How to Gain an Indulgence on All Souls Day!

I still owe a faithful reader a post on indulgences. But for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I am a sucker for indulgences.

I see indulgences as just one of the many ways that God pours grace on us through the authority of the Church. And I am a sucker for grace, any kind of grace. Give it to me! (or the people I am praying for).

Until I get around to a longer post on why I love indulgences, this is just a reminder that today you can earn indulgences for the holy souls in Purgatory.

From The Enchiridion of Indulgences:

Visit to a Church or Oratory on All Souls Day. PLENARY INDULGENCE. A plenary indulgence, applicable ONLY to the souls in purgatory, may be obtained by those who, on All Souls Day, piously visit a church, public oratory, or -for those entitled to use it, a semi public oratory. On visiting the church or oratory it is required that one Our Father and the Creed be recited.

Visit to a Cemetery. Only applicable to the souls in Purgatory when one devoutly visits and prays for the departed. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is bestowed for this work each day between November 1 and November 8.

In order to receive these indulgences you must also pray for the Holy Father’s intentions, worthily receive Holy Communion (within several days, but ideally on the same day if possible), and go to Confession  within 20 days of All Souls Day.

In order to gain a plenary indulgence one must be free from attachment to all sin, even venial. Otherwise you will gain a partial indulgence, (which is nothing to sneeze at). I have always had a hard time with the requirements for a plenary indulgence (who can say they are not attached to sin, even a little bit?!?). But recently a sister sent me this post which quotes a Roman theologian from 1895. The quote states that falling into venial sin is not the same as having an attachment to it, (which means that plenary indulgences are more accessible to sinful people like me!). This more lenient view of the possibility of plenary indulgences is one which I readily accept and hope to be true.

Anyway, hope you take advantage of this!

Oh and if this post is really strange to you, read: Myths About Indulgences