Indulgences???

[Dempsey1919]

What are indulgences and how do they work?

 

[glenaitken]

indulgences are “get out of jail cards” for purgatory (well, more or less). when a sin is forgiven in the confessional, the guilt is wiped away, but not the temporal punishment. divine mercy allows for the healing of the sin, but divine justice demands reparation be made (this is why you do a penance after confession). moreover, the church has access to the spiritual treasuries of heaven, and so grants some of those treasures in the form of an indulgence, meaning that when you fulfil the conditions of an indulgence, the church hands you that get out of jail card. the punishment you owed to sin has been payed off by the church’s treasury- therfore you owe no purgatory time to make reparation for the sins, and thus justice is satisfied. there is a book called the handbook of indulgences, and it explains how to get them.

 

[Dempsey1919]

indulgences are “get out of jail cards” for purgatory (well, more or less). when a sin is forgiven in the confessional, the guilt is wiped away, but not the temporal punishment. divine mercy allows for the healing of the sin, but divine justice demands reparation be made (this is why you do a penance after confession).

When a sin is forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance why is there a temporal punishment? I would think that once forgiven, there would be no need for punishment?

Also, the only penances I’ve received have been prayers or commands to read certain parts of Scripture. Surely, these can’t be enough to wipe away the temporal punishments of my sins?

moreover, the church has access to the spiritual treasuries of heaven, and so grants some of those treasures in the form of an indulgence

What are these treasures?

Sorry to ask too many questions but I don’t know anything about indulgences because I was never taught about it in Catechism classes. Thanks for your help.

 

[glenaitken]

When a sin is forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance why is there a temporal punishment? I would think that once forgiven, there would be no need for punishment?

Also, the only penances I’ve received have been prayers or commands to read certain parts of Scripture. Surely, these can’t be enough to wipe away the temporal punishments of my sins?

What are these treasures?

Sorry to ask too many questions but I don’t know anything about indulgences because I was never taught about it in Catechism classes. Thanks for your help.

no problem- think about it this way: you are a young child and you willingly break your mom’s favorite vase (sin). you ask her forgiveness (confession) which she readily gives, but you are still grounded (temporal punishment/purgatory). when you put most of the truths of the Faith in a family context, they seem to make more sense.
These treasures of the Church are the merits Christ has won through his life, death and ressurrection. He did more than just conquer death- he has merit, or treasures in heaven since he has infinit merit/treasures, we can not run out, since the church is the voice of God on earth and more importantly she is His bride and body, she (the Church) has access to Christ’s “joint bank account” that contains the treasures of heaven and christ’s merits.

 

[Dempsey1919]

These treasures of the Church are the merits Christ has won through his life, death and ressurrection. He did more than just conquer death- he has merit, or treasures in heaven since he has infinit merit/treasures,

Here is my understanding based on what you’ve written:

When we go to confession, we are forgiven, but the effects or consequences of our sin still remain and we have to make reparation for them.

To use your analogy:

I’ve just deliberately broke my mother’s vase, but I have been very remorseful and my mother has forgiven me. However, even though I have been forgiven, the vase is still broken and I have to replace it in order to remove the effects of my sin.

The problem is that I don’t have the money and can’t afford to purchase a new vase. Luckily, I have a friend named Jesus who has earned a lot of money for doing a great deed and he has agreed to pay for a new vase if I promise never to sin again and perform some work for him.

Sin leaves it’s mark and we have to remove the stains of sin by performing penances. However, Jesus is able to remove a lot of these stains because of the merits he earned by living a sinless life and by dying for us. By doing certain acts, Jesus will remove the temporal punishment (stain of sin) for us. This is what is known by an Induldgence.

Is that a correct understanding?

 

[glenaitken]

bingo- you got the idea:thumbsup: it really isn’t any more complicated than that

 

[Dempsey1919]

Thanks for your help glenaitken.

What does it mean when the Induldgence gives days out of purgatory? Are these literal 4 hour days or are they a simply a manner of speech used to designate an unknown amount of time?

 

[LilyM]

Thanks for your help glenaitken.

What does it mean when the Induldgence gives days out of purgatory? Are these literal 4 hour days or are they a simply a manner of speech used to designate an unknown amount of time?

That’s a very old fashioned and no longer relevant way of measuring the level of an indulgence. It doesn’t relate to days off purgatory at all - purgatory is almost certainly outside of time.

It actually relates to the number of days people used to spend in the early centuries of the Church doing ‘canonical penances’ (usually involving fasting and so on). A ‘100 days indulgence’ would remit the same amount of purgatory that would be remitted by the 100 days of fasting etc.

Nowadays we understand that the amount of punishment remitted by any sort of ‘partial’ indulgence depends on things like the fervency of the prayer. So nowadays all indulgences are simply ‘partial’ (remitting some of the temporal punishment0 or ‘plenary’ (remitting all of it in the right circumstances).

 

[Dempsey1919]

It actually relates to the number of days people used to spend in the early centuries of the Church doing ‘canonical penances’ (usually involving fasting and so on). A ‘100 days indulgence’ would remit the same amount of purgatory that would be remitted by the 100 days of fasting etc.

That makes perfect sense. I guess we no longer classify Induldgences like that because the average lay person does not practice penance in the same way as those in the past.

Where can I find out about specific Indulgences? Is there a book about them? Also, are Indulgences old-fashioned, or does the Church still formulate new Indulgences?

 

[LilyM]

That makes perfect sense. I guess we no longer classify Induldgences like that because the average lay person does not practice penance in the same way as those in the past.

Where can I find out about specific Indulgences? Is there a book about them? Also, are Indulgences old-fashioned, or does the Church still formulate new Indulgences?

A good one is the Enchiridion of Indulgences, which is online at dominicanidaho.org/indulg.html

I’m sure there are other books about them - you might want to do a search at Amazon.com or on your local library catalogues or something.

The Church does from time to time formulate new indulgences - there were some granted in regard to the recent World Youth Day, for example to those who visited the WYD Cross and Icon on their journey or who visit the Cathedral here and pray certain prayers during WYD time.

And they’re certainly not old-fashioned - nothing really worthwhile is, and indulgences are absolutely worthwhile.

 

[Linda_Marie]

I used to have some trouble with regarding prayers as a penance. I always associated penance with something unpleasant or difficult, like fasting.

All of the things which are indulgenced, and penances given after confession, are means of turning our hearts back to God.

When we sinned, we turned our hearts away from God. We chose to please ourselves. By saying an Our Father as a penance, for instance, we return the centre of our attention to God rather than our own desires. Ideally, it is not just rattled off, but meditated upon.

Reading Scripture is one of the more readily available indugenced acts. A partial indulgence is granted for reading Holy Scripture for at least 15 minutes. If the reading goes on for 1/2 hour or more a plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions of Sacramental Confession (within 21 days or so of the act), Holy Communion (on the day*) and one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be offered for the Holy Father’s intentions for the month.

Obviously, we get more spiritual benefit than an indulgence from praying or reading Scripture so it is a win-win situation.

• please correct me if I’m wrong on this. I’m not sure if one must take Holy Communion on the day or if one Communion is good for a week for the purposes of obtaining an indulgence.

 

[Dempsey1919]

Thanks for the advice.

Does anyone offer their Indulgences to the Holy Souls in Purgatory?

I think it would be a great thing to do as it would release them from their suffering and purification. Also, those who you helped will also help you when your time comes.

If you can offer an Indulgence to the Holy Souls, how do you do it?

 

[jmcrae]

Here is my understanding based on what you’ve written:

When we go to confession, we are forgiven, but the effects or consequences of our sin still remain and we have to make reparation for them.

To use your analogy:

I’ve just deliberately broke my mother’s vase, but I have been very remorseful and my mother has forgiven me. However, even though I have been forgiven, the vase is still broken and I have to replace it in order to remove the effects of my sin.

The problem is that I don’t have the money and can’t afford to purchase a new vase. Luckily, I have a friend named Jesus who has earned a lot of money for doing a great deed and he has agreed to pay for a new vase if I promise never to sin again and perform some work for him.

Sin leaves it’s mark and we have to remove the stains of sin by performing penances. However, Jesus is able to remove a lot of these stains because of the merits he earned by living a sinless life and by dying for us. By doing certain acts, Jesus will remove the temporal punishment (stain of sin) for us. This is what is known by an Induldgence.

Is that a correct understanding?

This is actually the best short, simple explanation I’ve ever seen. Thanks!!

 

[jmcrae]

Thanks for the advice.

Does anyone offer their Indulgences to the Holy Souls in Purgatory?

I do. I am raising up an army of Saints to help me and pray for me in my work of youth evangelism.

If you can offer an Indulgence to the Holy Souls, how do you do it?

I don’t know how, so I ask my Guardian Angel to do it for me.

 

[Linda_Marie]

If you can offer an Indulgence to the Holy Souls, how do you do it?

Before beginning, I just say, “I offer this indulgence for the Holy Souls in Purgatory”, the same way as we can offer Mass for our intentions. Indulgences cannot be applied to other living people. You can gain them for yourself or for the Holy Souls.

You can offer Mass for the living (or the dead), either by calling to mind your intention at the start of Mass or by asking the priest to offer Mass for your intention. You don’t even have to tell him what the intention is. We’ve had our PP say, “I offer this Mass for the intention of Mr. So-and-So.” It is customary to give the priest a small offering for this service.

The Holy Father’s intentions for each month can be found here. Alternatively, you can just say, “For the Holy Father’s intentions” followed by your prayers.

 

[Dempsey1919]

Before beginning, I just say, “I offer this indulgence for the Holy Souls in Purgatory”, the same way as we can offer Mass for our intentions. Indulgences cannot be applied to other living people. You can gain them for yourself or for the Holy Souls.

Could these Indulgences actually help release Souls from Purgatory?

If this is the case, then every Catholic should do this. This is a tremendous act of charity and love!

Does anyone know of any Saints who had a devotion to the Holy Souls? Perhaps the Saints can shed light on the effectiveness of Indulgences in releasing souls from Purgatory.

 

[jmcrae]

Could these Indulgences actually help release Souls from Purgatory?

If this is the case, then every Catholic should do this. This is a tremendous act of charity and love!

Does anyone know of any Saints who had a devotion to the Holy Souls? Perhaps the Saints can shed light on the effectiveness of Indulgences in releasing souls from Purgatory.

I think that St. Pio did - I don’t remember the story very well, though.

 

[Linda_Marie]

Could these Indulgences actually help release Souls from Purgatory?

If this is the case, then every Catholic should do this. This is a tremendous act of charity and love!

Does anyone know of any Saints who had a devotion to the Holy Souls? Perhaps the Saints can shed light on the effectiveness of Indulgences in releasing souls from Purgatory.

Yes, this is the teaching of the Church and a great many Catholics practice this. From the Catechism:

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.

**1479 Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted. **
1498 Through indulgences the faithful can obtain the remission of temporal punishment resulting from sin for themselves and also for the souls in Purgatory.
scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

Saint Joseph, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino and Saint Odilo of Cluny are Patron Saints of Holy Souls.

Just google ‘patron saint of holy souls’ for more links. Saint Gertrude the Great was given a prayer from Jesus with the promise that every time it was prayed, He would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory. holysouls.com/prayers.htm
The Chaplet of St. Gertrude

 

[GrahamCE]

This is actually the best short, simple explanation I’ve ever seen. Thanks!!

I agree! Thanks OP for posting this question. I don’t understand indulgences myself well and your analogy really is a simple and clear explanation. Will come in handy when my non-Catholic in-laws ask me about them (I know its coming…)

 

[reff]

How are indulgences given? Does the church bless you with them when you’ve finished your penance. Or does God grant them.