray for us. We pray for the souls in purgatory. Only those who die in a state of grace are in purgatory.
When you commit a sin after baptism, there is a temporal punishment you must pay.
An example: A lapsed Catholic murders a man. His temporal punishment is life in prison. He confesses the sin (with true repentance) and is absolved. He still must pay the temporal punishment either in prison for life or in purgatory.
We can offer our penance, sufferings, prayers, and indulgences on behalf of our sins to shorten purgatory.
An indulgence pays for our temporal punishments that we earn from sin that we commit. When we die, if we have not paid for all of our temporal punishments, we will pay for them in purgatory.
A partial indulgence remits part of our temporal punishment. A plenary indulgence remits all of our temporal punishment we have earned up to that point.
Note: Baptism remits all sins and temporal punishment. Confession remits only sins.
We can gain indulgences for the poor souls in purgatory and pray for them.
When you commit a sin after baptism, there is a temporal punishment you must pay.
An example: A lapsed Catholic murders a man. His temporal punishment is life in prison. He confesses the sin (with true repentance) and is absolved. He still must pay the temporal punishment either in prison for life or in purgatory.
We can offer our penance, sufferings, prayers, and indulgences on behalf of our sins to shorten purgatory.
An indulgence pays for our temporal punishments that we earn from sin that we commit. When we die, if we have not paid for all of our temporal punishments, we will pay for them in purgatory.
A partial indulgence remits part of our temporal punishment. A plenary indulgence remits all of our temporal punishment we have earned up to that point.
Note: Baptism remits all sins and temporal punishment. Confession remits only sins.
We can gain indulgences for the poor souls in purgatory and pray for them.
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