Is the Plenary from Pope Francis still applicable?

[Sirach2]

The decree states:
The gift of special Indulgences is granted to the faithful suffering from COVID-19 disease, commonly known as Coronavirus, as well as to health care workers, family members and all those who in any capacity, including through prayer, care for them.

However, later in the decree it states:
Moreover, this Apostolic Penitentiary willingly grants a Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions on the occasion of the current world epidemic, also to the faithful who offer a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic Adoration, or the reading of the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour, or the recitation of the Holy Rosary, or the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross, or the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, to implore from Almighty God the end of the epidemic, relief to those who are afflicted and eternal salvation to those the Lord has called to Himself.

Now that our churches offer the mass and confessions again, would the second paragraph still apply to the “faithful” who perform these devotions, even though they do not have the COVID-19 disease mentioned in the first paragraph? I go to daily mass, but I would like to obtain the plenary through the recitation of the rosary or the Chaplet of D.M.

 

[brown_bear]

In my opinion, yes, because in the decree you mention does not refer to the fact that the Holy Masses are celebrated in the presence or not of the faithful, or to the possibility of confessing.

The only reference is the presence and spread of the coronavirus which unfortunately is very current.

So my idea is that the plenary indulgence is absolutely valid and current.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Now that our churches offer the mass and confessions again, would the second paragraph still apply to the “faithful” who perform these devotions, even though they do not have the COVID-19 disease mentioned in the first paragraph?

In my opinion, the paragraph you cite has been applied to those who are not sick all along, and I have seen no official revocation of the decree from the Vatican, plus the pandemic is still going on and the time one can spend at many churches is limited, so I continue to get indulgences by saying the Rosary or DM out loud alone at home.

The only difference I can see is that if confessions and Eucharist are available in one’s area, then one might prayerfully consider fulfilling those conditions, but if one was afraid to go or unable to go due to health concerns, or the Eucharist/ confession wasn’t easily available (which is still the case in many places) then one might wait to fulfill those conditions. I am currently able to receive Eucharist and confess every 20 days so it’s not an issue for me.

 

[Vico]

…
I go to daily mass, but I would like to obtain the plenary through the recitation of the rosary or the Chaplet of D.M.

Yes, still good. Plenary indulgences, even prior to this particular grant, included these concessions:
7 - Eucharistic Adoration for at least 1/2 hour.
12- At the moment of death.
13 - Way of the Cross (in a church or oratory)
17 - Marian Rosary (5 decades without interruption)
30 - Reading or listening to Sacred Scripture 1/2 hour.
33 - Once a year, freely chosen, with visit to a minor basicila or an international, national, or diocesan shrine established by competent authority (Creed and Our Father).
Also, from 2002: Divine Mercy Sunday

What is different is that now some are available from home via media, and with the modified condition of ASAP for communion and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father, and ASAP rather than 20 days before or after, for individual confession.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

There are also new additions to that list under the decree, if one prays for the COVID intentions specified in the decree:

• A Visit to the Blessed Sacrament (presumably this is shorter than the usual 1/2 hour Adoration, as Adoration is still specified separately)
• Recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet (previously not plenary indulgenced except on Divine Mercy Sunday under certain conditions).

 

[Vico]

There are also new additions to that list under the decree, if one prays for the COVID intentions specified in the decree:

• A Visit to the Blessed Sacrament (presumably this is shorter than the usual 1/2 hour Adoration, as Adoration is still specified separately)
• Recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet (previously not plenary indulgenced except on Divine Mercy Sunday under certain conditions).

Yes, good point.

Yet the plenary seems to still require 1/2 hour as in the original concessions 7 and 30:

“who offer a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic Adoration, or the reading of the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour” seems

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I was always taught that a Visit to the Blessed Sacrament was a short visit. Adoration is a longer visit where you are going to spend the half hour of time.

However, i agree with you that the decree as translated into English lacks clarity in a couple areas, and length of a “visit” is one of them. Because of that, I have not relied upon a “visit to the Blessed Sacrament” lasting less than 1/2 hour for my daily plenary. Recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet takes about 6 minutes and can be done at home or in the car, so when I am pressed for time, I use that method instead.

 

[Sirach2]

There are also new additions to that list under the decree, if one prays for the COVID intentions specified in the decree:

Thanks, Tis!

This is the reason I offer a separate rosary, praying for the specific COVID intentions. When I go to daily mass, I usually offer that for my personal intentions, and not for the COVID ones specified in the decree. I just felt a bit uneasy, since I have been doing this for so long that I began to wonder if it was still valid and available to us.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I know, it makes the plenaries seem almost too easy sometimes.

However, as someone posted on another indulgence thread, many churches are discouraging people from hanging around and praying outside of Mass. Some of them don’t want people spending any more time in the church than is absolutely necessary, in other cases they need to sanitize the pews, or hold weddings and funerals. So it makes sense there are a few more plenaries we can earn at home. And there are a lot of souls dying of COVID who need our prayers and indulgences, and prayer keeps us calm and helps the world, so it makes sense that the Church is encouraging us here.

 

[Vico]

I was always taught that a Visit to the Blessed Sacrament was a short visit. Adoration is a longer visit where you are going to spend the half hour of time.

However, i agree with you that the decree as translated into English lacks clarity in a couple areas, and length of a “visit” is one of them. Because of that, I have not relied upon a “visit to the Blessed Sacrament” lasting less than 1/2 hour for my daily plenary. Recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet takes about 6 minutes and can be done at home or in the car, so when I am pressed for time, I use that method instead.

I think of Eucharistic Adoration as the devotion with public exposition the Sacred Host placed in the lunette of the monstrance, and the Eucharistic Visit devotion as private exposition of the ciborium containing consecrated Sacred Hosts, or simply prayer before the tabernacle containing consecrated Sacred Hosts, with the signal for the latter being the lit red candle.

I haven’t prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet very much, instead I use the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows, which takes about twice as long.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I think of Eucharistic Adoration as the devotion with public exposition the Sacred Host placed in the lunette of the monstrance, and the Eucharistic Visit devotion as private exposition of the ciborium containing consecrated Sacred Hosts, or simply prayer before the tabernacle containing consecrated Sacred Hosts, with the signal for the latter being the lit red candle.

That’s not strictly correct, though . It’s my understanding that Adoration may be done with the Eucharist either exposed or in the tabernacle, and the same plenary applies in each case. What is required is that you be physically present with the Eucharist there, and of course engaged in some kind of Adoration-type prayer, meditation, contemplation of Jesus, etc. You cannot get the plenary by viewing a livestream of the Eucharist.

I’ll look for a couple sources in my files because I researched this several years ago.

Edited to add, here’s one response to this from CA apologist Fr. Serpa back in 2011:

Does the indulgence that applies to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament apply to the Blessed Sacrament kept in the tabernacle? Ask an Apologist

Hi, I was just reading the Handbook of Indulgences (Norms and Grants) published by authority of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops. No 3 (Adoratio Ss.mi Sacramenti / Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) states that “a partial indulgence is granted the Christian faithful when they visit the Blessed Sacrament for the purpose of adoration. When this is done for at least half an hour, the indulgence is a plenary one.” The question I have is does this indul…

Another from EWTN/ Zenit archives

https://web.archive.org/web/20120313031438/http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur300.htm

 

[Vico]

Vico:

I think of Eucharistic Adoration as the devotion with public exposition the Sacred Host placed in the lunette of the monstrance, and the Eucharistic Visit devotion as private exposition of the ciborium containing consecrated Sacred Hosts, or simply prayer before the tabernacle containing consecrated Sacred Hosts, with the signal for the latter being the lit red candle.

That’s not strictly correct, though . It’s my understanding that Adoration may be done with the Eucharist either exposed or in the tabernacle, and the same plenary applies in each case. What is required is that you be physically present with the Eucharist there, and of course engaged in some kind of Adoration-type prayer, meditation, contemplation of Jesus, etc. You cannot get the plenary by viewing a livestream of the Eucharist.
…

The indulgence is for either visit or adoration, as the terms are interchangeable, but the two are different, per my reading in various documents.

Manual of Indulgences

Concession 7 (Eucharistic Adoration and Procession)
§1 A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who
1° visit the Blessed Sacrament for adoration lasting at least a half hour;
…
§2 A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who
1° visit the Blessed Sacrament for adoration;
…

Being Byzantine we only have the configuration available with the reserved Sacrament in the tabernacle (with lit red lamp) available.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The indulgence is for either visit or adoration, as the terms are interchangeable, but the two are different, per my reading in various documents.

Yes, “visit” and “Adoration” are different. However, my only point is that Adoration, for purpose of indulgences, can be done with the Eucharist in the tabernacle or exposed. Fr. Serpa confirms this.

It does not automatically turn into a “visit” if the Host is not exposed. If your intent is to have a half hour of Adoration while physically in front of Jesus in the Tabernacle, then it’s Adoration.

I was taught that a “Visit” was usually a short stopping in the Church to say some prayers in front of the Tabernacle containing Jesus. It normally only lasted 10 minutes or less. Adoration was more protracted and would usually continue for an hour.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

The indulgence is for either visit or adoration, as the terms are interchangeable, but the two are different, per my reading in various documents.

Yes, “visit” and “Adoration” are different. However, my only point is that Adoration, for purpose of indulgences, can be done with the Eucharist in the tabernacle or exposed. Fr. Serpa confirms this.

It does not automatically turn into a “visit” if the Host is not exposed. If your intent is to have a half hour of Adoration while physically in front of Jesus in the Tabernacle, then it’s Adoration.

I was taught that a “Visit” was usually a short stopping in the Church to say some prayers in front of the Tabernacle containing Jesus. It normally only lasted 10 minutes or less. Adoration was more protracted and would usually continue for an hour.

I am thinking of what is written in THE YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST SUGGESTIONS AND PROPOSALS from Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 15 October 2004:

Eucharistic Adoration

13. The admirable practice of gathering in prayer before the tabernacle, to adore Christ truly present therein …

These are expressed by the Church’s tradition in different ways:

- Simple visits to the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle: a brief encounter with Christ spurred on by faith in his true presence, and characterized by silent prayer;

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, exposed, as per liturgical norms, in the monstrance or pix, be it for shorter or longer durations of time;

- Perpetual adoration, …

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...on_ccdds_doc_20041014_anno-eucaristia_en.html

 

[Lucy_1]

This is so kind of Pope Francis to offer! When you say plenary indulgences are easy, what do you mean? To me they have always seemed difficult, because how do we know if we are detached from sin? I would think it especially hard for people who have a bad habit of sin like gossip, anger, gluttony(me, eek!), envy, etc. because those little stinkers seem to pop up without warning!

 

[umamibella]

Now that our churches offer the mass and confessions again,

There are places still in some form of lockdown and people unable to go to Mass. This pandemic is just warming up.

 

[Sirach2]

This is so kind of Pope Francis to offer! When you say plenary indulgences are easy, what do you mean? To me they have always seemed difficult, because how do we know if we are detached from sin? I would think it especially hard for people who have a bad habit of sin like gossip, anger, gluttony(me, eek!), envy, etc. because those little stinkers seem to pop up without warning!

The bolded part gives you a clue as to whether you are “attached” to these “stinkers.” Popping up without warning suggests that you are not attached to them, and they occur inadvertently as a result of our concupiscence. These are not deliberate sins that you have decided not to give up. IOW, there is no attachment. If you are truly sorry and promise to avoid these when you go to confession, there is no definite attachment. The essence is in your will, which has no desire to indulge these sins. If you had a pet sin that you just do not want to give up, THAT is attachment.

For instance, if you are very angry at so-and-so and intend to ruin her reputation with gossip, that is attachment!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

ow do we know if we are detached from sin? I would think it especially hard for people who have a bad habit of sin like gossip, anger, gluttony(me, eek!), envy, etc. because those little stinkers seem to pop up without warning!

You do your best to detach from them and don’t fret about it.
Honestly we should be trying to be detached from sin all the time, so the indulgence is not asking us to do anything we would not normally be doing already.
As Sirach said, being detached from sin just means we don’t want to sin and don’t plan on sinning and don’t like sinning.