Is it possible to unintentionally get an Indulgence?

[Sir_Knight]

As most know, our Holy Father declared a special plenary indulgence on the Feast of Immaculate Conception under the usually circumstances. As I was standing in line for confession before mass, I noticed that there were a number of people in line with me. Then I got to thinking suppose one of these people performs the exact same actions that I do (goes to confession, communion, offers a prayer for the Pope, etc.) but is unaware that an Indulgence is being offered. Will that person still receive the benefits of the Indulgence or is it like committing sin in that you have to be conscious of it in order to receive the benefits of the Indulgence?

 

[awalt]

No, it has to be a conscious act by the person. Many people say a general prayer in the morning so cover them for the day, as many things give partial indulgence - for example the sign of the cross!

I say this every morning–

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and suffering of this day – for all the intentions of the Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my family and friends and for the general intention recommended this month by our Holy Father, the Pope. Please Jesus in your will let me gain the indulgences for which I am eligible today, through the actions I take to become closer to you and live the life you would want me to live. Amen.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

I would say no, but a qualified no. That is, indulgences usually involve performing some meritorious act. And such acts merit some kind of reward. You just would not be sure what it is.

 

[Sir_Knight]

awalt:

No, it has to be a conscious act by the person. Many people say a general prayer in the morning so cover them for the day, as many things give partial indulgence - for example the sign of the cross!

I say this every morning–

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and suffering of this day – for all the intentions of the Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my family and friends and for the general intention recommended this month by our Holy Father, the Pope. Please Jesus in your will let me gain the indulgences for which I am eligible today, through the actions I take to become closer to you and live the life you would want me to live. Amen.

Your reply has me confused. You first say ‘no’ but your actions every morning would seem to indicate that it might be possible.

By the way, I say a slightly different version of the prayer that you say
Scott Waddell:

I would say no, but a qualified no. That is, indulgences usually involve performing some meritorious act. And such acts merit some kind of reward. You just would not be sure what it is.

That’s my point. It is entirely possible that some folks might have performed all of the “meritorious acts” needed for the indulgence but been unaware that there was an indulgence associated with those acts. Would they earn the benefits of the indulgence even if they were unaware of it.

 

[Alison]

Lol that’s so ironic…I was thinking the same thing because of the Plenary indulgence of Papa Benedict. No, I do not think one can receive without meaning to do so explicitly but as someone earlier said, I believe we can get those ones that we are not explicitly aware of in our morning offering for example when we ask to receive any indulgences for which God gives us. But let’s say we did not ask to receive any indulgences, God wouldn’t do anything against our will I don’t think. But I don’t see why one would not want indulgences

 

[Lapsed]

I was taught more than twenty years ago that in order to gain an indulgence, I must have at least a general intention of receiving it.

I was actually taught to include in my morning prayers something along the lines of, “…and may I gain all indulgences attatched to my prayers and actions this day…” and that this would be sufficient provided I fulfilled the usual requirements.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Lapsed:

I was taught more than twenty years ago that in order to gain an indulgence, I must have at least a general intention of receiving it.

Okay. That’s what I was asking.

 

[Forest-Pine]

I don’t comprehend this.

An indulgence is granted for a certain set of actions because only the pious can fulfill the obligations. Therefore, we can assume that a person in a state of grace who does these things is moving closer to Christ. Every step we take on that journey while we are here on earth leaves us one step less to make after we die. (Of course, this is assuming that we die while heading in the right direction.)

Additionally, it is considered prayerful to do all things with humility and charity (like parenting) that the Lord asks us to do (and its requisite laundry and dirty dishes).

Why then would a person be required to specifically think, “hey Lord, I want you to knock my time off by my doing this today”? Why could the actions of the person, acting in humility and charity, living a prayerful life in devotion to the Lord, for example, not be a clear intention to recieve any graces available to the person? Why must the person be aware of this theology of grace and indulgences and specifically ask the Lord to grant such graces, known or unknown? It seems rather pharisaical to me (a devout Catholic) to say this. It seems to me that the way a person lives his life is a much clearer indicator of his openess to the graces of the Lord than some prayer routinely said each day.

(To clarify, I do not have a problem with the theology of indulgences. To me, though, it is an explanation of the gifts and graces God bestowes on those who follow him. My problem is with this supposed inability to recieve such graces if a specific prayer was not said. I think that the state of the person, his actions and his heart, is a much clearer indicator. It also makes it between the person and the Lord and something we can not discern for others.)