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July 23, 2022What is a Plenary Indulgence?
Sacramental Confession removes the guilt of sin and cleanses our souls, right? So why do we need something like an indulgence? An indulgence helps us deal with the consequences of sin in our lives and in our life in and with God. It cleanses us from a “spiritual debt” that we owe. This is why we do penance during our Confession of sin. Penance demonstrates to the Lord, our sorrow, and helps us take responsibility for our sinfulness and doing our part in making things new. The eternal punishment is taken away by Jesus’ suffering, passion and death on the Cross but the spiritual consequences of sin that are of a temporal nature (on this earth in time) are in need of purgation (a cleansing, purification) of one’s soul prior to our entrance into heaven. An indulgence can be obtained for another person, as an act of mercy or for ourselves, but not for another living person. Our praying for our loved ones who have gone before us, having Mass intentions offered for them, or lighting candles of prayer, are ways for us to help others on the way to salvation.
Historically, the word indulgence in (ecclesial, church) Latin indulgentia, from indulgeo, is meant as being kind or tendering. Originally the word meant kindness or favor. In classic (cultural) Latin, it came to mean the remission of a tax or debt. In Roman law and in the Vulgate (the Latin Missal) and in the Old Testament (Isaiah 61:1) it was used to express release from captivity or punishment. In theological language the word is sometimes employed in its primary sense to signify the kindness and mercy of God. But in the special sense in our understanding, an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven. (New Advent 2001)
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), the doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance. An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions . . . .” Additionally, “to understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the ‘eternal punishment’ of sin. On the other hand, every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures [the world] which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. [Important for us to understand,] these two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God...but as following from the very nature of sin” [a natural consequence]. (CCC Ch. 2; Sacraments of Healing, Art. 4, section X, no. 1471 and 1472)
Several scholars attempted to explain indulgences in light of a contemporary example in real life that many of us may have experienced, for example, breaking an item or destroying someone’s property. If you break someone’s window while playing ball, you may have been asked by your parents or guardian or you may feel it necessary to apologize (show sorrow) for the accident or misdeed. However, apologizing for breaking someone’s window—and receiving the person’s true forgiveness—does not automatically fix the broken glass. As a matter of justice, we are still responsible to pay for its repair. We learn in life, that we must not only apologize, but repair the window we broke, to make all things new. The window owner, perhaps out of love and generosity, might choose not simply to forgive but to remit the debt owed—in other words, he might say: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” Similarly, God—through the prayerful indulgences administered by His Church—provides us the opportunity to remove the debt we owe for our sins (the natural consequences, the temporal punishments of our sins and guilt).
Indulgences can be obtained in one of two types: plenary indulgences, which remove all temporal punishment due to sins, and partial indulgences, which remove only a portion of that punishment. As many Catholics will know, Pope Francis granted a Plenary Indulgence to the faithful who watched or listened to is extraordinary blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) in Rome. (Catholic Weekly) A Plenary Indulgence is significant because it is the remission of the punishment for all sins committed from the day of Baptism and, like penance in Confession, requires certain actions by the faithful to obtain the spiritual purification of the consequences of past sin since Baptism.
Obtaining a plenary indulgence can be made by visiting the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels during the following dates:
· June 29—Anniversary of the dedication of the Basilica; Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles (ALL minor basilicas throughout the world are entitled to offer a Plenary Indulgence this day)
· August 2—Feast of St. Mary of the Angels
· October 4—Feast of St. Francis--once a year on a day determined by the local Ordinary
· February 14—Anniversary of the granting of the title Basilica
· Once a year on a day freely chosen by each of the faithful
As seen in our bulletins in the past, the following steps need to be completed at the time the Plenary indulgence is offered:
· Confess one’s sins to be in God’s grace, (8 days before or after)
· Attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion
· Pray in particular for the intentions of the Pope (The Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be)
· Renounce all attachment to sin, even venial sin
It is important to note that indulgences themselves are not forgiveness. They do not rescue someone from eternal consequences of mortal sin. Indulgences simply help lessen purgation (the amount of cleansing needed). They apply to temporal punishment, not to eternal punishment. An indulgence is the remission of the punishment or natural “consequences,” called temporal punishment of sins that have already been forgiven on earth. We address these temporal punishments so as to ready ourselves for being most Sacred in Heaven – being “Holy as Your Lord God is Holy.” (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16) Also, when receiving any type of indulgence, you cannot obtain one if you are not in a state of grace. You must have already been sacramentally forgiven of all mortal sin (Confession) before you accomplish the given act(s) that the indulgence requires.
Next week we will examine the importance of Confession in our faith tradition as it relates to indulgences but most importantly in its beauty as part of the Sacramental nature of the Church and in our lives.
Fr. John
