Pope Benedict XVI has recognized the heroic virtues of Lithuanian-born Mother Maria Kaupas, who founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Casimir in 1907. The first motherhouse for the new community was at Holy Cross Convent in Mount Carmel, and the sisters’ first teaching assignment was at Holy Cross School. The Vatican announced July 1 the first major step toward sainthood for Mother Maria Kaupas, who suffered from bone cancer for eight years before dying in 1940. The Vatican decree means Mother Maria heroically lived the Christian virtues. She can be beatified after a miracle is attributed to her intercession. (Photo courtesy of the Sisters of St. Casimir, Chicago)
Fr. Bateman,
ReplyDeleteFor at least 2 decades we have heard nothing about indulgences, and now we do. Why are we now hearing about indulgences in St. Andrew Parish, but not in parishes we have visited (3).
Could you please refresh mine and others memories of what an indulgence is for -- does it get us out of Purgatory and/or keep us out of Hell. The nuns in my grade school years ago were teaching something very similar.
The below quote sounds very legalese to me. Could you please explain: "...Christian who is duly disposed under certain prescribed conditions; minister of redemption; dispenses...with authority...the treasury of...satisfactions of Christ and the saints; according as it removes...part or all...temporal punishment due to sin." In what way would we "apply them to the dead?"
"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. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.
The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. –Catechism of the Catholic Church 1471 The Litany of the Precious Blood was approved in its present form by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1960."
Indulgences. GREAT QUESTION! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe very word stirs up more misconceptions than perhaps any other teaching in Catholic theology. Those who attack the Church for its use of indulgences rely upon (and take advantage of) the misconceptions of both Catholics and non-Catholics.
Yes, the technical definition is just that - technical. Maybe this is a simpler explanation: "An indulgence is what we receive when the Church lessens the temporal (lasting only for a short time) penalties to which we may be subject even though our sins have been forgiven."
When we sin, there are two effects - the guilt and the just punishment which is "earned" because of the sin. In Confession, the sin is forgiven, but the "punishment" remains - so that must be somehow removed - indulgences (plenary and partial) are a way to do this. For example, if someone breaks into your home - you can forgive them for their sin, but they still may have to spend time in jail to atone for their actions - even though they've been forgiven. This is justice. It's the same with God. When we've sinned, God graciously forgives the sins we've committed, but in justice, we have upset the balance of things and we must make restitution for having disrupted things - that is the temporal punishment due to sin (and that's all we're talking about - eternal punishment is removed with Confession).
I did some searching and found some things on Catholic Answers. Maybe it will help, too...
I'll post this as a new thread in our parish blog...
Thanks for asking the question!