Indulgences
Indulgences (from the Latin verb 'indulgere', meaning "to forgive", "to be lenient
toward") are a help towards achieving purification.
The concept of indulgences stems from the Catholic Church’s understanding of sin,
repentance, and the mercy of God. When a person sins, they incur both:
1. Eternal punishment – separation from God, remitted through the Sacrament of
Confession.
2. Temporal punishment – the consequences or "wounds" left by sin that remain even
after forgiveness.
CCC 1471 : What is an indulgence? 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
through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."
"An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. (Paul VI, apostolic constitution, Indulgentiarum doctrina,)
There are two kinds of indulgences:
1. Plenary Indulgence – Removes all temporal punishment due to sin.
2. Partial Indulgence – Removes part of the temporal punishment.
A plenary indulgence requires full adherence to specific conditions, while a partial
indulgence can be obtained through certain prayers, good works, or acts of devotion.
Scripture and Theological background
This understanding is rooted in Sacred Scripture:
2 Samuel 12:13-14: After David’s sin with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan declares
God’s forgiveness but also announces temporal consequences for David’s sin.
1 Corinthians 3:15: Paul speaks of purification "as through fire," often interpreted as
purgatory, where temporal punishment is cleansed.
The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the
eternal punishment of sin, but the temporal punishment of sin remains. An example of this can be seen in 2 Samuel 12, when, after David repents of his sin, the prophet Nathan tells him that he is forgiven, but, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel:...Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife
The theological development of indulgences arises from the Church’s belief in
the Communion of Saints and the Treasury of Merit. The Catholic church teaches that indulgences draw on the treasury of merit accumulated by Jesus's death on the cross and
the virtues and penances of the saints
The Treasury of Merit consists of:
The infinite merits of Christ’s sacrifice.
The prayers, good works, and sufferings of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.
Who decides on the indulgences?
The Church, through the power given by Christ: “And I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt. 16:19; Mt 18:18)
Both partial and plenary indulgences can be granted by the diocesan bishop or eparch, by
the major archbishop, metropolitan and patriarch, by the cardinal, as well as by the Pope and the Apostolic Penitentiary.
For patriarchs this applies in the individual localities of the patriarchate, in churches that
follow the specific rite of the patriarchate beyond its borders, and everywhere for the faithful of their own rite.
Cardinal bishops enjoy the faculty of granting only partial indulgence in any place. This
indulgence can be purchased only by those who are present in the individual places from time to time.
How indulgences help the People of God?
Indulgences do not take the place of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
Indulgences are not a "pardon for sin" but a spiritual aid for the faithful to grow in holiness
and to repair the damage caused by sin. They:
Encourage deeper conversion and penance.
Inspire acts of charity, prayer, and sacrifice.
Help the faithful grow closer to God and others in the Communion of Saints.
Assist souls in purgatory, as indulgences can be offered on their behalf.
Obtaining Indulgences in the Jubilee Year 2025
The Jubilee Year 2025, with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope," is an opportunity for spiritual
renewal. The Church offers plenary indulgences to the faithful who fulfill certain conditions
during the Jubilee. These conditions generally include:
1. Pilgrimage to a designated Holy Site:
a. Visit a basilica, cathedral, shrine, or designated Jubilee church. (The Cathedral
of the Holy Name, Colaba; Mount Mary Basilica, Bandra; Our Lady of
Fatima, Karjat and , Our Lady of Velankani Shrine, Bhate Bunder.
b. Pray for the Pope’s intentions and express your faith (e.g., praying the Creed).
2. Sacramental Confession:
a. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation within a reasonable time.
3. Holy Communion:
a. Receive the Eucharist, preferably on the day of the pilgrimage.
4. Prayer for the Pope’s Intentions:
a. Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, or any suitable prayer for the Holy Father’s
intentions.
5. Detachment from Sin:
a. Be free from any attachment to sin, even venial sin. A sincere desire for
holiness is essential.
Indulgences can also be obtained by:
Performing acts of charity or mercy (feeding the poor, visiting the sick).
Praying for the deceased.
Offering one’s sufferings with trust and love to God.
Those who are sick, elderly, or homebound can obtain the indulgence by uniting their
suffering to Christ and fulfilling the other conditions as much as possible.
In summary, indulgences are a beautiful expression of God’s mercy, encouraging us to grow in holiness and solidarity with the whole Church. The Jubilee Year 2025 is a special time to seek these graces through prayer, penance, and pilgrimage, becoming true "Pilgrims of Hope" in a world in need of God’s love.
Some misunderstanding historical facts:
Indulgences were introduced to allow for the remission of the severe penances of
the early church and granted at the intercession of Christians awaiting martyrdom or at
least imprisoned for the faith
By the late Middle Ages, indulgences were used to support charities for the public good, including hospitals. However, the abuse of indulgences, mainly through commercialization, had become a serious problem which the church recognized but was unable to restrain effectively.
Indulgences were, from the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, a target of attacks
by Martin Luther and other Protestant theologians. Eventually, the Catholic Counter-
Reformation curbed the abuses of indulgences, but indulgences continue to play a role
in modern Catholic religious life, and were dogmatically confirmed as part of the
Catholic faith by the Council of Trent.
In 1567, Pope Pius V forbade tying indulgences to any financial act, even to the giving
of alms.
Reforms in the 20th century largely abolished the quantification of indulgences, which
had been expressed in terms of days or years. These days or years were meant to
represent the equivalent of time spent in penance, although it was widely mistaken to
mean time spent in Purgatory.
Published via Fr. Clifton Lobo
