What do indulgences look like

All sorts of theories grew up about them, but most folks guessed that the time period of an indulgence must indicate time off from purgatory. This was not an unreasonable guess. If nothing else, it honored the real connection between indulgences and reparation for sin. But it assumed much more detail about how purgatory works than the Church has ever declared. The suggestion, then, that a given indulgence might free one from, say, days in purgatory was never correct.

As it happened, the time designations associated with indulgences were originally based on the lengthy periods of penance that were imposed after sacramental confession many centuries ago. But as those very long penances disappeared, the reckoning of indulgences as some sort of equivalents to what would have been offered up during such lengthy penances made less and less sense, and, eventually, the connections were lost.

Today, indulgences are grouped into only two types, partial and plenary. The category depends on whether the indulgence in question applies to some or all of the punishment a given member of the faithful owes for sin.

While the connection between indulgences and post-sacramental penances no longer applies, the fact that indulgences apply only to the punishment for sin, and not to the forgiveness of sin itself, should not be overlooked. Indulgences are not, and never have been, ways to seek forgiveness for sins. The Church has never taught anything so ridiculous. To tell the truth, however, some of the popular explanations of indulgences lent themselves to just these sorts of misunderstandings.

By the late Middle Ages, the stage was set for indulgences themselves to be attacked by the Protestant reformers because of some faulty explanations of what they really were. Any Christian who, in a spirit of penitence for sins, asks God for the deeper share in the infinite merits of Jesus Christ that indulgences offer can use them to move ever closer to God — who wants nothing else than for us to be happy with Him forever.

These saints intercede on our behalf and pray for us. Just as they aided those in the journey of salvation while living on this earth, they continue to do so now. As the Minister of Redemption, the Church invokes their aid to help reconcile fully penitents and alleviate the temporal punishment due to sin.

Also, in the early Church, bishops allowed penances, which were oftentimes severe, to be substituted with other works indulgences which may have been easier to fulfill but which promoted piety and strengthened the person spiritually. Eventually, Popes decreed that certain practices could replace imposed penances. These practices must be performed by faithful individuals who have confessed their sins and are truly contrite; if so, then they will have totally alleviated punishment due to sin.

Note the Church has continually condemned any abuse of indulgences, and the person performing the indulgence must have a sincere, contrite, and humble heart. An indulgence is considered plenary or partial according to whether it expiates all or part of the temporal punishment due for sin. To gain a plenary indulgence, one must perform the work attached to the indulgence and make a sacramental confession, receive Holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary, or any other suitable prayer.

Yet in Bl. Norms were issued the following year. He sees the granting of indulgences as integral to the Year of Mercy. Indulgences remain a part of the life of the Church because they relate to the human condition, to the mercy of God and to the role of the Church in dispensing that mercy.

Separation from God, which is the consequence of sin, is dealt with by the absolution granted in sacramental Confession. Yet other consequences can still remain. It is not a question of God inflicting punishment, but rather the natural consequences flowing from sin. Indulgences are an action of the Church drawing on the infinite merits of Christ, and the merits of the saints, won in the eyes of the Father. But the mercy of God is stronger even than this.

It becomes indulgence on the part of the Father Who, through the Bride of Christ, His Church, reaches the pardoned sinner and frees him from every residue of sin, enabling him to act with charity, to grow in love rather than to fall back into sin.

Indulgences remind us that mercy is pure gift from God, unmerited on our part. Nevertheless, the Church is concerned to demonstrate that indulgences are not something mechanical or superstitious. Indulgences are connected to some act of piety or devotion which are a sign of our willingness to receive forgiveness.