Partial and Plenary Indulgence

[PetoVeritas]

I just thought I’d come back and add some information to this thread regarding the obtaining of indulgences and by what manner they must be gained. According to my priest, who’s been a part of the church for 30 years, when I (finally) asked him today whether one had to consciously intend to gain the indulgence in order for it to be granted, he answered with an unequivocal yes you did. Also, as an addendum, that most objects must be blessed in order to obtain the indulgence granted by using them.

SO, there it is.
and I got my Chaplet of St. Michael blessed too (finally) so I thought I would share that with all the interested parties following this thread.

God Bless, Happy Sunday!

 

[Sirach2]

I’m really glad to find this thread, because I have a question for anyone who can answer. It may have already been covered, but the thread is three pages long, so I did not retrace.

I have been striving for many months to obtain plenary indulgences for the Poor Souls, as God in his justice is pleased to apply these or not, and I go to mass and communion daily in order to obtain this. I usually vary the exercise required for obtaining it, however; i.e., sometimes a rosary in church, sometimes a half-hour visit to the Blessed Sacrament, sometimes reading scripture for a half hour.

My question is, how long can you go on a single confession before having to confess again? EWTN has posted that twenty days before or after is the maximum.

If we are not in a state of sin needing to go to confession, is it still necessary to go every 20 days, or is it forty days, considering 20 before and 20 after performing the work?

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Sirach,

20 days before or after the indulgenced act can suffice.

You still need to go to confession even if you don’t have any mortal sins to confess in order to fulfill the requirements for a plenary induglence.

I suppose you could go to confession every 40 days, assuming you go on day 0, 40, 80 etc.

VC

 

[Sirach2]

Thanks for helping me, Verbum Caro. I have the Manual of Indulgences, but I couldn’t find anything about the length of time. That is such a wonderful book! On Fridays during lent only, if you recite the Prayer Before A Crucifix after communion, it obtains a plenary. How easy is that? The Church has offered us so many ways of obtaining these grants that if everyone availed themselves of them, purgatory would be empty.

 

[ljubim]

My favorite indulgences are the devout use of blessed medals, and the one on my signature (IMHO it’s the easiest and most rewarding plenary indulgence out there!).

Why is it that nobody talks about indulgences any more? (well ever I guess… I had to teach them to myself. Now I have a highlighted Handbook of Indulgences ) I see them as a way to make up for the ripple effects of your sin that persisted after confession, like the disruption that sin had on your life. There’s probably a better way to say that… but I was puzzling for weeks over the phrase “full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven.”

 

[Joe_5859]

My question is, how long can you go on a single confession before having to confess again? EWTN has posted that twenty days before or after is the maximum.

If we are not in a state of sin needing to go to confession, is it still necessary to go every 20 days, or is it forty days, considering 20 before and 20 after performing the work?

The Handbook of Indulgences doesn’t give a specific number of days. It gives the more general “several days preceding or following.” So, what does “several days” mean?

I assume EWTN is getting that number from somewhere. I would say that, indulgences aside, it’s good to be going to Confession once every two weeks or once every month regardless of whether or not one is conscious of having committed a mortal sin. Confession is still a great grace for us to help root venial sin from our lives, even if we’re doing pretty well in regards to mortal sin.

 

[Verbum_Caro]

I assume EWTN is getting that number from somewhere

Joe,

The Apostolic Penitentiary’s document The Gift of The Indulgence, giving general remarks about indulgences clarifies the “several days” language: 5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.

VC

 

[Joe_5859]

Joe,

The Apostolic Penitentiary’s document The Gift of The Indulgence, giving general remarks about indulgences clarifies the “several days” language: 5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.

VC

Awesome. Thanks for that reference!