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Vigilant
Guest
I should already know this. What conditions must be met in order to gain any indulgence? I believe praying for the Pope and his intentions in one, which I do every day.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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M
Mary_Ellen
Guest
One must be in a state of grace.
To gain a plenary indulgence one must also…
—have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin;
—have sacramentally confessed their sins;
—receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required);
—pray for the intentions of the Pope.
The latter three should be done within several days (20) of the indulgenced work but preferably on the day of the work. Prayer for the intentions of the Pope are left up to the faithful but an “Our Father” and a “Hail Mary” are suggested.
It’s that first additional requirement that prevents most of us from being able to gain a plenary indulgence. It is extremely difficult to have complete detachment from all, even venial, sin.
To gain a plenary indulgence one must also…
—have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin;
—have sacramentally confessed their sins;
—receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required);
—pray for the intentions of the Pope.
The latter three should be done within several days (20) of the indulgenced work but preferably on the day of the work. Prayer for the intentions of the Pope are left up to the faithful but an “Our Father” and a “Hail Mary” are suggested.
It’s that first additional requirement that prevents most of us from being able to gain a plenary indulgence. It is extremely difficult to have complete detachment from all, even venial, sin.
V
Vigilant
Guest
Thanks very much.
I assume one might still gain a partial indulgence if the first condition were not completely fulfilled?
I assume one might still gain a partial indulgence if the first condition were not completely fulfilled?
M
Mary_Ellen
Guest
Absolutely.
H
HolySpirit700
Guest
Could you please shed some light on the condition: “have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin”? I sometimes feel as if just going about my normal day could illicit some venial sin!
T
thejeopardyfan
Guest
This has been bothering me a little, too. After all, resolution to avoid sin is a condition of receiving absolution. It’s disappointing that one cannot know (s)he’s received an indulgence, if one has the purest of intentions. Also, I wish a partial indulgence was clearly defined!Could you please shed some light on the condition: “have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin”? I sometimes feel as if just going about my normal day could illicit some venial sin!
M
Mary_Ellen
Guest
Posted to another thread, forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=938484, by Sirach 2, which may be helpful here:
Plenary Indulgences: Not Impossible
Detachment from venial sin
The most problematic condition is:
…] the complete exclusion of any attachment to any sin, even venial,
This is not a new provision in the reform of Paul VI. Lépicier in his book Indulgences, their origin, nature and development reported a controversy which was widely current in his own time. Some theologians considered that the actual gaining a plenary indulgence was very rare.
…] whilst with regard to plenary Indulgences, they teach us in a dogmatical tone that exceedingly few are those who can gain it, and fewer still are those who actually do gain it – perhaps a holy nun in some remote corner of the world, or some saintly hermit dead to this life and its concupiscences. (page 341)
In countering this severe view of indulgences, Lépicier observed that falling into venial sin is not the same as having an affection for venial sin:
From the first no man, however holy, excepting Christ, and His Blessed Mother, can call himself free; but many should be, and in reality are, free from the second. How can we imagine faithful souls, that are anxious to please God, and daily seal this desire with the Bread of Life – and their generation, thank God, is not extinct – how can we imagine such as these to be wilfully attached to that which, though not causing eternal death, yet is infinitely injurious to the Divine Majesty? (page 343)
If there is any doubt about the more lenient view of “detachment from venial sin”, it is perhaps worth noting that this view was expressed in 1895 by a Roman professor of theology.
More recently, in the grant of an indulgence for the Year of the Eucharist, the Apostolic Penitentiary restated the conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence. However, when speaking of special conditions for those who are infirm, the official English translation reads:
…] as long as they are totally free from any desire to relapse into sin, as has been stated above.
We may treat the more “lenient” view as common teaching since the Church clearly intends to grant plenary indulgences that can be obtained by the faithful every day. It would not seem reasonable to do this if it were almost impossible to gain them in practice.
We may therefore encourage people to carry out the works prescribed for the gaining of a plenary indulgence (including, for many, a return to the sacrament of confession) without discouraging them by the rigorist opinion that a plenary indulgence can scarcely ever be gained in fact. It is also a good thing to pray before doing the indulgenced work, asking God to take away all affection for venial sin and conceiving in our hearts a hatred of any sin since all sins displease God who loves us so much.
Plenary Indulgences: Not Impossible
Detachment from venial sin
The most problematic condition is:
…] the complete exclusion of any attachment to any sin, even venial,
This is not a new provision in the reform of Paul VI. Lépicier in his book Indulgences, their origin, nature and development reported a controversy which was widely current in his own time. Some theologians considered that the actual gaining a plenary indulgence was very rare.
…] whilst with regard to plenary Indulgences, they teach us in a dogmatical tone that exceedingly few are those who can gain it, and fewer still are those who actually do gain it – perhaps a holy nun in some remote corner of the world, or some saintly hermit dead to this life and its concupiscences. (page 341)
In countering this severe view of indulgences, Lépicier observed that falling into venial sin is not the same as having an affection for venial sin:
From the first no man, however holy, excepting Christ, and His Blessed Mother, can call himself free; but many should be, and in reality are, free from the second. How can we imagine faithful souls, that are anxious to please God, and daily seal this desire with the Bread of Life – and their generation, thank God, is not extinct – how can we imagine such as these to be wilfully attached to that which, though not causing eternal death, yet is infinitely injurious to the Divine Majesty? (page 343)
If there is any doubt about the more lenient view of “detachment from venial sin”, it is perhaps worth noting that this view was expressed in 1895 by a Roman professor of theology.
More recently, in the grant of an indulgence for the Year of the Eucharist, the Apostolic Penitentiary restated the conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence. However, when speaking of special conditions for those who are infirm, the official English translation reads:
…] as long as they are totally free from any desire to relapse into sin, as has been stated above.
We may treat the more “lenient” view as common teaching since the Church clearly intends to grant plenary indulgences that can be obtained by the faithful every day. It would not seem reasonable to do this if it were almost impossible to gain them in practice.
We may therefore encourage people to carry out the works prescribed for the gaining of a plenary indulgence (including, for many, a return to the sacrament of confession) without discouraging them by the rigorist opinion that a plenary indulgence can scarcely ever be gained in fact. It is also a good thing to pray before doing the indulgenced work, asking God to take away all affection for venial sin and conceiving in our hearts a hatred of any sin since all sins displease God who loves us so much.
H
HolySpirit700
Guest
Thank you, Mary Ellen, for this reply! These quotes are very helpful to me. “…falling into venial sin” as opposed to “…having an affection for sin…” St. Therese, the Little Flower, says that living God’s mercy and His love is impossible for our human selves. We must become little and humbly rely on and ask for the help and grace of God.
I am often reminded of the words of St. Francis de Sales, and I paraphrase, that we should begin again and again and again - each day. God hopefully sees and appreciates our humble, human efforts to continue trying to do His Will!
To God all praise and glory!
I am often reminded of the words of St. Francis de Sales, and I paraphrase, that we should begin again and again and again - each day. God hopefully sees and appreciates our humble, human efforts to continue trying to do His Will!
To God all praise and glory!
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