Presented under the title “Other Concessions,” the Catholic Church gives this information:
“5. To obtain a plenary indulgence, as stated in Norm 20, the performance of the work, the fulfillment of the three conditions, and a generous disposition of heart, which would exclude all attachment to sin, are required.
The performance of the prescribed work and at least a contrite heart are required for a partial indulgence, as noted in Norm 4.”
So to start us off, if you would like to obtain an indulgence there are a few things you have to consider. The first question you have to ask yourself is which of the two kinds of indulgences would you like to do?
Norm 2 [N2.] indicates: “An indulgence is partial or plenary according to whether it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due sin.”
This means that you have options of indulgences that you can do which will either be partial (removing part of the temporal punishment due sin) or plenary (removing all of the temporal punishment due sin).
To do a partial indulgence is rather simple… at least in the sense that it only has two requirements. For this you must do and have:
A prescribed work
A contrite heart (at least)
What is a “Contrite Heart?” Contrite is defined as such: feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a wrong that one has done. This is what state your heart should be in. Other Catholic sources mention that contrite hearts ‘recognize their sinfulness and brokenness.’ That they are ‘surrendered’ hearts, ‘humble’ hearts, and ‘teachable’ hearts. If one’s heart doesn't have a sense of sorrow or remorse, due to the wrongs they have done, then that person would be unable to gain an indulgence.
As for “A Prescribed Work,” official Indulgence documents list a wide variety of works that someone can do. Forty-six [46] works are listed in fact, and this does not include additional sub-works, as I like to call them, which are works that fall under the umbrella of another category.
For example, under the document title “Grants,” there is a Grant 15 where it states, “15. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who for their personal edification devoutly spend time in mental prayer.” This does not present a formula to what this mental prayer must look like, or specify how much time. So this prayer could be anything as long as it is done devoutly and for their personal edification.
And there you have Partial Indulgences, shorts and sweet! but Plenary Indulgences require a little more. For these you must fulfill 3 things:
A prescribed work
Three [3] conditions
A heart "detached from sin"
To understand what it means to have a "detached" heart this is how the "Other Concessions" segment words it: “a generous disposition of heart, which would exclude all attachment to sin.” Other ways of phrasing this same concept, found throughout official Indulgence documents are: “in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin,” and “all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent.”
I have many thoughts about this particular requirement, so I will likely make an additional post about it. What you need to know about this in the mean time is that it’s the most basic foundation to a Plenary Indulgence. However, it’s unfortunately never made very clear, it's very personal, it’s probably the hardest condition to meet, but it is not impossible.
To give you just a little mind exercise until this can be further addressed, I would like to focus on the words “detached/attachment.” To be Detached is defined as: the state of being objective or aloof. And to be absent of Attachment is: [to be absent of] affection, fondness, or sympathy for someone or something [sin]. I ask you to carefully ponder this section and these definitions on your own.
Moving on to the requirement of the three conditions, a Norm 20 states:
"N20. §1. To gain a plenary indulgence, in addition to excluding all attachment to sin, even venial sin, it is necessary to perform the indulgenced work and fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff."
§2. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences; but Holy Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.
§3. The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; it is, however, fitting that Communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day the work is performed.
§4. If the full disposition is lacking, or if the work and the three prescribed conditions are not fulfilled, saving the provisions given in Norm 24 and in Norm 25 regarding those who are “impeded,” the indulgence will only be partial.
§5. The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, one has the option of reciting any other prayer according to individual piety and devotion, if recited for this intention.
This basically covers the important information, but there are a couple additional points I’d like to dig into. In regards to §3, authorized Indulgence publications given in January of 2000 state that “several days” can be upwards of 20 days before or after the prescribed work of the indulgence is preformed. §4 mentions that the incompletion of a Plenary Indulgence will result in a Partial Indulgence. So this means that if you were to miss one of these aspects, or if the prescribed act was left only half done, your indulgence would default to a partial one. For §5, It can be seen here (and above in the §1) that the titles “Holy Father” or the “Sovereign Pontiff” is a reference to the Pope. Now, stemming from my personal observations, I’m not entirely sure if the prayers they are asking for here are for the intention that IS the Pope (as in we should pray for him) or for the intentions OF the Pope. (which would be more like praying with the Pope for the decisions and distresses that he and the Church has to face).
Perhaps the answer is clear to others about which one of these is more correct, but for me it just seems like the language is constantly flip-flopping (usually depending on which title is being use for the Pope), and once I think I've finally gotten comfortable with it being one way, then I read on and it seems to flip to be the other way instead! However, out of all the confusing things there are about indulgences, this is a pretty easy one to take care of. I would say just pray “For the Pope AND his intentions” and then both sides are equally covered. No need to linger on this little confusion when it can be so easily fixed, and there are bigger, more confusing fish to fry.
Our last thing to address are the prescribed works. There are about 33-38 Grants ,and approximately forty-eight [48] works under those Grants are listed to be Plenary indulgences. Plenary works are often more specific though: specific to days, times, places, events, and larger or more complete actions. For example, where a partial indulgence may encompass the work of reading the bible, even if it’s just one verse, a plenary indulgence requires a full half an hour of reading the bible. Where a partial indulgence may be satisfied by praying through one mystery of the rosary, a plenary indulgence requires a full rosary under specific conditions.
And these, Scripture reading and the rosary, are actually 2 of the works you can do to obtain a plenary indulgence every day! According to Norm 18 (N.18): A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of a day; a partial indulgence can be acquired multiple times.
Once in the course of a day... and also once EACH day. If you attend daily mass, keep up on your confessions, pray for the Pope (and his intentions) daily, and your heart has detachment from sin, here are some of the works that can be done for a daily plenary Indulgence. The segment “Other Concessions” presents this information and list:
7. Deserving of special mention are grants pertaining to those works by any one of which the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence each day of the year, always safeguarding Norm 18 §1, according to which a plenary indulgence can be acquired no more than once a day:
— adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least one half hour (grant 7 §1, 1°)
— the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross (grant 13, 2°)
— recitation of the Marian rosary or of the hymn Akathistos, in church or an oratory; or in a family, a religious community, or a sodality of the faithful or, in general, when several of the faithful are gathered for any good purpose (grant 17 §1, 1°, and grant 23 §1)
— the devout reading or listening to the Sacred Scriptures for at least a half an hour (grant 30)
So! This about wraps up the basics for how to do and indulgence. If you aim for a Plenary (whole) indulgence you must consider 1 work, 3 conditions, and 1 state of the heart. If you aim for a Partial indulgence you must consider 1 work and 1 state of the heart, both being less intensive.
I highly recommend that, if you haven't already, get your hands on the latest publication of the book “Manuel of Indulgences.”
Linked here is a slightly older publication (A Free Online PDF) which is very similar, but may have a few slight changes in wording or how the information is ordered.
Another link I must post is an officially released document on the website of the Holy See (those in charge of creating and maintaining Indulgence Information).
It’s titled THE GIFT OF THE INDULGENCE, given in Rome at the offices of the Apostolic Penitentiary, 29 January 2000. This is the document that mentions the 20-day qualification for Confession and Eucharistic Communion, and I think it is helpful in addressing some of the basics of indulgences and how indulgences are still alive and present in the Church today!
I hope this has been helpful. Indulgences can be a confusing topic so please feel free to leave your thoughts and questions. I hope to address all I can so that we can come to know this hidden gem of our Catholic faith.
*Due to unforeseen limitations, the Audio read through for this post has been moved to the FAQ page. I apologize for the inconvenience
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