Well put. The promise does differ a bit from the norm of most indulgence’s in that the promise also includes an act of mercy during Lent and veneration of the image of Divine Mercy on that Sunday. SamsonHere’s a wonderful explanation. Glad to have found this thread. Someone asked me for information regarding this. Now I’m sharing this with you.
quote:
Mercy Sunday’s Special Graces, Plenary Indulgence: Are They the Same?
What is the difference between that special graces promised by Jesus for devout communicants on Mercy Sunday, and the plenary indulgence for Mercy Sunday devotions that was instituted several years ago by Pope John Paul II? Are they the same thing? Or are they different?
Simply put: They are NOT the same thing!
The main difference, of course, is that an “indulgence” is something offered to the faithful by the Church, as the keeper of the keys of the kingdom, with authority to “bind and loose” (see Mt 16:17-19). The special graces of Mercy Sunday, on the other hand, were promised directly by our Lord, through a prophetic revelation given to St. Faustina (see Diary of St. Faustina, 699). The Church has not officially ruled that this particular promise was an authentic supernatural revelation (and no Catholic is required to believe it as a matter of faith), but the Church has discerned, in various ways, that there is nothing that violates Catholic doctrine in this promise.
thedivinemercy.org/news/story.php?NID=2485
That explains it well. The indulgence is issued with the authority of the Church, whereas the promise, which is (potentially) a greater gift than the indulgence because it does not require complete detachment from sin, is only issued through private revelation.The main difference, of course, is that an “indulgence” is something offered to the faithful by the Church, as the keeper of the keys of the kingdom, with authority to “bind and loose” (see Mt 16:17-19). The special graces of Mercy Sunday, on the other hand, were promised directly by our Lord, through a prophetic revelation given to St. Faustina (see Diary of St. Faustina, 699). The Church has not officially ruled that this particular promise was an authentic supernatural revelation (and no Catholic is required to believe it as a matter of faith), but the Church has discerned, in various ways, that there is nothing that violates Catholic doctrine in this promise.
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I’m guessing that the Divine Mercy promise is a personal devotion, meaning that you have a choice to either believe or not believe and to do or not to do, whereas the Plenary Indugence is a promise granted through the authority and magisterium of the church. Maybe the indulgence has the same rewards but with an official “stamp” of approval.Thank you, HonoraDominum!! I really needed to hear that homily and I’m going to listen to it at least a second time. I struggle with scrupulosity, humility, and accepting the mercy of God and this was just what I needed to hear! However, I STILL don’t see the difference between what our Lord promises us on Divine Mercy Sunday (going to Confession and receiving Communion with Trust in His mercy restores us to baptismal innocence) and the Plenary Indulgence granted by the Church on that same day (which requires a bit more but also remits temporal punishment). Isn’t what our Lord is offering us a plenary indulgence in and of itself? Why does the Church then grant a plenary indulgence on top of it? Maybe I’m just not understanding.
Yes, it’s always good to say and Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be every day for the intentions of our Holy Father, as well as go to confession every fortnight, so that the “regular conditions” can be met for indulgences each day. It’s also good to make a general intention on a fairly regular basis (maybe during a morning offering prayer) to ask to earn all indulgences possible. My priest suggests offering them to the Holy Souls in Pergutory, who will return the favor by petitioning on your behalf once they have been freed and have joined in the Beatific Visions with the Saints. I say them at the end of my daily rosary, which is an indulgenced act. But many small acts, such as making a Sign of the Cross, making an act of Spiritual Communion, and using a blessed item such as a crucifix or medal, carry partial indulgences and can be earned throughout the day.Okay, I think I get it now. I’ll just go ahead and say an “Our Father” for the intentions of the Holy Father before mass (it’s a good thing to do anyway) and then receive Communion with the thought of “Jesus, I trust in your Mercy.” The plenary indulgence then is for those who do not accept the Diary of St. Faustina (which we are not required to accept), but since Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina I choose to accept the words she wrote as the words of Jesus. Thank you again for helping make that clear.
Our Lord promised Sr. Faustina that the soul that will go to confession and receive communion with complete trust in God on this day “shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”
Now the Church, understanding that it is impossible for everyone to go to confession on one day, has allowed that confession prior to today fulfills the requirement; even Sister Faustina went to confession before the feast day, and not on it. You can even go to confession a few days after Divine Mercy Sunday. PLEASE do try to get to confession before Sunday if you can.
So having gone to confession, trusting completely in Almighty God, we receive communion today for the complete renewal of our baptismal state with no sin, and no punishment owed for sin – according to our Lord’s promise to St.Faustina; make that intention now.
But, in addition to this “complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” that we can receive for ourselves today, we can also get a soul out of Purgatory. His Holiness, John Paul II, from the spiritual treasury of the Church, has granted a plenary indulgence today to all those who participate in Divine Mercy devotions.
Wow you sound like me! I’m going to try to do the same!I’m with you there, LaSainte. I have OCD that manifests itself in different ways–unwanted thoughts and scrupulosity mainly. This is one reason I am doing the Divine Mercy Chaplet novena this year. I think it is helping, to tell you the truth. According to St. Faustina, Jesus is deeply wounded by our mistrust. That’s why I’m going to throw myself at Jesus’s feet on Sunday and tell Him, “Jesus, I trust in your mercy!” Then the rest is up to Him!
It’s not easy, but entirely possible. Surely the promise of a soul as clean as at Baptism is worth fighting the temptation to cling to a favorite vice. Putting that vice next to a pure soul leaves one wondering what the sweating is all about. St. Padre Pio said, “If the world could see the beauty of a soul without sin, all non-believers would instantly convert their lives.” This doesn’t mean we won’t fall into sin again, weak as we are, but we should strive to put a distance between ourselves and any attachment to a particular vice that we continually give in to.I don’t see how it’s possible to fulfill the conditions for the indulgence. How can anyone be free from attachment to venial sin?