We are evaluating old indulgences that have been approve on todays date of:
March
3 & 4
List of Traditional materials we will be looking at today, and the current/withstanding grants that they satisfy (directly or indirectly).
702. A Prayer - Graciously give peace, O Lord
partial indulgence… Grant 5
279. God the Holy Ghost
partial indulgence… General Grant 1
467. Novena before the Feast
partial indulgence… Grant 22
533. A Prayer of Thanksgiving – O glorious wonder-worker
partial indulgence… Grant 21
709. A PRAYER – O glorious Apostle of the Gentiles
partial indulgence… Grant 21
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.
The full written outline of the requirements for a partial or plenary indulgence, found at the end of an indulgence prayer/practice, may be omitted if not all of the information is unique or notable. (You will see three dots when there is a break in text …)
CHAPTER IX. “FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS” – Art. VII. “MISCELLANEOUS DEVOTIONS” – XXXV. For Peace
702. A Prayer - Graciously give peace, O Lord, in our day that, being assisted by help of Thy mercy, we may ever be free from sin and safe from all disturbance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen (Roman Missal). An indulgence of 3 years. A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, when the prayer has been said with devotion daily for a month (Holy Office, Aug, 5, 1915; S. P. Ap., June 10, 1927 and March 3, 1932)
Under Grant 5, a partial indulgence is available for those who pray for the intentions of ‘DAYS DESIGNATED UNIVERSALLY FOR A CERTAIN RELIGIOUS INTENTION.’ On January 1st is World Day of Peace. Prayers for universal intentions do not need to be approved, nor (as far as I know) do they have to be said only on that universally designated day. The specific reference in the 'Manuel of Indulgences' is as follows: A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, on days universally designated to foster certain religious intentions (e.g., the promotion of priestly and religious vocations, the pastoral care of the sick and infirm, strengthening the profession of faith in young people, and assisting others to lead a holy life, etc.), piously assist at celebrations of this kind; however, those who pray for these same intentions may gain a partial indulgence.
CHAPTER IV. “GOD THE HOLY GHOST” – I. Invocations
279. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. An indulgence of 500 days. A plenary indulgence, on the usual conditions, if the daily, devout recitation of this invocation be continued for a month (S. P. Ap., Mar 4, 1939)
Every invocation may be eligible for a partial indulgence, if applied correctly, under ‘General Grant’ 1. The specific reference in the 'Manuel of Indulgences' is as follows: A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, while carrying out their duties and enduring the hardships of life, raise their minds in humble trust to God and make, at least mentally, some pious invocation.
CHAPTER VII. “THE SAINTS” - Art. II. “IN HONOR OF SAINT JOSEPH, SPOUCE OF THE B. V. M.” - V. Devout Exercises
467. The faithful who devoutly take part in a public novena in honor of St. Joesph, Spouse of the B. V. M., in preparation for the Feast, may gain: An indulgence of 7 years on any day; A plenary indulgence, on condition of confession, Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff, if they take part in the exercises of the novena for at least five days.
Those who perform their devotions privately at the aforesaid time, with the intention of so continuing for nine successive days, may gain: An indulgence of 5 years once, on any day; A plenary indulgence, on the usual conditions, at the end of the novena; but where such devout exercises are held publicly, this indulgence can be gained only by those who are lawfully hindered from being present at the public exercises (S. C. Ind., Nov. 26, 1876; S. P. Ap., March 4, 1935).
This devout exercise 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.
CHAPTER VII. - “THE SAINTS” – Art. IV “IN HONOR OF OTHER SAINTS” – XXIII. Saint Anthony of Padua, Confessor
533. A Prayer of Thanksgiving – O glorious wonder-worker, Saint Anthony, father of the poor and comforter of the afflicted, thou who hast come with such loving solicitude to my assistance, and hast comforted me so abundantly: behold me at thy feet to offer thee my heartfelt thanks. Accept, therefore, this offering and with it my earnest promise which I now renew, to live always in the love of Jesus and my neighbor. Continue to shield me graciously with thy protection, and obtain for me the final grace of being able one day to enter the kingdom of heaven, there to sing with thee the everlasting mercies of God. Amen. An indulgence of 300 days, once a day. A plenary indulgence, on the usual conditions, if the prayer has been devoutly recited every day for an entire month (S. C. Ind., July 13, 1896; S. P. Ap., March 4, 1933)
Approved prayers may be said on the memorial of any saint listed in the calendar, according to Grant 21. The specific reference in the 'Manuel of Indulgences' is as follows: A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who on the memorial of any saint listed in the calendar recite in that saint’s honor the prayer taken from the Missal or another one approved by legitimate authority.
CHAPTER IX. “FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS” – Art. VII. “MISCELLANEOUS DEVOTIONS” – XXXVII. For the Printing of Good Books
709. A PRAYER FOR THE PRINTING OF GOOD BOOKS – O glorious Apostle of the Gentiles, Saint Paul, who with such zeal didst busy thyself in destroying at Ephesus those books which thou knewest well would have perverted the minds of the faithful: turn upon us thy gracious eyes also at this present day. Thou seest how an unbelieving and licentious press is attempting to rob our hearts of the precious treasure of faith and spotless morals. Enlighten, we beseech Thee, O holy Apostle, the minds of so many perverted writers, that they may cease once for all to do harm to souls with their evil doctrines and lying insinuations; move their hearts to hate the evil that they have done and are doing to the chosen flock of Jesus Christ. For us, too, obtain the grace of being ever docile to the voice of the Supreme Pontiff, that so we may never allow ourselves to indulge in the reading of bad books, but may seek instead to read and, so far as it is given to us, to diffuse those books which by their salutary doctrine shall assist all of us to promote the greater glory of God, the exaltation of His Church and the salvation of souls. Amen. An indulgence of 300 days once a day (S. C. of the Holy Office, Dec. 10, 1908 and Jan. 23, 1909; S. P. Ap., March 4, 1931).
Although this prayer is not specifically categorized as a ‘prayer in honor of St. Paul, I do think that it’s honor to this Apostle is clear enough that it should offer a partial indulgence according to Grant 21. The specific reference in the 'Manuel of Indulgences' is as follows: A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who on the memorial of any saint listed in the calendar recite in that saint’s honor the prayer taken from the Missal or another one approved by legitimate authority.
P.S. There is no current grant for prayers regarding “Printing of Good Books.” But, if you chose to use this prayer for that purpose, a partial indulgence may be available under one of the General Grants.
This concluded 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.
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