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gift of the indulgence discloses the fullness of God's
mercy, which is expressed primarily in the sacrament of
Penance and Reconciliation. This ancient practice, about
which there have been many historical misunderstandings,
should be properly understood and accepted. Although
reconciliation with God is the gift of God's mercy, it
implies a process involving man with his personal efforts,
and the Church with her sacramental function. At the centre
of the reconciliation process is the sacrament of Penance,
but even after the human being has received forgiveness for
his sin through this sacrament, he continues to be marked by
those "remnants" which prevent him from being fully open to
grace, and he needs purification and that renewal of the
whole person through Christ's grace. To obtain this, the
gift of the indulgence is a great help to him. An indulgence
is "a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to
sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the
faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain
prescribed conditions through the action of the Church
which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies
with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ
and the saints" (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, Normae de
indulgentiis, Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1999, p. 21; cf.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1471). The following
notice of the Apostolic Penitentiary recalls the necessary
dispositions for fruitfully gaining the Jubilee indulgence.
The celebration of the Jubilee Year is not only an
extraordinary occasion for benefiting from the great gift of
indulgences which the Lord gives us through the Church, but
it is also a fitting opportunity to recall the catechesis on
indulgences to the attention of the faithful. The Apostolic
Penitentiary is therefore publishing this sacred notice for
the benefit of all who will be making Jubilee visits.
General remarks on indulgences
1. This is how an indulgence is defined in the
Code of Canon Law (can. 992) and in the Catechism of
the Catholic Church (n. 1471): "An indulgence is a
remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins
whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful
Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain
prescribed conditions through the action of the Church
which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies
with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ
and the saints".
2. In general, the gaining of indulgences requires
certain prescribed conditions (below, nn. 3, 4), and
the performance of certain prescribed works (nn. 8, 9, 10
indicate those specific to the Holy Year).
3. To gain indulgences, whether plenary or partial, it is
necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace
at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed.
4. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once
a day. In order to obtain it, the faithful must, in
addition to being in the state of grace:
—have the interior disposition of complete
detachment from sin, even venial sin;
—have sacramentally confessed their sins;
—receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly
better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but
for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required);
—pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.
5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the
sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the
prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day
that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient
that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within
several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.
Prayer for the Pope's intentions is left to the choice of
the faithful, but an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are
suggested. One sacramental Confession suffices for several
plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a
separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are
required for each plenary indulgence.
6. For the sake of those legitimately impeded,
confessors can commute both the work prescribed and the
conditions required (except, obviously, detachment from even
venial sin).
7. Indulgences can always be applied either to
oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot
be applied to other persons living on earth.
Specific Aspects of the Jubilee Year
Having fulfilled the necessary conditions in nn. 3-4, the
faithful may gain the Jubilee indulgence by performing one
of the following works, listed here below in three
categories:
8. Works of piety or religion
—Either make a pious pilgrimage to a Jubilee
shrine or place (for Rome: one of the four Patriarchal
Basilicas—St Peter, St John Lateran, St Mary Major, St
Paul—, or to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem,
the Basilica of St Laurence in Campo Verano, the Shrine of
Our Lady of Divine Love or one of the Christian Catacombs,
and participate there in Holy Mass or another liturgical
celebration (Lauds or Vespers) or some pious exercise (the
Stations of the Cross, the Rosary, the recitation of the
Akathistos Hymn, etc.);
—or make a pious visit, as a group or
individually, to one of these same Jubilee places, and there
spend some time in Eucharistic adoration and pious
meditations, ending with the "Our Father", the profession of
faith in any approved form and prayer to the Blessed Virgin
Mary.
9. Works of mercy or charity
—Either visit for a suitable time their
brothers or sisters in need or in difficulty (the sick,
the imprisoned, the elderly living alone, the handicapped,
etc.), as if making a pilgrimage to Christ present in them;
—or support by a significant contribution works
of a religious or social nature (for the benefit of
abandoned children, young people in trouble, the elderly in
need, foreigners in various countries seeking better living
conditions);
—or devote a suitable part of personal free
time to activities benefiting the community or other
similar forms of personal sacrifice.
10. Acts of penance
For at least one whole day
—Either abstain from unnecessary consumption
(smoking, alcohol, etc.);
—or fast,
—or abstain from meat (or other food according to
the specific norms of the Bishops' Conferences), and
donate a proportionate sum of money to the poor.
Given in Rome at the offices of the Apostolic
Penitentiary, 29 January 2000.
Cardinal William Wakefield Baum
Major Penitentiary
+ Bishop Luigi De Magistris
Titular Bishop of Nova
Regent
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