Indulgences 101

[ElisabethM]

Can someone give me a basic and practical explanation of “indulgences”? By “basic”, I mean something that would make sense to my 9,10 and 12yo children (and me!) and by “practical” I mean something that will help us apply this doctrine to the benefit of our souls, and others’ if that applies.

A little background . . . I am an adult convert, called out of the Lutheran church. I was given a strict Lutheran education with A LOT of misinformation about the Catholic Church. Indulgences was one of the big standards in defense of Luther’s revolt. I think I understand, and certainly accept, the basic idea that indulgences are the result of Christ’s merit and are gifts, not earned, but I know there’s much I’m not getting.

Also, I was counseled recently to “earn plenary indulgences and apply them to my husband for his conversion” . I would love to do this, of course, but I thought indulgences could only be applied to oneself or the holy souls in purgatory.

Then at family prayer time, we read in the introduction to our Lives of the Saints book that we can earn a partial indulgence by praying the prayer of the saint on his/her feast day. I think there must be more to this. I don’t want my children to get the idea that just saying the words of some prayers will merit any benefit. There’s a great difference between, an “I’m sorry you’re upset with me” and “I’m sorry I hurt you”, so I suspect there’s more to gaining indulgences than simply reciting prayers.

I have a notion there’s a goldmine here but just have not found the right shovel to mine the gold yet.

 

[NHInsider]

Blessings on you!

I generally have recourse to the “broken window” explanation:

If your child breaks a window and is defiant and unrepentant, you will probably punish him severely and make him pay to replace the window. If he is repentant and asks your forgiveness, you may not punish him at all. But forgiving him doesn’t fix the window–someone has to replace it. If you make him pay to replace the window, that’s not punishment, it’s justice–which is what restitution is about. Of course you may choose to pay for the window yourself, or remit the cost of the window to him. That’s indulgence. If so, you may ask him to donate the value of the window to a charity, or do some work for a good cause without pay. In the language of the Church, actions like that are called penances. Ideally, the penance might have something to do with the violation (maybe you have him repair windows for a poor family, or something. . .) But sometimes the penance is just to reinforce the lesson learned. In no case, however, is your forgiveness “purchased” by the restitution. You freely chose to forgive when your contrite child requested it. (What if you forgive your child and ask for a work of charity in lieu of paying for the window, and your child agrees but then doesn’t do the work. Is their forgiveness revocable? You would have to try and figure out whether or not your child’s repentance was genuine, wouldn’t you? For God that’s easy–He knows our hearts!)

So - grace/forgiveness is freely given by God to the contrite sinner who asks for it. Can’t be earned, can’t be purchased, and erases the sin and restores the sinner to grace. Indulgences have to do with the “temporal” consequences of sin, which is not reversed even when the sinner is reconciled to God, just as that broken window is still letting the rain in when you’re hugging your kid.

Hope that works for your kids?

 

[mardukm]

Dear sister Elisabeth,

Can someone give me a basic and practical explanation of “indulgences”? By “basic”, I mean something that would make sense to my 9,10 and 12yo children (and me!) and by “practical” I mean something that will help us apply this doctrine to the benefit of our souls, and others’ if that applies.

A little background . . . I am an adult convert, called out of the Lutheran church. I was given a strict Lutheran education with A LOT of misinformation about the Catholic Church. Indulgences was one of the big standards in defense of Luther’s revolt. I think I understand, and certainly accept, the basic idea that indulgences are the result of Christ’s merit and are gifts, not earned, but I know there’s much I’m not getting.

Also, I was counseled recently to “earn plenary indulgences and apply them to my husband for his conversion” . I would love to do this, of course, but I thought indulgences could only be applied to oneself or the holy souls in purgatory.

Then at family prayer time, we read in the introduction to our Lives of the Saints book that we can earn a partial indulgence by praying the prayer of the saint on his/her feast day. I think there must be more to this. I don’t want my children to get the idea that just saying the words of some prayers will merit any benefit. There’s a great difference between, an “I’m sorry you’re upset with me” and “I’m sorry I hurt you”, so I suspect there’s more to gaining indulgences than simply reciting prayers.

I have a notion there’s a goldmine here but just have not found the right shovel to mine the gold yet.

I am an Oriental Catholic, and have a different understanding of indulgences than a Latin Catholic might have. I think the best way to explain indulgences to your child is this way:
According to the biblical principle that to those who have, more will be given, indulgences are little Graces given by God for the perfection or healing of souls through the holy acts one performs (the acts themselves being done in and by God’s Grace, of course). We can gain them for ourselves or for others. The rule of thumb is that indulgences are given by God PRIMARILY for the sake of the one asking for them. It is God’s to give, and the Church teaches us that the Grace of an indulgence is for the benefit of the asking soul first. So one may perform a holy act to gain an indulgence for someone else, but if the asker’s soul needs that Grace, it will be applied to the asker’s soul by God first. If we do more holy acts, it is that “extra” Grace that will be applied to another soul afterwards.

I personally do not fully accept the window analogy given by the previous poster. It takes away from the reality that the Grace of an indulgence is meant to heal the person, not to remedy a wrongful situation.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Joe_5859]

I like NHInsider’s window analogy. That’s the analogy I always hear, and I think it’s helpful in making simple what is often a hard concept to grasp (especially with all the misunderstandings of this practice). I wanted to chime in with some of the more “nuts and bolts” type of information.

First, I always like to clarify. The Church has never abrogated the proper use of indulgences. What was addressed at the time of the Reformation was the abuse of selling indulgences.

Next, the Catechism of the Catholic Church talks about Indulgences. I would start by reading CCC 1471-1479.

Simply put, every sin has both eternal and temporal (earthly) consequences because every sin is an offense against both God and the human family. The Sacrament of Reconciliation takes care of the hard part: It wipes away the eternal consequences of our sins. But the temporal consequences remain. That’s what Purgatory is all about. We go to Purgatory when we’ve been forgiven those eternal consequences but haven’t yet fully paid for all the temporal consequences. Indulgences take care of the temporal consequences, but only after the eternal consequences have already been taken care of.

I highly recommend that everyone get a copy of the Handbook of Indulgences. This book lists all the indulgences available for Catholics. Of course, there are often special indulgences that appear now and then (such as the one for the Year of St. Paul). There are all sorts of things you can get an indulgence for: praying the rosary, making the sign of the cross, visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead, etc.

The “Handook of Indulgences” also lays out what is necessary to receive an indulgence. They aren’t automatic. You have to intend to obtain one (see Code of Canon Law 996). In addition the Handbook states:

“Beside the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin, the requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence are the performance of the indulgenced work and fulfillment of three conditions: sacramental confession, eucharistic communion, and prayer for the pope’s intentions.” (Handbook, Norms 23.1)

So you also need to go to Mass, go to Confession, and pray for the pope’s intentions in order to receive an indulgence.

Regarding whether we can obtain indulgences for others, if you read the first edition of the CCC, the language is ambiguous regarding who an indulgence can be applied to. In the first edition, CCC 1471 reads “Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.” However, the second edition of the CCC clarifies this and changes the line to read: “The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead.” It also adds a footnote to the Code of Canon Law 994, which says the same thing. In other words, you cannot apply indulgences for the conversion of your husband. BUT, that doesn’t mean you cannot offer prayers and sacrifices for his conversion. It simply means that you cannot remove the temporal punishment for his sins because there is no guarantee that he is in the proper state to receive that indulgence.

I really like talking about indulgences, can you tell? They’re such a great gift and so oft misunderstood.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

I am not sure I understand indulgence but here is how I look at it in a 10-12 year old version. If we pick up liter on the walk to school and back who benefits(?), everybody in town. So my work benefits strangers as much as it benefits me. What if a visitor to the school picks up liter at the school what benefit does he get? So suppose god calls down to this stranger and says “Hey your already going to heaven whether you pick up that liter or not” and he replies “ I think I’ll pick up the liter anyway”. His work benefits the town and sets standard by which the children learn the benefits of contributing to society. His silent teaching to the children to improve society is moral in base. So god sees the improvement in the children who learned from this man’s actions. Yet the man does not need the at-a-boy. So his good work becomes an indulgence, it helped all of society to move in a higher moral direction, and that factors in the salvation of all.

 

[Joe_5859]

“Beside the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin, the requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence are the performance of the indulgenced work and fulfillment of three conditions: sacramental confession, eucharistic communion, and prayer for the pope’s intentions.” (Handbook, Norms 23.1)

So you also need to go to Mass, go to Confession, and pray for the pope’s intentions in order to receive an indulgence.

Actually, I should clarify. These are the three conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence. The Handbook goes on to say:

“If a person is not fully disposed or if the prescribed work and the three mentioned conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will only be partial…” (Handbook, Norms 23.4)

So if you don’t get to Confession, or receive the Eucharist, or pray for the Pope’s intentions, you can still get the indulgence, it will just be a partial one, not a plenary one.

You’ve inspired me to re-read the Norms section of the Handbook. It really lays everything out there. I highly recommend getting a copy.

 

[CentralFLJames]

I am a huge believer in indulgences. Your children in particular are a major spiritual asset to your family and the church since they being so young and probably never sinning gravely have not developed any attachments to grave sin. That means they have a good expectation of gaining a full plenary indulgence since detachment to ALL sin is the largest obstacle to gaining a full plenary indulgence. Most of adults unless very pious likely only gain partial indulgences.

One quick correction. No one may gain an indulgence for any other living person. One can only apply the indulgence to those deceased (in purgatory) or to themselves. Obviously, that does not mean one can not pray for others though. If the intended deceased person can not benefit from the indulgence (in heaven or, sigh, in hell) then God will apply it to its highest and best spiritual use in accord with what you would desire given His omniscent insight - perhaps another family relative or friend etc. No prayer ever goes wasted and our prayers said in a state of grace are eternal before God’s altar and spiritually honor and adorn those we love who are already in heaven and our intention as if giving a perpetual spiritual bouquet.

Indulgences are spiritual works of grace that God is very pleased to give us. They permit us to join our will to God’s to extend charity to the deceased since our neighbors remain our neighbors both here and in purgatory (and in heaven too of course). The obligation of Charity does not end at death anymore so than spiritual existence ends at physical death. Those in purgatory rely on us to speed them to God and can’t pray for themselves or else they must linger in purgatory for the full duration that God has ordained. In essence we substitute some of our much easier suffering here on earth for their much more severe suffering (a joyful spiritual suffering to be fully uni tied with God). So a little bit of time in prayer will gain us eternal friends even if we only are able to help a little bit. It is said that the soul progressed from purgatory by our prayers is so grateful that it will pray before God’s altar 24/7 for our benefit here on earth until we too are in heaven.

The Church has no authority over the deceased - this is purely God’s domain. The Church only has authority over the souls here on earth entrusted to her and joined to her. But The Church both as body of Christ and bride of Christ is a spiritual treasure house of supernatural merit. This merit was predominantly won by Christ on the cross but is also co-joined with all the saints and faithfull’s sufferings and good spiritual works over its many years of service to God. It is The Church’s divine right to consent to permitting Church members to ask God to apply the formidable treasury of combined merits and goodwill of “The Church” to their personal needs and petitions before God’s Throne. All Catholics have this general grant.

The Church as Body of Christ is in some mysterious supernatural sense itself mystical and a living sacrament (the soul of The Church is The Holy Spirit). It is extremely pleasing to God to hear the recommendations of The Church since The Church honors Him 24/7 east-to-west in perfect worship in recalling the same one sacrifice of His Son. So it’s almost a “given” that God will always apply our charitable intentions offered through the permissions of The Church to the Holy Souls in purgatory and/or ourselves to at least some partial degree – but a degree normally known only to God himself unless by other revelation to us. So, we can always assume we all gain at least a partial indulgence. Some very pious and holy individuals that have overcome sin and are highly sanctified with no attachment to sin (not even a slight appetite for it) will gain a full plenary indulgence. This is a very good habit to get into and it is one we can do any time of the day since most of the prescribed works are simple prayer - only some requiring special visits or conditions.

The really nice thing about indulgences is that there is NO limit to how many partials one can gain in each day. The only limit is that only 1 full plenary can be gained each day. But the spiritual works tied to a full plenary are very easy for the one who is free of all attachment to sin. Here are 4 of the most popular full plenary indulgences one can perform daily: 1) 30 minutes of adoration before the blessed sacrament; 2) Reciting the Rosary at Church or at home in a familial group; 3) Reading scripture piously and respecfully for 30 minutes; 4) Performing the stations of the cross.

The principal requirement for indulgences is that one must be a baptised and in good Catholic standing and be in a state of grace at least prior to the completion of the prescribed works. There must be a conscious intention of doing the indulgenced work in accord with the sense of the particular grant. To gain a full plenary one must also have no attachment to sin (even venial) AND also go to sacramental confession, receive Eucharist and say short prayers (Our Father & Hail Mary) for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff (in the USA we have up to 20 days after the indulgenced act to go to confession and receive Eucharist). A single confession is good for gaining several plenary indulgences but Eucharist and pontiff prayer must be received/prayed for each one - subject to 1 per day. Failing to gain a plenary one gains a partial.

There are many special feast days where a plenary can be gained by saying a short prayer and attending the mass obligation (e.g Divine Mercy Sunday, solemnity of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Holy Thursday, First Friday’s of Lent, Good Friday, Easter Vigil baptismal renewal, All Souls Day and its octave [Nov 1 - 8], All Saints Day etc.)

Hope this helps,
James

 

[ElisabethM]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. Bringing this down to a 10-12yo level (where I best operate), this is what I told my kids yesterday:

Indulgences are extra helps for us to become closer to God. They can be added only when one is close to God through Confession and having no affection for sin we had a little discussion about what it means to have affection or attachment to sin]. Indulgences are gifts, like when we indulge someone, we give them something extra. Indulgences count against purgatory because purgatory is the place where our love for God is made perfect. Indulgences help make our love for God perfect now (helping us avoid purgatory) or we can help the holy souls in purgatory to perfect their love for God and be released to Heaven.

Today, in thinking further about this, I wonder if we can look at indulgences as extra help to keep on a holy path, to keep one’s intention to renounce all attachment to sin. So that if, in the morning, I make a clean start and promise this day, and fully intend, to avoid all attachment to sin, I can say indulgenced prayers throughout the day to help me with this intention. Is this a correct understanding of indulgences?

 

[CentralFLJames]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. Bringing this down to a 10-12yo level (where I best operate), this is what I told my kids yesterday:

Indulgences are extra helps for us to become closer to God. They can be added only when one is close to God through Confession and having no affection for sin we had a little discussion about what it means to have affection or attachment to sin]. Indulgences are gifts, like when we indulge someone, we give them something extra. Indulgences count against purgatory because purgatory is the place where our love for God is made perfect. Indulgences help make our love for God perfect now (helping us avoid purgatory) or we can help the holy souls in purgatory to perfect their love for God and be released to Heaven.

Today, in thinking further about this, I wonder if we can look at indulgences as extra help to keep on a holy path, to keep one’s intention to renounce all attachment to sin. So that if, in the morning, I make a clean start and promise this day, and fully intend, to avoid all attachment to sin, I can say indulgenced prayers throughout the day to help me with this intention. Is this a correct understanding of indulgences?

Yes, mom. Sounds great to me! If I am extra-good today and says prayers for a soul in purgatory who is in most need and who has no one else to pray for them can I stay up later; or maybe skip having to eat my Brussels sprouts so a starving child in Africa can have them?



James

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

Is this concept familiar to Easterners as well, or is it more of an “isolated phenomenon” of the Roman Church?