July 31 - Traditional Indulgence of the day!

We are evaluating old indulgences that have been approve on todays date of: 

July

31

List of Traditional materials we will be looking at today, and the current/withstanding grants that they satisfy (directly or indirectly).

• 380. Novena at any time (the B. V. M. Sorrowing)

  • partial indulgence… Grant 22

• 716. A Prayer - Grant me, O merciful God

  • partial indulgence… Grant 15

NOTE:

• Every prayer may be eligible for a partial indulgence, if applied correctly, under Grant 15.

• Every invocation may be eligible for a partial indulgence, if applied correctly, under ‘General Grant ’ 1 

• Every practice may be eligible for a partial indulgence, if it is applied correctly, under one of the ‘General Grant’s 2, 3, or 4

• Some spelling errors may be present.

• Abbreviations that are found at the end of an indulgence prayer/practice (like S. P. Ap., and S. C. Ind.,) are, in essence, a specific ecclesiastical approval for a particular indulgence.

• Traditional indulgences are ordered by their last date of approval.

CHAPTER V. “THE MOST BLESSED VIRGIN MARY” – Art. III. THE BLESSED VIRGIN SORROWING - III. Devout Exercise

380. The faithful who make a novena in honor of the B. V. M. Sorrowing, at any time during the year, may gain: An indulgence of 5 years once, on any day; A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions at the end of the novena (Pius IX, Audience Jan. 3, 1849; S. C. Bishops and Religious, Jan. 28, 1850; S. C. Ind., Nov. 26, 1876; S. P. Ap., July 31, 1935).

This devout practice would fall under Grant 22, for novenas. For an indulgence, novenas need to be said “publicly,” which is generally understood that a parish or diocese or the Church at large set-up/approves a novena to be said by the laity. You cannot do it only on your own or in a group that is not sets/approved by a current ecclesiastic authority. Novenas like these, known as ‘private’ novenas, are notwithstanding for an indulgence.

The specific reference in the 'Manuel of Indulgences' is as follows: A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who devoutly assist at public novenas.

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CHAPTER IX. “FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS” – Art. VII. “MISCELLANEOUS DEVOTIONS” – XLI. A PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF A DEVOUT LIFE

716. A Prayer - Grant me, O merciful God, to desire eagerly, to investigate prudently, to acknowledge sincerely, and to fulfil perfectly those things that are pleasing to Thee, to the praise and glory of Thy holy Name.

Do Thou, my God, order my life; and grant that I may know what Thou wilt have me to do; and give me to fulfill it as is fitting and profitable to my soul.

Grant me, O Lord my God, the grace not to faint either in prosperity or adversity, that I be not unduly lifted up by the one, nor unduly cast down by the other. Let me neither rejoice nor grieve at anything, save what either leads to Thee or leads away from Thee. Let me not desire to please anyone, nor fear to displease anyone save only Thee.

Let all things that pass away seem vile in my eyes, and let all things that are eternal be dear to me. Let me tire of that joy which is without Thee, neither permit me to desire anything that is outside Thee. Let me find joy in the labor that is for Thee; and let all repose that is without Thee be tiresome to me.

Give me, my God, the grace to direct my heart towards Thee, and to grieve continually at my failures, together with a firm purpose of amendment.

O Lord my God, make me obedient without gainsaying, poor without despondency, chaste without stain, patient without murmuring, humble without pretense, cheerful without dissipation, serious without undue heaviness, active without instability, fearful of Thee without abjectness, truthful without double-dealing, devoted to good works without presumption, ready to correct my neighbor without arrogance, and to edify him by word and example, without hypocrisy.

Give me, Lord God, a watchful heart which shall be distracted from Thee by no vain thoughts; give me a generous heart which shall not be drawn downward by any unworthy affection; give me an upright heart which shall not be led astray by any perverse intention; give me a stout heart which shall not be crushed by any hardship; give me a free heart which shall not be claimed as its own by any unregulated affection.

Bestow upon me, O Lord my God, an understanding that knows Thee, diligence in seeking Thee, wisdom in finding Thee, a way of life that is pleasing to Thee, perseverance that faithfully waits for Thee, and confidence that I shall embrace Thee at the last. Grant that I may be chastised here by penance, that I may make good use of Thy gifts in this life by Thy grace, and that I may partake of Thy joys in the glory of heaven: Who livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen (St. Thomas Aquinas).

An indulgence of 3 years once a day. A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, provided that the daily recitation of this prayer be continued for a month (S. C. Ind., Jan. 17, 1888; S. P. Ap., July 31, 1936).

Every prayer may be eligible for a partial indulgence, under Grant 15. The specific reference in the 'Manuel of Indulgences' is as follows: A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who for their personal edification devoutly spend time in mental prayer.

This concludes the Traditional Indulgences

Every prayer/practice that we evaluated today is taken from the last approved publication of the Raccolta. The Raccolta was once the official book/document/list of approved Indulgences. In its last publication there were 780+ individualized prayers/practices that were approved for gaining indulgences.

In 1967 indulgence practices were revised so that indulgences are now, today, granted more in the style of “category” of prayers/practices rather than individually. This leaves me with the question: how do the indulgenced prayers/practices from the Raccolta (traditional indulgence) line up with the indulgences of today? That question is what this “study” seeks to answer.