Partial and Plenary Indulgence

[PetoVeritas]

Rack em’ up son. And keep on tryin’ for the plenary indulgences… who knows maybe you’ll get it. Divine Mercy Sunday is coming up… prepare your heart for Easter!

Divine Mercy Sunday will be the culmination of a month’s worth of daily recital of the Chaplet (including the nine day Novena before that Sunday) and I am excited to partake in it. Hopefully, I’ll get the indulgence too.

Well, if intention is part of what’s required for a plenary indulgence I’m sure I probably haven’t gained any, but hopefully I’ve gained partial ones by the mere devotions I’ve performed.

 

[dcs6f4]

I think it means you must be aware of the indulgence: just making the Sign of the Cross, without knowing it is in indulgenced prayer, is not sufficient. You must make the Sign of the Cross with the intention of receiving the indulgence. In other words, you cannot accidentally receive an indulgence.

I think the issue here is that I do not feel you need to be aware of something as specifically “an indulgence.” The idea that I am doing something that benefits my eternal soul, that I know is pleasing to God does not have to be labeled as “indulgence” in my mind does it?

My point is that people often intend to receive indulgences without actually understanding exactly what an indulgence is. But they realize the general truth of their actions. In essence, their hearts understand it instead of their heads.

See, I think that is specifically in contradiction to what Norm 22 is saying. (Actually, Norm 22 is now Norm 18 in the 2002 (latest?) edition of the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum.) The norm states:
Ut vero subiectum capax eas lucretur, habere debet intentionem saltem generalem eas acquirendi…

In order that a capable subject may actually gain it, he must have at least a general intention to obtain it…
Filling in the pronouns and what-not, that means: “In order for the person who can gain an indulgence to actually gain it, he must have at least the general intention to gain it.” You must have the intention to gain the indulgence, not simply to perform the work related to the indulgence.

This is also found in Canon 996 §2, and in the old (1917) Canon Law as 925.

From this commentary on Canon Law: “it has been usual to recommend to the faithful that they have to have a general intention of gaining all indulgences available to them…” (p. 1177)

Also see this comment: “Also, you have to want and intend to obtain the indulgences. This is why it is so important that we all be aware of indulgences–and believe in them! If, after reading all this, you decide you just don’t believe what the Church teaches about indulgences, well, then you’re never going to obtain one. And that would be very unfortunate.”

I agree with all that’s presented here. I guess I just don’t feel as if what I am saying contradicts what you have down here.

After all wanting to obtain an indulgence is a disposition of the heart. One can have this disposition without knowing what to call it. They are graces dispensed by Christ through the Church. So for example before I knew what an indulgence was I prayed the rosary to think about Jesus, I knew God liked that I prayed, it was important to stay close to my mother, Mary, and I can show God that while he always forgives me I am aware of my sinfulness and I am trying to do things that will bring me closer to Him out of my desire to get to heaven.

If I am wrong then I am wrong maybe I didn’t receive indulgences back in the day… I pray specifically for indulgences now… but, if you don’t understand what you are asking for (like many people with indulgences) it can be a road block during prayer and progression in the Christian Life.

 

[PetoVeritas]

dcs6f4, I want to agree with you in that your heart wants to grow closer to God even without making a direct plea for an Indulgence so in the disposition of your heart you gained the indulgence anyway. My priest reminded me of something not too long ago when he said, “God doesn’t have a ledger where he says, ‘nope, you didn’t say the Liturgy of the Hours just right so it doesn’t count.’ God knows the intentions of your heart and he can see that you’re trying to be devoted to Him. Don’t give up. Keep learning. It is a blessing to you and pleasing to God whether you get the technical parts right or not. He understands your intentions.”

However, I want to follow what the church has instituted on this matter as well, so I guess it can’t hurt to make a mental note of the intentions of the devotion, but… I just kind of hate thinking, in essence, “Okay, I’m praying this Rosary for a partial indulgence now, so please mark that down… oh and for my devotion to Our Lady too I guess. Thanks.”
I need to absorb that a bit more I suppose.

 

[dcs6f4]

dcs6f4, I want to agree with you in that your heart wants to grow closer to God even without making a direct plea for an Indulgence so in the disposition of your heart you gained the indulgence anyway. My priest reminded me of something not too long ago when he said, “God doesn’t have a ledger where he says, ‘nope, you didn’t say the Liturgy of the Hours just right so it doesn’t count.’ God knows the intentions of your heart and he can see that you’re trying to be devoted to Him. Don’t give up. Keep learning. It is a blessing to you and pleasing to God whether you get the technical parts right or not. He understands your intentions.”

However, I want to follow what the church has instituted on this matter as well, so I guess it can’t hurt to make a mental note of the intentions of the devotion, but… I just kind of hate thinking, in essence, “Okay, I’m praying this Rosary for a partial indulgence now, so please mark that down… oh and for my devotion to Our Lady too I guess. Thanks.”
I need to absorb that a bit more I suppose.

I agree 100% hopefully I didn’t convey otherwise. It just seems like getting stuck in the rut you are talking about is pretty unfortunate, but something a lot of people struggle with.

 

[Mea_Culpa]

This is from the 1967 Apostolic Constitution on the Doctrine of Indulgences:

N. 7. To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill three conditions : sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent.
If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the Prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will only be partial, except for the provisions contained in No. 11 for those who are “impeded.”

N. 8 The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; nevertheless it is fitting that Communion be received and the prayers for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff be said the same day the work is performed.

N. 9. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences, but Communion must be received and prayers for the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

N. 10. The condition of praying for the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless the individual faithful are free to recite any other prayer according to their own piety and devotion toward the Supreme Pontiff.

 

[dcs6f4]

This is from the 1967 Apostolic Constitution on the Doctrine of Indulgences:

N. 7. To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill three conditions : sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent.
If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the Prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will only be partial, except for the provisions contained in No. 11 for those who are “impeded.”

N. 8 The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; nevertheless it is fitting that Communion be received and the prayers for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff be said the same day the work is performed.

N. 9. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences, but Communion must be received and prayers for the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

N. 10. The condition of praying for the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless the individual faithful are free to recite any other prayer according to their own piety and devotion toward the Supreme Pontiff.

I don’t think anyone is saying anything to the contrary about plenary indulgences. The issue is on the reception of partial indulgences.

But still, thank you for posting this… thoroughly explains what it is meant to.

 

[japhy]

I think the issue here is that I do not feel you need to be aware of something as specifically “an indulgence.” … My point is that people often intend to receive indulgences without actually understanding exactly what an indulgence is.

See, those two sentences sound (to me) to be saying different things.

In sentence one, you say a person needn’t be aware of an indulgence associated with a particular prayer or work. In sentence two, you say people “intend to receive indulgences” even though they don’t really understand the concept of indulgences.

I completely agree with sentence two: you don’t need to understand indulgences to receive one. You don’t need to have read the Enchiridion or whatever. You just need to intend to receive the indulgence! As such, I don’t agree with sentence one.

After all wanting to obtain an indulgence is a disposition of the heart. One can have this disposition without knowing what to call it.

Well, I’m not a canon lawyer, so I can’t say whether that’s what the Church means. I’d recommend forwarding this question to, say, Dr. Ed Peters (canonlaw.info).

 

[japhy]

However, I want to follow what the church has instituted on this matter as well, so I guess it can’t hurt to make a mental note of the intentions of the devotion, but… I just kind of hate thinking, in essence, “Okay, I’m praying this Rosary for a partial indulgence now, so please mark that down… oh and for my devotion to Our Lady too I guess. Thanks.”

But don’t you do something similar when you pray the Rosary for whatever intention you have? I think the reason the Church asks us to have the intention of receiving the indulgence is so that we would practice the discipline of being deliberate in our actions, of being aware of what we are doing.

For example, in the Confiteor, we pray, “And I ask … you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.” If you’re praying that with real intent, that means you really want the others at Mass to pray for you. It also means that you really want to pray for them. That’s why, whenever the Confiteor is prayed at Mass, when we get to the Prayer of the Faithful, I make it a silent intention of mine.

I do not doubt that God can reward an act which has an indulgence attached to it when the act is performed without knowledge of the indulgence; He is not bound to the Church’s norms on indulgences! But I have certainty that, when I perform an act or say a prayer with an indulgence attached, and I do so mindful of the indulgence (and am properly disposed), I will receive the indulgence. It’s really as simple as knowing there’s an indulgence. You needn’t offer your praying of the Rosary for the intention of an indulgence; that’s not what the Church means by “having a general intention”. Rather, you must simply be aware of it.

 

[dcs6f4]

See, those two sentences sound (to me) to be saying different things.

In sentence one, you say a person needn’t be aware of an indulgence associated with a particular prayer or work. In sentence two, you say people “intend to receive indulgences” even though they don’t really understand the concept of indulgences.

I completely agree with sentence two: you don’t need to understand indulgences to receive one. You don’t need to have read the Enchiridion or whatever. You just need to intend to receive the indulgence! As such, I don’t agree with sentence one.

In sentence one I am saying a person does not need to know that its specifically called an “indulgence” in quotes. I think there is a small distinction here. Regardless, I am not trying to argue here. I understand what you are saying and I agree with you, I am probably a little mistaken. I suppose since the Church dispenses graces specifically as indulgences you can’t really make the point I am trying to. However, I think that the situation is very hopeful for a person who devoutly prays the rosary without indulgences in mind to receive partial remission of the temporal punishment for their sins. But this is something that I cannot claim as Truth or proclaim with the certainty I can for indulgences. Which I suppose also satisfies as a response to the comment below as well.

Well, I’m not a canon lawyer, so I can’t say whether that’s what the Church means. I’d recommend forwarding this question to, say, Dr. Ed Peters (canonlaw.info).

 

[Verbum_Caro]

japhy,

My understanding is that common teaching is that a habitual intention of gaining an indulgence is at least sufficient.

There is some question, I think, of whether or not an **interpretive **intention would be sufficient. I recall reading that St. Liguori supposedly thought so (I’ve not verified this). And also something supposedly about the Holy Father granting an indulgence to acts already done, which would mean an habitual intention at least, or even (I suppose) an interpretative intention possible.

Just some grist for the research mill.

VC

 

[PetoVeritas]

But don’t you do something similar when you pray the Rosary for whatever intention you have? I think the reason the Church asks us to have the intention of receiving the indulgence is so that we would practice the discipline of being deliberate in our actions, of being aware of what we are doing… It’s really as simple as knowing there’s an indulgence. You needn’t offer your praying of the Rosary for the intention of an indulgence; that’s not what the Church means by “having a general intention”. Rather, you must simply be aware of it.

Japhy, thanks so much for your reply. It gives me a lot of really good food for thought and some perspective and balance on the subject.

Verbum Caro, would you (or anyone who knows the answer) mind explaining the meaning behind “habitual” intention and “interperative” intention. I’d really like to understand these terms too. Thanks!

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Verbum Caro, would you (or anyone who knows the answer) mind explaining the meaning behind “habitual” intention and “interperative” intention. I’d really like to understand these terms too. Thanks!

Hi PetoVeritas,

I’ll give it a shot, but I’m not an expert.
Habitual Intention – a movement of the will that was never retracted and which was made sometime prior to some act but which exerts no influence on the current act. (Example: I will to receive the indulgence from all indulgenced acts that I just happen to perform today.)

Interpretative Intention – no prior or present movement of the will, but the intention is rather presumed to exist because of other indications. (Example: Administering the sacrament of anointing of the sick to a unconscious and dying Catholic, because of the interpretive intention of the person to receive the sacrament.)Does that help?
VC

 

[Bookcat]

I have not followed all…the past is the past and is in God’s hands…

but from now on…have the general (virtual) intention to gain any possible indulgence…and of course seek actually to gain some…and particularly the plenary …

 

[Verbum_Caro]

I’ll just add that, as far as I know, the common opinion seems to be that one needs at least a habitual intention to gain an indulgence. So, not an actual intention, not even a virtual intention, but a habitual intention. The intention that is lower on the scale after habitual is interpretative.

The question would remain then, whether a interpretative intention would be enough to gain an indulgence. We know (I suppose) that an habitual intention is sufficient, but it might not be* necessary*.

VC

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

The Handbook of Indulgences is watered down.

Go with the:

Enchiridion of Indulgences

or

The Raccolta

 

[PetoVeritas]

Hi PetoVeritas,

I’ll give it a shot, but I’m not an expert.
Habitual Intention – a movement of the will that was never retracted and which was made sometime prior to some act but which exerts no influence on the current act. (Example: I will to receive the indulgence from all indulgenced acts that I just happen to perform today.)

Interpretative Intention – no prior or present movement of the will, but the intention is rather presumed to exist because of other indications. (Example: Administering the sacrament of anointing of the sick to a unconscious and dying Catholic, because of the interpretive intention of the person to receive the sacrament.)Does that help?
VC

It does help me to understand the intentions better. I am rereading them a couple of times to make sure I get it. (Slow learner here ) But I do understand the verbage. Thank you.

 

[Bookcat]

habitual intention

 

[Joe_5859]

The Handbook of Indulgences is watered down.

Go with the:

Enchiridion of Indulgences

or

The Raccolta

Considering the fact that the Holy See can change which acts are indulgenced and which ones are not, wouldn’t it behoove us to have the most recent document?

 

[Bookcat]

The Handbook of Indulgences is watered down.

Go with the:

Enchiridion of Indulgences

or

The Raccolta

The Raccolta is no longer in effect.

the The Handbook of Indulgences is the English translation of the current Enchiridion which is the current grants of Indulgences that are in effect. And it is not watered down but is a wonderful text (must be confusing with something else)…

oh wait…see next post…

 

[Bookcat]

The newest edition is here:

usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=705

It is now called the Manual of Indulgences

For those who prefer Latin it is here:

vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_doc_20020826_enchiridion-indulgentiarum_lt.html