Plenary Indulgence

[Cam42]

Plenary Indulgence for Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

According to a decree made public today, Benedict XVI will grant the faithful a Plenary Indulgence for the forthcoming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8, 2005). The decree is signed by Cardinal James Francis Stafford and Fr. John Francis Girotti, O.F.M. Conv., respectively penitentiary major and regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

"December 8," the text reads, "will mark 40 years since Servant of God Paul VI, Supreme Pontiff, who had already proclaimed the Virgin Mary as Mother of the Church, in closing Vatican Council II dedicated great praise to the Virgin who, as Mother of Christ, is Mother of God and spiritual Mother to us all.

"On this Solemnity, the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, when he renders public homage of praise to Mary Immaculate, has the heartfelt desire that the entire Church should join with him, so that all the faithful, united in the name of the common Mother, become ever stronger in the faith, adhere with greater devotion to Christ, and love their brothers with more fervent charity. From here — as Vatican Council II very wisely taught — arise works of mercy towards the needy, observance of justice, and the defense of and search for peace."

For this reason, the decree continues, the Holy Father "has kindly granted the gift of Plenary Indulgence which may be obtained under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff), with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin, on the forthcoming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, by the faithful if they participate in a sacred function in honor of the Virgin, or at least offer open testimony of Marian devotion before an image of Mary Immaculate exposed for public veneration, adding the recitation of the Our Father and of the Creed, and some invocation to the Virgin."

The document concludes by recalling that faithful who "through illness or other just cause," are unable to participate in a public ceremony or to venerate an image of the Virgin, "may obtain a Plenary Indulgence in their own homes, or wherever they may be, if, with the soul completely removed from any form of sin, and with the intention of observing the aforesaid conditions as soon as possible, they unite themselves in spirit and in desire to the Supreme Pontiff's intentions in prayer to Mary Immaculate, and recite the Our Father and the Creed."
[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=6720&longdesc"](LINK)[/url]

In theological language an indulgence is employed in its primary sense to signify the kindness and mercy of God. But in the special sense in which it is here considered, an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven.

It is important to state what an indulgence is not. It is not a permission to commit sin, nor a pardon of future sin; neither could be granted by any power. It is not the forgiveness of the guilt of sin; it supposes that the sin has already been forgiven. It is not an exemption from any law or duty, and much less from the obligation consequent on certain kinds of sin, e.g., restitution; on the contrary, it means a more complete payment of the debt which the sinner owes to God. It does not confer immunity from temptation or remove the possibility of subsequent lapses into sin. Least of all is an indulgence the purchase of a pardon which secures the buyer's salvation or releases the soul of another from Purgatory. The absurdity of such notions must be obvious to any one who forms a correct idea of what the Catholic Church really teaches on this subject.

An indulgence is the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment due, in God's justice, to sin that has been forgiven, which remission is granted by the Church in the exercise of the power of the keys, through the application of the superabundant merits of Christ and of the saints, and for some just and reasonable motive. An essential element in indulgences is the application to one person of the satisfaction performed by others. This transfer is based on three things: the Communion of Saints, the principle of vicarious satisfaction, and the Treasury of the Church.

A plenary indulgence is meant the remission of the entire temporal punishment due to sin so that no further expiation is required in Purgatory.

The Church in granting an indulgence to the living exercises her jurisdiction; over the dead she has no jurisdiction and therefore makes the indulgence available for them by way of suffrage (per modum suffragii), i.e. she petitions God to accept these works of satisfaction and in consideration thereof to mitigate or shorten the sufferings of the souls in Purgatory.

[Seven77]

[rkwright]

[quote]soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin[/quote]

what does this mean? never sin again? ever?

[CatholicCid]

Also, does the Confession have to be that day? Or could I go 3 days later? If I could, does that mean one has to stay out of all sin for those three days?

[Ash Wednesday]

The feast day of the immaculate conception isn't a holy day of obligation here in England. The local priest here said it might be in Scotland... but not here. He did mention the anniversary of Vatican II. He's a good priest -- and reminds me of old Obi Wan Kenobi. He looks like Alec Guinness. I'd love to see him in his robe, and holding a light saber.

I told him I would go anyway, because as it is a holy day of obligation back in the U.S. and observed it all those years, it would feel too much like I was skipping.

[jezic]

I think the conditions specify within 8 or 9 days

[Cam42]

A plenary indulgence can be acquired once only in the course of a day.
But one can obtain the plenary indulgence for the moment of death, even if another plenary indulgence had already been acquired on the same day. A partial indulgence can be acquired more than once a day, unless otherwise expressly indicated. The work prescribed for acquiring a plenary indulgence connected with a church or oratory consists in a devout visit and the recitation during the visit of one Our Father and the Creed. To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill the following three conditions:
1. Sacramental confession,
2. Eucharistic Communion, and
3. Prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

It is further required that all attachment to sin, even venial sin, be absent.

If the latter disposition is in any way less than perfect or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be partial only, saving the provisions given below concerning those who are "impeded."

Confessors can commute either the prescribed work or conditions, in favor of those who, because of a legitimate impediment, cannot perform the work or fulfill the conditions. Local Ordinaries or Hierarchs, moreover, can grant to the faithful, over whom they exercise legitimate authority and who live in places where it is impossible or at least very difficult to go to confession or Communion, permission to gain a plenary indulgence without confession and Communion, provided they have true contrition for their sins and have the intention of receiving these Sacraments as soon as possible.

[Cam42]

One has about 20 days to go to confession. Several plenary indulgences can be ascribed to one confession, however, reception of Holy Communion and the prayers must take place on the day of the indulgence.

[littleflower+JMJ]

My sister was asking about the days as well....thanks for answering that Cam

[thessalonian]

Let us not be discouraged from participating by the detachment of sin clause. A partial indulgence is a great grace. Strive for the perfection of the indulgence and trust in God's grace. Also many may confuse normal conpequesence with detachment from sin. A temptation does not mean we are detached from sin. But if we resist temptation that is detachment from sin.

[N/A Gone]

this language is very bothersome for me.

[The Joey-O]

I'm not yet Catholic; I'm still converting. I, obviously, can't receive the Eucharist. So, does that mean I get a partial indulgeance? Or none at all? Or what?

I also don't understand what exactly it's doing. If it's not forgiving me, why would I need it or want it?

Thanx!

In Christ's Love,
JoeyO.

[N/A Gone]

no..it means you dont get to come to our party...But after I have communion I will breath on you if you wish.

[thessalonian]

[quote name='The Joey-O' date='Dec 5 2005, 07:57 AM']I'm not yet Catholic; I'm still converting. I, obviously, can't receive the Eucharist. So, does that mean I get a partial indulgeance? Or none at all? Or what?

I also don't understand what exactly it's doing. If it's not forgiving me, why would I need it or want it?

Thanx!

In Christ's Love,
JoeyO.
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Your baptized so I would think you could have some level of participation. You could not recieve the full graces because you cannot yet participate in the Eucharist but I would still encourage you to participate. You may not have had your first confession yet. You might ask the priest if he would allow you to go.

[thessalonian]

[quote name='Revprodeji' date='Dec 5 2005, 07:15 AM']this language is very bothersome for me.
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How so?

[The Joey-O]

[quote name='thessalonian' date='Dec 5 2005, 09:36 AM']Your baptized so I would think you could have some level of participation.  You could not recieve the full graces because you cannot yet participate in the Eucharist but I would still encourage you to participate.  You may not have had your first confession yet.  You might ask the priest if he would allow you to go.
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thanx

[N/A Gone]

thes..

honesty, it sounds like a "get out of jail" free card..Im just sure its my prot side speaking but the spidey sense is goin nutz.

[thessalonian]

[quote name='Revprodeji' date='Dec 5 2005, 09:37 AM']thes..

honesty, it sounds like a "get out of jail" free card..Im just sure its my prot side speaking but the spidey sense is goin nutz.
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It's hardly free. Christ paid the price but the grace he earned has to be applied. Read the posts on the other thread. Were you Protestant? That being the case I think you likely have some definition/doctrinal missunderstandings in the areas of sanctification, justification, and grace. See other thread.

[N/A Gone]

[N/A Gone]

cam42 & Thes

I read thru the explanation...

[quote][color=red]an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven[/color][/quote]

--so it removes the guilt? Doesnt confession do this already?

[quote][color=red]It is not the forgiveness of the guilt of sin[/color][/quote]

-yet later it says it isnt for the guilt.., which is good cause id have more questions.

[color=red][quote]it means a more complete payment of the debt which the sinner owes to God.[/[/quote]COLOR]

-see...I am having a huge problem with this language. And the concept. I have always been taught in atonement that christ paid for the sins on the cross. What exactly did the cross do if we still pay? Are we not just a y2k jew? Thes you even write [COLOR=red]Christ paid the price but the grace he earned has to be applied[/color] if we believe Christ paid, than why are we-repaying?

[COLOR=red][quote]A plenary indulgence is meant the remission of the entire temporal punishment due to sin so that no further expiation is required in Purgatory.[/[/quote]COLOR]

-no offense sir, but a “get out of jail free card”?

also, can I do this for someone? ala, my fiancee who is working today and doesnt understand this function.