Nov. 12, 2023 – Indulgences Part 2 – How do we obtain an Indulgences?
Last week I talked about Indulgences, and what they are. This week I want to talk HOW do we actually obtain indulgences. While there are many ways, and details to it, I will just give some general things here.
First of all an indulgence can be “partial” or “plenary.” “Partial” means it removes part of the “temporal punishment due to sin” and “plenary” means it removes all of the “temporal punishment due to sin.”
For “partial indulgences,” while MANY ways to obtain God’s indulgent grace, the Church names four “general concessions,” or sort of general actions, which really should be a normal part of a Christian’s life (again, part of a good “spiritual diet.”)
1) Praying to God in hardship: “A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, while carrying out their duties and enduring hardships of life, raise their minds in humble trust to God and make, at least mentally a pious invocation”
2) Serving the poor: A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, led by the spirit of faith, give compassionately of themselves or of their goods to serve their brothers in need.
3) Giving up something (Penance/Fasting): A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, in a spirit of penance, voluntarily abstain from something that is licit for or pleasing to them.
4) Evangelizing/Sharing the Faith: A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, in the particularly circumstances of daily life, voluntarily give explicit witness to their faith before others.
For “PLENARY indulgences” in addition to the prescribed action, there are four other “conditions” must also be fulfilled: 1) Sacramental Confession 2) Reception of Communion 3) Pray for the Pope (an Our Father and a Hail Mary). 4) Lastly the disposition to “exclude all attachment to sin.”
There are four general prayer practices that also have plenary indulgences attached to them (assuming the fulfillment of the other three conditions and detachment from sin).
1) Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for a half hour – simply stop in the church and pray before the tabernacle for this time (In Hampton this is available every Thursday from 6pm-8pm)
2) Praying a rosary in a church or in a group of people
3) Praying the way of the cross
4) Devout reading or listening to Sacred Scripture
There are many other particular works and prayers that have “partial indulgences” attached to them.
Thus the Church gives us many ways where we can receive the indulgent grace of Jesus Christ, which we can receive for ourselves or that we can offer to the souls in purgatory to enter more fully into the eternal rest of heaven.
Peace,
-Fr. Kevin
