Pro Pontifice

3 Comments

1. Paul Haley says:

   28 November 2006 at 2:44 PM

   Whatever one thinks of Pope Benedict XVI in terms of his personal beliefs and theological “pedigree” one would have to admire his courage in the face of great danger. Let us pray that he made the correct decision to go to the “lion’s den”, as it were, to show the Faith to the entire moslem world. Via con Dios, Padre.
2. Ray from MN says:

   28 November 2006 at 4:20 PM

   Father:

   In the old days, Holy Cards and Prayer Books
   were festooned with images and prayers and
   invocations all accompanied by “partial
   indulgences” but not termed that. It would
   just say 100 days indulgence, 300 days indulgence,
   etc.

   (I need a lot more than that).

   I understand that a plenary indulgence then and
   now removes all temporal punishment due to sin.

   Except, I think it is a little tougher to get these
   days. I don’t recall the requirement 50 years ago
   saying anything about having NO attachment to ANY
   sin.

   Being there is no sunrise or sunset in Purgatory,
   they don’t seem to use the “100 days” terminology
   any more. That makes sense.

   So what is the value of a “partial indulgence”
   vis a vis a “plenary indulgence?” I would guess
   that it would take a whole bunch of prayers and
   novenas to do the repair that one plenary indulgence
   could do.

   Thanks in advance!
3. Greg Smisek says:

   4 December 2006 at 8:36 AM

   From the Fish Eaters website (http://www.fisheaters.com/indulgences.html):
   When looking at an old Enchiridion, or when reading old prayer books, one might see a period of time attached to a partial indulgence, e.g. “indulgence of 100 days.” This number indicates an amount of time of penance one was given in the early Church after a Confession, i.e., the priest would give someone a penance of a certain amount of time before he could be fully re-admitted into the Church (penances were much harsher back then!). After 1968, the indication of days in such a manner was done away with because it was not clear to some uneducated persons that the days did not refer to “time in Purgatory” Some were under the very mistaken impression that, say, “indulgence of 100 days” meant that one would spend 100 fewer days in Purgatory instead of its true meaning: that performing the prescribed action amounts to doing a penance of 100 days.
   When looking at an old Enchiridion, or when reading old prayer books, one might see a period of time attached to a partial indulgence, e.g. “indulgence of 100 days.” This number indicates an amount of time of penance one was given in the early Church after a Confession, i.e., the priest would give someone a penance of a certain amount of time before he could be fully re-admitted into the Church (penances were much harsher back then!). After 1968, the indication of days in such a manner was done away with because it was not clear to some uneducated persons that the days did not refer to “time in Purgatory” Some were under the very mistaken impression that, say, “indulgence of 100 days” meant that one would spend 100 fewer days in Purgatory instead of its true meaning: that performing the prescribed action amounts to doing a penance of 100 days.

   (Similar response by Paul S. Czarnota, http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Faith/0910-96/article9.html)

   A good, basic catechetical FAQ on indulgences can be found at http://www.daughtersofstpaul.com/growinginfaith/basicqas/sacraments/indulgences124.html

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