Decree Granting Plenary Indulgence for Year of Faith

totus tuus

I'm looking forward to the Year of the Faith! So many Catholics don't know the full truths about the Catholic Faith, it's a wonderful opportunity to get the Truth out there. And, the Holy Father is granting a Plenary Indulgence, a wonderful time to purify and cleanse the soul!

http://www.zenit.org/article-35663?l=english

uck51js9zml2yt

totus tuus wrote: »

I'm looking forward to the Year of the Faith! So many Catholics don't know the full truths about the Catholic Faith, it's a wonderful opportunity to get the Truth out there. And, the Holy Father is granting a Plenary Indulgence, a wonderful time to purify and cleanse the soul!

http://www.zenit.org/article-35663?l=english

What's the purpose of the indulgence?

totus tuus

Major White Hamstring wrote: »

What's the purpose of the indulgence?

A Plenary Indulgence means the full remission of all temporal punishment (time spent in purgatory) due to sin in one's entire lifetime up to that point. Special exercises of piety must be performed, and one must be free from Mortal Sin to gain it!

http://plenary-indulgences.webs.com/

uck51js9zml2yt

So am I right in saying that a person without having repented of their sin will be forgiven their sin on the issuing of an indulgence

Benny_Cake

Let's try and keep this to genuine questions and not turn it into a Catholic / Protestant debate. If non-Catholics want to get into a debate about indulgences, this is the place to do so. Thanks!

georgieporgy

Major White Hamstring wrote: »

So am I right in saying that a person without having repented of their sin will be forgiven their sin on the issuing of an indulgence

No!
Sin requires repentance as you say. For catholics that means going to confession and really repenting, not just pretending to do so. Although the sin is forgiven there still remains a penalty. Think of it as penalty points for using your mobile phone while driving.

An indulgence removes the penalty. There are lots of conditions attached.

Anyone thinking they can "buy" an indulgence is mistaken (and would be wasting their money)

itell_you

georgieporgy wrote: »

Anyone thinking they can "buy" an indulgence is mistaken (and would be wasting their money)

But thats exactly what you're doing, if sin, and someone poverty stricken sins you can both repent which is good. but if you are poor you are still stuck with a penalty?:mad:

actually it kind of mirrors the Irish legal system right now if you think about it..:rolleyes:

georgieporgy

Major White Hamstring wrote: »

What's the purpose of the indulgence?

that's a good question and deserves a long answer which time doesn't permit me right now. You must understand however that it is a catholic belief and involves ideas such as purgatory, the necessity of doing good (virtuous) works in this life, in addition to having Faith.
Generally speaking protestants/born again christians would consider it to be a mistaken notion.

georgieporgy

itell_you wrote: »

But thats exactly what you're doing, if sin, and someone poverty stricken sins you can both repent which is good. but if you are poor you are still stuck with a penalty?:mad:

actually it kind of mirrors the Irish legal system right now if you think about it..:rolleyes:

There is no money involved so I don't see your point

itell_you

georgieporgy wrote: »

There is no money involved so I don't see your point

people with money can still afford to commit more time to this.

georgieporgy

itell_you wrote: »

people with money can still afford to commit more time to this.

It's a thing that would only appeal to christians who are mindful of the words of Jesus, "Pray always". He meant 24/7.

In my experience poor people understand these things more than the rich. And if you read the conditions for this particular indulgence you will see that allowances are made for those who have no spare time if their duties require them to be elsewhere.

georgieporgy

As promised earlier, here is a good source for info on indulgences. It really would be of interest only to catholics who are serious about understanding and recognising the great value of indulgences.
Most catholics, I think, have only a vague notion of what's involved, and that's a pity.

As for our separated brothers in other christian denominations, while they may disagree with the whole idea, at least the document explains what an indulgence is etc.

http://www.catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/14/SubIndex/0/ContentIndex/549/Start/547

bonniebede

i find the easiest way to think about an indulgence is to consider this.
if i nick 50 quid off you, is it okay to say sorry for stealing to god and keep your money?

surely in justice i must both confess my sin to god for his forgiveness, and also return your money to you - to repair the damage i have done to you.

this repairing or reparation as it is properly called, is what indulgences are concerned about.

being reconciled with God is the first step, and essential. after that there remains the necessity of reparation for the actual or temporal effects of the sin, like giving you your money back in the example above.

part of the repairng that needs to be done is to repair the damage i have done to myself by sinning - i have hurt myself by building a habit of sin and weakening myself. God wants me to have the grace to become whole again, and usually that grace is given through the doing of penitential acts.

Indulgences fit into that by being a simple way to turn to the grace of God for help in repairing the damage done by sin.