www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall A Plenary Indulgence (Yes, I know, sooo Latin)

PAENITENTIARIA APOSTOLICA DECRETUM


On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the manifestation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes, a plenary indulgence is awarded daily to the faithful who, from December 8, 2007, to December 8, 2008, visit piously and according to established conditions, visit the Grotto of Massabielle, and, from February 2-11 2008, to those who visit, in any temple, oratory, grotto, or decorous place, the blessed image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes solemnly exposed to public veneration.

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So that growing fruits of renewed holiness derive from this pious memory, the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI has determined to widely grant the gift of plenary indulgence, in the manner explained below:

All and every single faithful, truly repented, and duly purified through the sacrament of Confession, and restored with Holy Communion, and also devoutly raising their prayers according to the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, shall daily profit a plenary indulgence, also applicable, as suffrage, to the souls of the faithful in Purgatory:

A. - if, from the 8th of the month of December 2007 to the entire 8th day of the same month of the next year of 2008, devoutly visit, preferably in the proposed order: 1. - the parish baptistery used for the baptism of Bernadette; 2.- the house called "cachot" of the Soubirous family; 3.- the Grotto of Massabielle; 4.- the chapel of the hospice, where Bernadette made her First Communion, and, at every time, remain for a certain amount of time in pious meditation, concluding with the Lord's Prayer, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, and the jubilar prayer or other Marian invocation.

B.-if, from February 2, 2008, on the Presentation of the Lord, up to the complete day of February 11, 2008, in the liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes and 150th anniversary of the Apparition, devoutly visit, in any temple, oratory, grotto, or decorous place, the blessed image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, solemnly exposed to public veneration, and take part before the same image in a pious exercise of Marian devotion, or at least remain for a certain amount of time in pious meditation, concluding with the Lord's Prayer, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, and a Marian invocation.

C.- The aged, the infirm, and all those who, for legitimate reason, cannot leave their house, may also achieve, in their own house or there where the impediment retains them, the plenary indulgence, if, in the days of February 2-11, 2008, with the rejection of every sin and the intention of fulfilling, as soon as possible, the three conditions, spiritually accomplish, with desire of heart a visit, (to the aforemention places), recite the aforementioned prayers and offer the infirmities and discomforts of their lives faithfully to God through Mary.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/t...pen_doc_20071121_decreto-lourdes_lt.html


Alexis

You may have my share of the plenary indulgence if you will provide me with a superbly good Chinese dinner at a restaurant in Dublin of my choosing. Now that's my idea of an indulgence!

Fr. Serge

Father, bless!

LOL.

Next time I'm in Dublin, sure thing! Let's make sure it's not a fast day, though...

And I'm not sure how plenary indulgences by proxy work!

Alexis

They only work by proxy for the dead. Plus it is EXTREMELY hard to gain a plenary indulgence. You must leave behind ALL attachment to ALL sin. St. Philip Neri once said that God had showed him that of the hundreds of people in his church trying to gain the plenary indulgence on a certain feast, only one little old woman had truly done so.

BTW, what's the Eastern Catholic take on indulgences? I know the Akathistos of Our Lady had an indulgence attached to it by either St. Pius X or Blessed Pius IX (don't remember which).

Dear Byzantophile,

You make a very important point about the gaining of a plenary indulgence - all attachment to sin must be absent etc.

For the EC Churches, there is quite an array of viewpoints and practice here and I'll simply report my observations in this regard.

There are those EC's who make wide use of indulgences and indulgenced prayers without paying too much attention to "Eastern substitutions" (i.e. Akathist to the Passion of Christ for the Stations of the Cross, Akathist to the Theotokos for the Rosary etc.).

There are those who simply don't know what indulgences are and tend to see them as a kind of "public absolution" or public confession without the bother of confessing one's sins. When the priests at my in-laws' parish announces an "indulgence for the removal of all of one's sins" they really don't help matters any and don't follow this up with some basic catechesis.

The very Eastern "Orthodox in communion with Rome" EC parishes don't pay attention to indulgences at all and see them as part of the Latin West's "legalism and accountancy spirituality."
When I mentioned indulgences to a rather bearded "Orthodox in communion with Rome" fellow ( a cantor, in fact) he decided to have some fun with me, going on about the Infant Jesus of Prague, the 'toties quoties thingy' etc.

A point of possible convergence, even including the Orthodox, is the whole issue of the "pilgrimage" that is also called the "Vidpust" that can be translated as "Indulgence."

In fact, in many Orthodox parishes in western Ukraine, there are "vidpusts" in honour of icons and feasts of the Mother of God. Unless the Orthodox have a different take on "vidpust" today, this could be a hold-over from the "old uniate days" - I don't really know. Perhaps an Orthodox (in communion with Orthodoxy) here in the know could comment on this.

Indulgences were and are attached to all manner of Eastern devotions, including the Jesus Prayer (formerly 300 days for just one recitation!) and every prayer of the "Daily Prayers" Byzantine section is indulgenced with a partial indulgence.

I used to collect indulgences like children collect marbles. I no longer do that, but see practices like the rosary before the altar, or the Stations of the Cross or a half-hour reading of Scripture as special moments of Grace and Mercy to share with the souls of the reposed in particular. For me, they are opportunities to strengthen one's spiritual bond with God as part of an overall "epitimia" or penance following Confession.

Alex

Dear Logos-Alexis,

You are most welcome to Dublin, especially if you plan to satisfy my appetite for superb Chinese cuisine. Meanwhile, to gain an indulgence by proxy, send your credit card information to my favorite restaurant with instructions to feed me at your expense!

Actually, Chinese cuisine can be wonderful on fast days.

Fr. Serge

Thank you Alex. That's very informative. I'd always wondered about that.