People regularly ask me about the topic of ‘Indulgences’ and since we are in November and we can gain many Indulgences for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, it seems opportune, once again, to give a brief explanation about this much misunderstood doctrine of the Church.

One of the great myths about Indulgences is that the Church has abolished them. This is totally false. You will find the teaching explained very carefully in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1471-1479) and Pope Francis grants Indulgences for various things regularly. The Catechism describes an Indulgence as the remission of temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt is already forgiven in Confession (CCC #1471). They can be obtained by carrying out certain pious or charitable acts specified by the Church. A Partial Indulgence removes part of the punishment or debt due to sin, whereas a Plenary Indulgence removes all of it. So if you manage to gain a Plenary Indulgence and apply it to a Poor Soul, you will have released them from Purgatory and enabled them to enter Heaven. How they will thank you and pray for you!

Every sin has two consequences: guilt and debt. In the sacrament of Penance we confess our sins, receive God’s forgiveness and perform a penance. So through a good Confession the guilt of our sins is removed, and if we have committed mortal or grave sin which cuts us off from God, we are restored to God’s grace and the penalty of Hell is removed. But the debt still has to be paid. As I wrote last week, if my neighbour lends me their lawnmower and I break it, they may well forgive me, but I still have to get it fixed or buy him a new one. And it’s the same with sin – God forgives us when we repent, but we still have to pay the debt of our sins. That debt is paid either in this life or in Purgatory, where God heals us and undoes the damage we have done. This is where Indulgences help us, because we can pay the debt of sin in this life.

We can also apply any Indulgences we gain to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. For example, the Church attaches a Plenary Indulgence to the recitation of five decades of the Rosary in a church or oratory, or when it is recited in the family. We have the Rosary in the church almost every day – an opportunity to gain a Plenary Indulgence! And in November, why not apply it to the Holy Souls? You may also obtain a Plenary Indulgence for the Holy Souls by visiting a cemetery between 1^st and 8^th November and praying for the dead. (See below). We should use these great treasures of the Church to help the Poor Souls. In fact, it would be cruel not to. Can we really refuse to help our departed loved ones who are crying out to us in their hour of need? In addition to performing the prescribed act of devotion, one must be in a state of grace, have a detachment from all sin, even venial sin, make a sacramental confession within a week either before or after, receive Holy Communion, and pray for the Pope’s intention (an Our Father and Hail Mary suffice). If one doesn’t fulfil all these conditions, the Indulgence is partial, but one must be in a state of grace.

Finally, a very easy way to help the Poor Souls with a Partial Indulgence is by saying the prayer: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

Fr Paul Gillham, IC