Indulgences

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Published: 04.18.2022.

Basis

Pope St. Paul VI describes indulgences well in his Apostolic Constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina:

“An indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment due sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned, which the follower of Christ with the proper dispositions and under certain determined conditions acquires through the intervention of the Church which, as minister of the Redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfaction won by Christ and the saints.” (Indulgentiarum Doctrina, Norms on Indulgences, 1.)

What does this mean? Indulgences are not about forgiving sin, it is about already forgiven sin.

To understand indulgences, one must understand the concept of purgatory. Sin always leaves some residual effects. We see this for example when David repents of his sin to the prophet Nathan.
“David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.”” (2 Samuel 12:13-14)
This means that David’s sin had some other consequences besides his death (and damnation), which were not forgiven when God forgave his sin.

The apostle Paul introduces the concept of certain people being saved “as through fire”:
“Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble – each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

The Letter to the Hebrews (12:22-23) talks about the souls of the just being “made perfect”: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, […] and to the spirits of the just men made perfect.”

All this points to the existence of a temporary state after death in which people who have not cleared the effects of sin in this life and who are going to be saved, have to be purified before being able to enter heaven and Sacred Tradition confirms this belief.

An indulgence is just a remission of this debt. Another example: If one hammers a nail into wood, it is still leaves a mark even after pulling the nail out.

There are two kinds of indulgences: plenary and partial. Plenary indulgence remits all of the temporal punishment, while the partial indulgence only remits a part of it. They both can be gained for oneself or for someone who has died. Plenary indulgences only have the effect of certainly remitting all of the punishment for the living, since the Church has only jurisdiction over the living. If one gains an indulgence for a dead person, it is “by way of suffrage”. (Indulgentiarum Doctrina, Norms on Indulgences, 3.)

History of indulgences

There were no indulgences in the early Church, because the Church imposed penances on the sinner, which were intended to take away all of the temporal punishment due to sin. Rules differed, but for instance, a Syrian church document from around 230 A.D. called Didascalia lists a list of sins, like theft, adultery, missing Mass or bad treatment of slaves. “Wir sondern uns erst einmal freiwillig von der Gemeinde ab, begeben uns also in die Exkommunikation. Wenn wir auch kein öffentliches Sündenbekenntnis ablegen mußten, so ist doch unsere Bußzeit öffentlich, und das heißt: Die nächsten sechs Monate (oder Jahre, je nach Schwere der Sünde variiert der Zeitraum) sind wir als öffentliche Büßer damit beschäftigt zu fasten, zu beten, Almosen zu geben und am Sonntag am Eingang des Hauses zu stehen, in dem der Gottesdienst gefeiert wird, und die Eintretenden um ihr Gebet zu bitten. Erst am Ende unserer Bußzeit werden wir wieder mit der Kirche versöhnt.” (Ulrich Filler, Deine Kirche ist ja wohl das Letzte!, page 19)
Later came the private confession.

In the earlier Middle Ages, priests used penitentials, which were documents prescribing certain penances for certain sins. In the early Middle Ages, St. Columban (543-615), a monk from Ireland, has published his own penitential. He writes, for instance: “But if anyone has committed fornication as the Sodomites did, let him do penance for ten years, for the three first on bread and water, but for the seven others let him refrain from wine and meat, and let him never again live with the other man.
[…]
Whoever has committed murder, that is, has killed his neighbour, let him do penance three years on bread and water as an unarmed exile, and after three years let him return to his own, rendering the compensation of filial piety and duty to the relatives of the slain, and thus after making satisfaction let him be restored to the altar at the discretion of the priest.
[…]
If any layman has committed theft, that is, has stolen an ox or a horse or a sheep or any beast of his neighbour’s, if he has done it once or twice, let him first restore to his neighbour the loss which he has caused, and let him do penance for three forty-day periods on bread and water; but if he has made a practice of stealing often, and cannot make restitution, let him do penance for a year and three forty-day periods, and further undertake not to repeat it, and thus let him communicate at Easter of the second year, that is, after two years, on condition that, out of his own labour, he first gives alms to the poor and a meal to the priest who adjudged his penance, and so let the guilt of his evil habit be forgiven.” (here)
The prescriptions were quite specific. However, to ease these harsh penances, so-called redemptions were given, where one could substitute a long penance with something, like a year of penance with praying 50 psalms on 12 successive days. (Laux, Mass and the Sacraments, p. 106)

The first indulgence as such was issued by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095, which was a local council held in France. There is no transcript of his speech, but the five authors who recorded it, agreed on essential details. The pope declared that “[w]hoever goes on the journey to free the church of God in Jerusalem out of devotion alone, and not for the gaining of glory or money, can substitute the journey for all penance for sin.” (quoted here) In other words, if someone joins the crusade, he will not have to do penance anymore. Then, more and more indulgences were granted for performing prayers and other good works.

Later

Most people are aware of the “selling of indulgences”. One of the good works through which one was able to gain an indulgence was donating to some charitable cause. This led to abuses, which in turn caused scandals. Luther, in particular, was outraged when the Archbishop Albrecht of Brandenburg paid part of the money he received from selling indulgences repaying the banker Jacob Fugger. The selling of indulgences ended when the Council of Trent sharply condemned the selling of indulgences. (here)

Today

Today, a Vatican document called Enchiridion Indulgentiarum lists all of the indulgences, except for special ones granted by the pope. (http://www.freecatholicebooks.com/books/indulgences.pdf)
It also explains the conditions of gaining a plenary indulgence:
“26. To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession, eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even venial sin be absent.
If the latter disposition is in any way less than perfect or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be partial only, saving the provisions given below in Norm 34 and in Norm 35 concerning those who are “impeded.”
27. The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; it is, however, fitting that Communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff be said on the same day the work is performed.
28. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences; but Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.
29. The condition of praying for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, each one is free to recite any other prayer according to his piety and devotion.” (Norms on Indulgences, Enchiridion Indulgentiarum)

The main criteria for gaining a partial indulgence are:
– having the intention to gain the indulgence
– being in a state of grace
– doing the work to which the indulgence is attached

Here are some main ways someone can gain a plenary indulgence:
– Eucharistic Adoration for at least half an hour (no. 3)
– Reading the Bible with veneration for at least half an hour (no. 50)
– Praying the rosary in a group, meditating on the mysteries (no. 48)
– Praying the Stations of the Cross with some conditions (no. 63)

And some ways to gain a partial indulgence:
– “devoutly use an article of devotion (crucifix or cross, rosary, scapular or medal) properly blessed by any priest” (Norms on Indulgences, number 19)
– praying Angel of God (no. 8)
– praying the Angelus (no. 9)
– praying the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (no. 16)
– praying the Litany of the Saints or one of five other litanies listed in no. 29
– praying the Eternal Rest (only for the dead) (no. 46)
– praying the Hail, Holy Queen (no. 51)
– devoutly signing oneself with the Sign of the Cross (no. 55)
– praying the Tantum Ergo (plenary, if said in a solemn way on Holy Thursday or on the feast of Corpus Christi) (no. 59)

There are also four general grants for partial indulgences, three of which are:
– “A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties and in bearing the trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding even if only mentally – some pious invocation”
– “A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who in a spirit of faith and mercy give of themselves or of their goods to serve their brothers in need.”
– “A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who in a spirit of penance voluntarily deprive themselves of what is licit and pleasing to them.”

Other ways to gain plenary and partial indulgences are listed in the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum.

“Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you; break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your tranquility.” (Dan. 4:24)

Resources

The Enchiridion Indulgentiarum (Enchiridion of Indulgences): http://www.freecatholicebooks.com/books/indulgences.pdf

Pope St. Paul VI’s Apostolic Constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_01011967_indulgentiarum-doctrina.html