From midnight tonight to midnight 2 August, you can gain the “Portinuncula” Indulgence. This indulgence seems to have been granted directly by Christ Himself in an appearance to St. Francis. The Lord them told Francis to go to Pope Honorius III, who, as Vicar of Christ, who wielded the keys, would decree it.
St. Francis, as you know, repaired three chapels. The third was popularly called the Portiuncula or the Little Portion, dedicated to St. Mary of the Angels. It is now enclosed in a sanctuary at Assisi.
The friars came to live at the Little Portion in early 1211. It became the “motherhouse” of the Franciscans. This is where St. Clare came to the friars to make her vows during the night following Palm Sunday in 1212 and where Sister Death came to Francis on 3 October 1226.
Because of the favors from God obtained at the Portiuncula, St. Francis requested the Pope to grant remission of sins to all who came there. The privilege extends beyond the Portiuncula to others churches, especially held by Franciscans, throughout the world.
A plenary indulgence is a mighty tool for works of mercy and weapon in our ongoing spiritual warfare. A plenary indulgence is the remission, through the merits of Christ and the saints, through the Church, of all temporal punishment due to sin already forgiven.
To obtain the Portiuncula plenary indulgence, a person must visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels at Assisi, or a Franciscan sanctuary, or one’s parish church, with the intention of honoring Our Lady of the Angels. Then perform the work of reciting the Creed and Our Father and pray for the Pope’s designated intentions. You should be free, at least intentionally, of attachment to venial and mortal sin, and truly repentant. Make your sacramental confession 8 days before or after. Participate at assist at Mass and receive Holy Communion 8 days before or after.
BTW… the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence on a day of the year he designates (cf. Ench. Indul. 33 1.2.d). You might choose the anniversary of your baptism or of another sacrament or name day.
My friend Fr. Finigan, His Hermeueticalness, has some excellent points and suggestions in his post about the Porticuncula indulgence. HERE
Also, HERE, Fr. Finigan wrote about the requirement that we not have any attachment to sin, even venial. He offers quite a hopeful view of what sounds like a difficult prospect. I warmly recommend it.
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The snag is, I don’t know the Pope’s designated intentions. I am certainly having difficulty imagining the Pope’s intention in changing the law on the death penalty, since it was perfectly clear already that in the US, Japan, or the UK, it is not currently morally permissible. The conditions allowing for it never arise.
“…and pray for the Pope’s designated intentions. You should be free, at least intentionally, of attachment to venial and mortal sin…”
It has become increasingly difficult to accomplish the first part without drifting in the wrong direction concerning the second part.
Well, whether it is the “general” Papal intentions which I have heard once exist (salvation of souls, reparation of sins, unity of Christians including the unity of Christian statesmen; was that right) or the monthly Papal intentions, these seem to stay and remain quite unproblematic and finely Catholic.
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But one other question concerning indulgences:
I take it that, despite our temptations to impatience, ennervedness and the like, we are faithful Catholics, submitted to the Holy Father as òur shepherd by right, without, of course, having to agree with him in all things or to refrain from criticizing him even in our minds, because that is not what we are demanded to do.
But the question is: Does this still qualify as the childlike submission to the Holy Father, which the Enchiridion sometimes demands as a condition for an indulgence (such as when visiting a major basilica in Rome outside a pilgrims’ group)?