Can you really get a plenary indulgence every day for this prayer?

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I have a prayer card for the Prayer Before a Crucifix, which begins:

“Behold, O good and sweetest Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in thy sight…”

The card says that a plenary indulgence may be gained by saying the prayer “with devotion before an image of our crucified Redeemer,” the usual conditions being met.

Is this true? Does this apply on any day of the year? It seems too… easy. Before, I was praying entire rosaries (one set of mysteries, that is) to gain indulgences for the poor souls in purgatory. And no matter how slowly I pray this, it comes nowhere near the 20 minutes (at the least) which it would take to pray 5 decades.
 
Sounds like it could be a partial indulgence.

Plenary indulgences also require “complete detachment from all sin”. Which is not easy for most of us.
 
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Reciting that prayer on Fridays of Lent can gain a plenary indulgence. On all other days, not.

Dan
 
It states on the card that it is a plenary indulgence if the usual conditions are met. I am well aware of the usual conditions.
 
No mention of Fridays during Lent on the card. I think I may have just lost dozens of possible plenary indulgences. Sorry, poor souls! 😐
 
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Ryan1 said:
It states on the card that it is a plenary indulgence if the usual conditions are met. I am well aware of the usual conditions.
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Ah I see. I wasn’t sure if it was just a prayer on a card noting that it would be a plenary indulgence. I think it probably is then if all conditions are met.
 
Ryan1 said:
It states on the card that it is a plenary indulgence if the usual conditions are met. I am well aware of the usual conditions.
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Dan is correct The Manual of Indulgences states that it is only applicable on Fridays during lent. Maybe you have an old card, or it may indicate “partial” only.
 
No, it is either sloppiness or ignorance on the part of the issuing company. I have found errors on other holy cards from them.
 
Here’s the Latin text of the latest Manual. Maybe the English is out there online somewhere. Anyway, this comes from the “other concessions” section, number 8:

8
Eucharistica et spiritalis communio

§ 1. Plenaria indulgentia conceditur christifideli qui

1° 15 primum ipse ad sacram synaxim accesserit vel, aliis primum accedentibus, pie astiterit;

2° 16 qualibet feria sexta temporis Quadragesimae, orationem En ego, o bone et dulcissime Iesu , coram Iesu Christi Crucifixi imagine post communionem pie recitaverit;

§ 2. Partialis indulgentia conceditur christifideli qui, qualibet pia formula legitime adprobata, elicuerit:

1° 17 spiritalis communionis actum,

2° gratiarum actionem post communionem (e.g. Anima Christi; En ego, o bone et dulcissime Iesu ).

Dan

P.S. So, what’s required for the plenary indulgence is not just the recitation of this prayer on Fridays of Lent but the recitation on Fridays of Lent after receiving Holy Communion.
 
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Don’t think that way. It is not some sort of prayer vending machine.
 
I should have known it was too easy of a work to do every day.

The upside is, I will be praying more rosaries.
 
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acanonlawyer is correct. Section 8 of the current Manual of Indulgences covers the use of this prayer (in Latin, it’s “En Ego, o Bone et Dulcissime Jesu”). Here is the Manual in English; please refer to section 8 called “Eucharistic and Spiritual Communion” on page 45 of the PDF.


Please note that in order to get an indulgence for this prayer, it must be said after Holy Communion.

You get a plenary indulgence for saying it after Communion on Fridays in Lent (section 8(1)) and a partial for saying it after Communion other times (section 8(2)).

Please also note that you need to be in a state of grace to get indulgences, and in order to get a plenary, you need to fulfill the “usual conditions” described in Norm 20 (N20 on page 22):
  • confession within 20 days before or after (the 20 days was set by the Vatican a few years ago in a different document, and never revoked)
  • one Holy Communion per plenary (you can use the one you just received before you said the prayer, obviously)
  • one set of prayers for the Holy Father’s intentions per plenary
  • have no attachment to sin.
I’m familiar with this indulgence as I say both the Anima Christi and the Prayer Before a Crucifix after every Communion, hopefully gaining the indulgences. Except the translated version of the Prayer Before a Crucifix that I use is the old school one, “Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul…” etc.
 
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Ryan1 said:
I should have known it was too easy of a work to do every day.

The upside is, I will be praying more rosaries.
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Given that every plenary indulgence including Rosary indulgences requires “the usual conditions” (except for the indulgence when you are dying and a priest doesn’t get there in time) , you’re going to end up having to go receive Communion every time you want a plenary anyway, so feel free to say the Prayer before a Crucifix after Communion, get the partial. Say the Anima Christi after Communion too, get two partials.
 
Here is the English translation, Dan:

A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who
2. on any of the Fridays of Lent devoutly recite after Communion the prayer En ego, O bone et dulcissime Iesu before a crucifix.

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who using any duly approved pious formula make
  1. an act of spiritual communion;
  2. an act of thanksgiving after Communion (e.g. Anima Christi, En ego, a bone et dulcissime Iesu.)
 
Not that, it is not “Pray X and get X souls from purgatory”. Those sorts of promises are private revelation, not doctrine.

Yes, we can do indulgenced things every day.

You may find this book to be useful:

http://store.usccb.org/SearchResults.asp?Search=manual+of+indulgences&Submit=

https://www.amazon.com/Manual-Indulgences-Conference-Catholic-Bishops-ebook/dp/B007TLEMEI

Many Dioceses have information on their websites, check your Diocese or just google:


 
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