The Raccolta: Prayers and Devotions Enriched with Indulgences

[BayCityRickL]

I’ve just picked up a copy of The Raccolta (2004 Edition) which is basically a prayer book, listing prayers and the corresponding indulgences which the Church has granted.

Examples:
#1
To the King of ages, immortal and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (from the Roman Breviary) 500 days.

#2

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts: the heavens and the earth are full of Thy glory. (from the Roman Missal) 500 days.

#677
Kiss the Sovereign Pontiff’s ring, devoutly, 300 days.
Cardinal’s ring 100 days.
Bishop’s ring 50 days.

#678 The Sign of the Cross

The faithful, as often as they devoutly sign themselves with the sign of the Cross, with the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: “In the Name of the Father,” etc. are granted: An indulgence of 3 years.

#694 Reading Scripture

**The faithful who spend at least a quarter hour in reading Holy Scripture with the reverence due to the Word of God and after the manner of spiritual reading, may gain:
an indulgence of 3 years.

Those, however, who read at least a few verses of the Gospel and further kiss the book of the Gospels, devoutly reciting …Through the Gospels’s words may our sins be blotted…are granted
an indulgence of 500 days.**

641 pages plus

Originally published by Benzinger Brothers, 1957.
Reproduced 2004 by Loreto Publications www.LoretoPubs.org

in collaboration with
Preserving Christian Publications www.PCPbooks.com

$40 at my local Catholic bookstore

 

[Celtic_Son]

But what is an Indulgance . Is it a forgiveness? I’m a new CAtholic of two years , sorry?

 

[BayCityRickL]

In the original edition of the Raccolta, there was a quotation from the Code of Canon Law as follows:

Can. 911. All men are to value indulgences highly; that is to say, the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin even after its guilt has been forgiven, which ecclesiastical authority grants from the treasury of the Church on behalf of the living after the manner of an absolution, and in behalf of the dead after the manner of an intercession.

So, the indulgence is a benefit of prayer, when one is in the state of grace after a complete confession.

Other canons (rules) stipulate that a person must be in a state of grace to receive an indulgence (no unconfessed mortal sin) and must intentionally desire to obtain the indulgence.

The explanation of indulgences in the Catechism of the Catholic Church begins with the words I quoted above as Can. 911 in paragraph 1471 and goes on through paragraph 1479.

The prayers in the Raccolta are what I suppose is technically called vocal prayer, as these prayers are written down in a specific manner of wording. There are various devotions that are described there, as I indicated in the previous post.

 

[Pentecost2005]

It is my understanding that the Raccolta has been superseded by the Handbook of Indulgences, and that indulgences are no longer specified in terms of days or years, but as either partial or plenary…

 

[BayCityRickL]

300 days indulgence for the following:

#70

My Jesus, mercy.

#71

Sweetest Jesus, be not my Judge, but my Saviour.

#72

Jesus, my God, I love Thee above all things.

500 Days indulgence for the following:

73​

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

#90

All honor, laud and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born to Thee:
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

#95 An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving

7 years indulgence

(On bended knees when entering or leaving a church or public or semi-public oratory)

We adore Thee, most holy Lord Jesus, here and in all Thy churches that are in the world, and we bless Thee; because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

#113

300 days

The faithful who devoutly invoke the holy Name of Jesus.

But, a plenary indulgence attaches to #113 at the hour of death "if they have been accustomed to invoke the holy Name frequently during life, provided that, after confession and communion, or at least an act of contrition, they devoutly invoke the holy Name of Jesus with their lips, if possible, otherwise in their hearts, and accept death with resignation from the hand of God as the wages of sin.

Plenary Indulgences

…attach to all the prayers cited here, when the invocation or prayer is repeated daily for a whole month, “under the usual conditions.” The latter is explained in the Raccolta. You should read it there, and not get it so second-handed as here. But, it involves participation in Reconciliation and Eucharist.

 

[BayCityRickL]

Truth in advertising: There’s a blurb in the preamble to the Raccolta that Pope Paul Vi revised indulgences, to the effect of reducing the number of prayers and acts that would obtain indulgences. It also seems to say that temporal or partial indulgences were revised in some way.

Notwithstanding, my previous posts attempt to render some samples of this wonderful prayer book, as faithfully as I could. Everyone should know about these prayers (and you do already, to some extent, as it contains some wonderful prayers and devotions in popular use).

 

[Graing]

Hello and happy Friday to you.

I ran across the original prayer to St. Michael the Archangel this morning (as composed by Pope Leo XIII - a great story I encourage you to read about), and ran across a reference to The Raccolta. It looks to be a beautiful source of prayer, especially for old - almost forgotten - prayers, so I thought I would bump this up for those that may be interested in expanding your prayer life.

God bless.