I always think of indulgences like this: The Church, as our mother, has the privilege to be indulgent of us and say, “your behavior has earned you a consequence, but as your affectionate mother, I’m letting you off the hook.”
The recipe for an indulgence includes praying for the pope's intentions. I get the impression from their comments that some Pillar readers are not fully supportive (to put it fairly mildly) of the current pope's intentions. Does this disqualify them from obtaining the indulgences on offer?
Anyone can pray "for the Pope's intentions, insofar as his intentions are in conformity with God's will." A Catholic isn't obliged to be on board with every prudential or governmental decision a Pope makes, or even his pastoral priorities.
These are usually pretty agreeable, even if a little awkwardly worded sometimes. The one for March, for example, is "For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other's gifts, even in their differences."
There are also four intentions that are always "the Holy Father's intentions", even if there were no monthly intentions or during times when the seat is vacant (such as when a Pope passes away). From the Raccolta (old skool indulgence manual):
23. The Pope’s intention always includes the following objects:
i. The progress of the Faith and triumph of the Church.
ii. Peace and union among Christian Princes and Rulers.
This was addressed some years ago in an excellent article by Patrick Hawkins. As someone who regularly does indulgence practice, I bookmarked the article so I could show it to people asking the exact question you raised.
Also a half-hour visit to the Blessed Sacrament, plus the usuals.
Some of the partial indulgences are interesting:
"A partial indulgence is granted to that individual among the faithful who, led by a spirit of faith, mercifully expends himself or his goods in the service of needy brethren." Which sounds to me like giving alms gets you an indulgence. There just aren't any indulgences attached to giving alms for a specific cause, to prevent corruption.
"A partial indulgence is granted to that individual among the faithful who, in a spirit of penance, freely abstains from something licit and pleasing to himself." Lent gets you indulgences. Also, ideal indulgences for those short on time?
I think indulgences are really easy to perform .... except for the perfect contrition requirement. Am I really resolved to detach from all sins (knowing my track record) and do these include even venial sins? That's where I am hopeful for a partial indulgence even when I have aimed for the heavens but landed on a bramble bush.
That's generally the catch. Because it definitely includes venial sins. That doesn't mean so much that you will never again commit a sin, but it does mean that you have to be opposed to the idea, for all sins. I assume (but do not know) that this implies you don't have any habits of venial sin, as this implies an unbroken attachment. Which would certainly reduce my chances to zero.
Partial indulgences are so soothing after brambles.
The way it’s framed above is totally fair but reflects the theologian-Canon lawyer divide in how we teach theology in English speaking countries. Namely that theologians say an indulgence is an intentional reclaiming of freedom that cooperates with grace. That’s all it is. Nothing more. And canon law focuses more on the administration of it. They’re not really in conflict with one another and so the catechism proposes a middle ground in explaining. The specific practices vary widely throughout the centuries as pointed out. We go through periods of discipline that accidentally discourages people from the sacraments, and periods of trying to entice people back. It’s the same reason we now require Catholics to receive the Eucharist at least once during the Easter season. The discipline became so heavy that theology couldn’t break through, and people stopped receiving.
Worth mentioning that right after the Protestant Reformation, perhaps in an over-correction, we seemingly sidelined some of Aquinas’ views on temporal punishment. Indulgences for him worked within a framework of “conforming to Christ” not making up for what we lack.
Temporal punishment had a couple of forms for him it was first not revenge or about guilt, but that if someone needs to experience punishment in this life it is so the penitent (who is lacking for one reason or another) has opportunities to reflect on Christ’s passion before death. And ultimately he connected that to increasing our capacity for the theological virtue of charity.
He did have a sense that if we have not conformed to Christ fully that there are consequences through Purgatory. And to some degree over the centuries we have started conflating that.
A typo:
"In the Jubilee Year, Catholics can obtain plenary indulgences by going to confession and relieving the Eucharist ..."
I always think of indulgences like this: The Church, as our mother, has the privilege to be indulgent of us and say, “your behavior has earned you a consequence, but as your affectionate mother, I’m letting you off the hook.”
But only because your older siblings have already made up for your behavior.
The recipe for an indulgence includes praying for the pope's intentions. I get the impression from their comments that some Pillar readers are not fully supportive (to put it fairly mildly) of the current pope's intentions. Does this disqualify them from obtaining the indulgences on offer?
Anyone can pray "for the Pope's intentions, insofar as his intentions are in conformity with God's will." A Catholic isn't obliged to be on board with every prudential or governmental decision a Pope makes, or even his pastoral priorities.
In addition to Fr. Jedidiah's comment, "The pope's intentions" can be taken to mean the literal list of monthly papal prayer intentions, available here: https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2025
These are usually pretty agreeable, even if a little awkwardly worded sometimes. The one for March, for example, is "For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other's gifts, even in their differences."
There are also four intentions that are always "the Holy Father's intentions", even if there were no monthly intentions or during times when the seat is vacant (such as when a Pope passes away). From the Raccolta (old skool indulgence manual):
23. The Pope’s intention always includes the following objects:
i. The progress of the Faith and triumph of the Church.
ii. Peace and union among Christian Princes and Rulers.
iii. The conversion of sinners.
iv. The uprooting of heresy.
This was addressed some years ago in an excellent article by Patrick Hawkins. As someone who regularly does indulgence practice, I bookmarked the article so I could show it to people asking the exact question you raised.
https://onepeterfive.com/pray-pray-intentions-holy-father/
Many thanks to you and the two other authors of the replies above for your very clear answers.
The two easiest to earn are to read Scripture for half an hour or pray the rosary with your family or in church. Plus the usual conditions.
Also a half-hour visit to the Blessed Sacrament, plus the usuals.
Some of the partial indulgences are interesting:
"A partial indulgence is granted to that individual among the faithful who, led by a spirit of faith, mercifully expends himself or his goods in the service of needy brethren." Which sounds to me like giving alms gets you an indulgence. There just aren't any indulgences attached to giving alms for a specific cause, to prevent corruption.
"A partial indulgence is granted to that individual among the faithful who, in a spirit of penance, freely abstains from something licit and pleasing to himself." Lent gets you indulgences. Also, ideal indulgences for those short on time?
Thank you! I feel like I understand indulgences for the first time!
I think indulgences are really easy to perform .... except for the perfect contrition requirement. Am I really resolved to detach from all sins (knowing my track record) and do these include even venial sins? That's where I am hopeful for a partial indulgence even when I have aimed for the heavens but landed on a bramble bush.
That's generally the catch. Because it definitely includes venial sins. That doesn't mean so much that you will never again commit a sin, but it does mean that you have to be opposed to the idea, for all sins. I assume (but do not know) that this implies you don't have any habits of venial sin, as this implies an unbroken attachment. Which would certainly reduce my chances to zero.
Partial indulgences are so soothing after brambles.
The way it’s framed above is totally fair but reflects the theologian-Canon lawyer divide in how we teach theology in English speaking countries. Namely that theologians say an indulgence is an intentional reclaiming of freedom that cooperates with grace. That’s all it is. Nothing more. And canon law focuses more on the administration of it. They’re not really in conflict with one another and so the catechism proposes a middle ground in explaining. The specific practices vary widely throughout the centuries as pointed out. We go through periods of discipline that accidentally discourages people from the sacraments, and periods of trying to entice people back. It’s the same reason we now require Catholics to receive the Eucharist at least once during the Easter season. The discipline became so heavy that theology couldn’t break through, and people stopped receiving.
Worth mentioning that right after the Protestant Reformation, perhaps in an over-correction, we seemingly sidelined some of Aquinas’ views on temporal punishment. Indulgences for him worked within a framework of “conforming to Christ” not making up for what we lack.
Temporal punishment had a couple of forms for him it was first not revenge or about guilt, but that if someone needs to experience punishment in this life it is so the penitent (who is lacking for one reason or another) has opportunities to reflect on Christ’s passion before death. And ultimately he connected that to increasing our capacity for the theological virtue of charity.
He did have a sense that if we have not conformed to Christ fully that there are consequences through Purgatory. And to some degree over the centuries we have started conflating that.
https://www.cittadellaeditrice.com/munera/che-cosa-e-la-pena-temporale-le-distinzioni-di-tommaso-daquino-e-la-loro-recezione-moderna-e-contemporanea/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0EPsLTySU1K4pVp_1v11SKdFqxshFMvy42o67Ah99kjrtisuk03LVWiKQ_aem_HPYbkDc6zSjDzp6qclnbqA
Ok. Now, one can receive the Eucharist once a day. So only one indulge. Per day?