Indulgences

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Epistemes

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Can someone explain indulgences to me, please?

I know there are differing types, but how do I “claim” an indulgence?

Are indulgences like Reward Points when you buy certain items at the supermarket which you can later redeem for other ticket items?

I really don’t understand how indulgences work.
 
A very good friend of me recently wrote a blog about indulgences. You can find it here

A Primer on Indulgences
Category: Religion and Philosophy

A Primer on Indulgences

I have been asked to write a blog on indulgences, and I was asked not to take it from another website. Time, however, prevents me from granting the second request! I found this “short” primer on indulgences.

In a nutshell, picture a board with nails in it. The board is our soul, the nails are our sins, and the board must be repaired. Confession removes the nails, the “actual sins.” This is only the first step to repairing the board, however. Holes are left over that need to be filled and sanded, the “consequence, effect or result of our sins.”

This can be done through acts of mercy, almsgiving, pilgrimages, prayers, really any way in which we are working to remedy the result of our sin, both in the world and in our souls. Indulgences are one way that God gives us, though the Church, to do this. Indulgences usually involve any one, or more than one, of the above examples I gave. We express sorrow for our sins, and make up for the effects of our sins in doing these spiritual works. If this is not done in this life, it takes place in Purgatory, when we ready ourselves to enjoy the Beatific Vision, the presence of God, forever.

If the Church has the authority to forgive the eternal penalty of sin (damnation) through the sacrament of confession, it is truly a lesser task to forgive the temporal penalty for sins (our own “spackling of the holes”).

I hope this is helpful, and hope the reader forgives this busy priest his “copying” transgression!

God love you!
 
Epistemes asked a question that I think has been glossed over in the above replies - and that was “…how do I ‘claim’ an indulgence?”

In one of the links, pretty deeply into all the information, is the answer, but could be easliy overlooked.

To gain an indulgence one must** want** to gain it (them).

Many years ago, I was taught to say the following at the end of the morning offering:

*I wish to gain all the indulgences attached to the prayers I shall say and to the good works I will perform this day. *

That covers the intention.
 
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