Remember! The final 1st Thursday in Year for Priests.
In this year dedicated to priests and prayer for priests, Holy Church has provided lay people with a special plenary indulgence on first Thursdays of each month.
For the faithful, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the opening and closing days of the Year for Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.
To obtain the indulgence the faithful must attend Mass in an oratory or Church and offer prayers to "Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mould them to his heart."
The conditions for the faithful for earning a plenary indulgence are to have gone to confession and prayed for the intentions designated by the Pope.
This is the last 1st Thursday in the Year for Priests. The last opportunity for this indulgence with be the final day of the Year for Priests.
[Please pray for this priest.]
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How recently must one have gone to confession, in order to gain the indulgence?
I did not know about this. Thanks for the reminder Father!
I didn’t know either. Thank you!
@PaulH: 20 days before or after. Here’s a good link on the general conditions for an indulgence:
http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/indulgences_conditions.htm
Was able to make it to Mass and to fulfill the other conditions required for the indulgence. Just as Jesus multiplied the food, here we have a chance to participate in the miracle of the multiplication of charity for the good of all. We benefit from the indulgence, the clergy benefits from being showered with graces, and they in turn sanctify the world: it’s a win win situation!
Just got mine this morning! Thanks for the reminder yesterday Father! :-)
Confessed on Tuesday, made Mass, adoration, and prayers for the indulgence today. Hope it was earned for some poor soul in Purgatory. Said the prayer for priests before our Lord. Did indeed remember a certain priest.
Having re-read the above comment I fear it gives the impression that I am a saint. My late grandmother’s opinion not withstanding: I ain’t. I think I just got bulled around to the right spots by my overworked guardian angel this week.
We attended Mass at a retirement home today. We did pray for our priests. Does this count?
In our monastic community, we will continue to offer the First Thursday for the sanctification of priests, with Holy Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Litany for Priests, and Benediction even after this Year for Priests is ended.
We are indebted to the Holy Priesthood for the Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, the absolution of our sins in the Sacrament of Penance, and all the other sacraments and spiritual direction that our priests give to us. We are truly blessed. May God give all our priests every blessing and help they need in their most difficult, yet needed and sanctified vocation.
Done. Offered the indulgence for priests too – what the heck. I’m sure God will apply it to whoever needs it the most. Thanks for taking care of us, Fathers.
Thank you for this information. I did go to Mass today and prayed for priests. BTW, I pray for you at every Mass at which I assist, Fr. Z. Confession on Saturday to a wonderfully spiritual confessor, so I should earn the indulgence.
Thanks for the reminder, Father Z.
Once the decision was taken, it seemed like the Almighty took a moment to line up the dominoes to eliminate any little excuses I might have used to squirm out of it:
Lengthy confession hours and convenient late afternoon Mass downtown: check
Got out of work on time: check
Oil change place finished my car, no waiting: check
No traffic, mostly green lights on my way downtown: check
Street parking spot two blocks from the shrine: check
Torrential, street-washing downpour held off ’til after: check
Enough waiting time to collect myself and examine conscience: check
Still had enough time to make it upstairs to Mass after: check
All of this made sure I was there for Confession, absolution, counsel and penance that took me past the “Well, I really am due to go, and I look forward to that fresh start, feeling renewed” experience I was expecting and straight on to “Eyes welling a bit, short of breath, feel it to the pit of my stomach – Maybe I needed this much more than I realized” experience I found.
Thanks to this blog post my soul was cleaned up today. The KC Cathedral has confessions before 12:15 Mass on Tuesdays & Thursdays. From what I’ve read on indulgences where confession is required one can make the confession within a few days. I would bet going to confession Saturday would count. Take a look at the Divine Mercy indulgence which is also a plenary indulgence to my knowledge.
Priests have been the Number One intention for our daily family rosary for at least the last 2 months — and young voices would pipe up all throughout to mention any priest’s name that Mama had forgotten! [And yes, Fr. Z, you made the list!]. But we have also prayed for all priests we don’t know and who have gone before us and those who are to come.
Thank you for the reminder about the indulgence; it spurred all of the children –even the little ones for whom it is most difficult–to arise in time for Mass this morning. On the way, the older ones asked to be taken to Confession this Saturday to complete the requirements for the indulgence. (!)
As I wrote to my good friend the other day, one year for priests is simply not enough. I cringe to think how little I have done for priests this year . . . . I vote for making a Decade–or better yet–a Century for Priests! A millennium?!
And HOORAY for the Holy Father’s decision to name St. John Vianney the patron saint of ALL priests! It made me cry for joy–as so much about this day has.
Please remember a fellow classmate of ours (my husband & I) in your prayers: Deacon Anthony Wieck, SJ, who will be ordained to the priesthood this Saturday, 6/5, in Mobile, AL. Alas, we will have to be there in spirit since we cannot attend in person.
What great comments. Thanks.
I did all the requirements for the indulgence today, except for confession. There isn’t anywhere in town with scheduled confession outside of Saturday p.m. Hope to make that this weekend if I get out of class early.
I routinely pray four of my five daily decades for priests (well, one of those is for the Holy Father but he’s a priest too).
Z: What nifty priests. Thanks.
Observed this privilege today. I ask the prayers of readers as I will celebrate my 25th anniversary of ordination on Sunday. (Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving: St. Albert the Great Priory, 5890 Birch Court, Oakland Ca, at 9:30 am.)
I thought the requirement was to be in a state of grace.
Ed – that is a requirement, of course. However, in order to obtain a plenary indulgence, one must make a sacramental confession, even if there is no mortal sin to confess.
Of course, a plenary indulgence can be obtained (under the usual conditions) every single day of the year simply by spending 30 minutes reading the Scriptures or in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, or by praying a family Rosary.
Providentially, yesterday turned out to be my cousin, Fr. Paul Nord, OSB’s 3d anniversary of his being ordained to the Priesthood. Deo Gratias. He is currently in his second year at the Pontifical Biblical Institute for St. Meinrad Seminary. He left us with this from the CCC: