30 November: FINAL DAY
The Church’s senior tribunal, which handles all matter of the internal forum and indulgences, the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, has issued a decree about the annual opportunity to gain indulgences for the souls in Purgatory in time of COVID.
Right now the decree is only in Latin, Italian and German.
In effect, because of the Wuhan Devil, the SPA has extended the indulgence in the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum (conc. 29, §1) for the whole month of November.
The plenary indulgence granted for visited a cemetery to pray for the dead from 1-8 November, is extended to other days of the month as the faithful choose.
The plenary indulgence for 2 November for the faithful who visit a church or oratory and recite an Our Father and the Apostles Creed can be transferred to the previous or following Sunday or to All Saints or even on another day of November as the faithful choose.
The elderly or sick or those for some reason cannot leave their dwelling, even because of a government lockdown, can obtain the plenary indulgence. Provided that they are completely detached from sin and have the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual condition of sacramental confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the intentions designated by the Pope, the obtain the plenary indulgence by praying before an image of the Lord or the Blessed Virgin pious prayers for the dead such as Lauds and Vespers from the Office for the Dead, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or other prayers for the dead, or meditate on a Gospel passage proposed by the Liturgy for the Dead, or do a work of mercy by offering their pain and discomfort to God.
The SPA strongly urges priests to provide the Sacrament of Penance and Communion for the infirm.
The SPA reminds about the document of 19 March about the Sacrament of Penance in time of pandemic.
The SPA warmly invites all priests to celebrate Holy Mass three times on 2 November, in accordance with the 1915 Apostolic Constitution Incruentem altaris of Benedict XV.
The decree was signed on 22 October, the Feast of St John Paul II.
D E C R E T U M
Vertente anno, propter pandemiam morbi “covid 19”,
Indulgentiae plenariae pro fidelibus defunctis totum
prorogabuntur per mensem novembrem,commutatis
condicionibus piisque operibus, ut christianus populus in
tuto sit
Ad hanc Apostolicam Paenitentiariam complures Sacrorum Pastorum
supplicationes nuper pervenerunt, quibus postulabatur ut vertente anno, propter
epidemiam morbi “covid-19”, piae commutentur operae ad plenarias lucrandas
Indulgentias, animabus in Purgatorio detentis tantummodo applicabiles ad
normam Enchiridii Indulgentiarum (conc. 29, § 1). Quam ad rem eadem
Apostolica Paenitentiaria, de speciali mandato Ss.mi D. N. Francisci Pp., libenter
statuit ac decernit ut, ad vitanda concursa, nonnullis in nationibus et territoriis
vetita vel saltem dissuasa, vertente anno:
a.- plenaria Indulgentia pro pie visitantibus coemeterium et, vel mente
tantum, pro defunctis exorantibus, singulis octo diebus, more solito a primo
usque ad octavum Novembris tantum adfixa, pro fidelium utilitate, in alios dies
usque ad octo, etiam seiunctos, intra mensem Novembrem transferri possit, a
singulis fidelibus libere eligendos;
b.- plenaria Indulgentia, diei II Novembris, in Commemoratione omnium
fidelium defunctorum adfixa, pro pie visitantibus ecclesiam vel oratorium ibique
“Pater” et “Credo” recitantibus, non tantum in diem Dominicum antecedentem
aut subsequentem aut diem sollemnitatis Omnium Sanctorum transferri possit,
sed etiam in alium diem intra mensem Novembrem, a singulis fidelibus libere
eligendum.
Senes, infirmi omnesque qui gravi causa domo exire nequeunt, ex. gr.
decretis prohibentibus, ut fedeles frequentes in loca sacra conveniant, plenariam
consequi poterunt Indulgentiam, dummodo, animo voto sese iis sociantes, qui
pias egerint visitationes, de quibus supra, concepta detestatione cuiusque peccati
et intentione praestandi, ubi primum licuerit, tres consuetas condiciones
(sacramentali Confessione, eucharistica Communione et oratione ad mentem
Summi Pontificis), coram quavis imagine D. N. Iesu Christi vel Beatae Virginis
Mariae, pias pro defunctis preces recitaverint (ex. gr. Laudes et Vesperas Officii
Defunctorum, Rosarium Marianum, Coronam Divinae Misericordiae aliaeque
preces pro defunctis christifidelibus magis caras), vel Evangelii lectionem e
Liturgia Defunctorum ad modum lectionis spiritalis legerint vel in misericordiae
operam incubuerint, doloribus vel propriae vitae incommodis Deo clementi
oblatis.
Quo igitur accessus, ad divinam veniam per Ecclesiae claves consequendam,
facilior pro pastorali caritate evadat, haec Paenitentiaria enixe rogat ut sacerdotes
legitime adprobati, prompto et generoso animo celebrationi Paenitentiae sese
praebeant ac S. communionem infirmis ministrent.
Attamen, pro spiritalibus condicionibus ad Indulgentiam plene
acquirendam, semper valet huius Apostolicae Paenitentiariae Nota De
Reconciliationis Sacramento, tempore pandemiae morbi “covid 19” celebrando.
Denique, cum autem animae in Purgatorio detentae fidelium suffragiis,
potentissimum vero acceptabili Altaris sacrificio iuvantur (cfr. Conc. Tr., Sess.
XXV, decr. De Purgatorio), sacerdotes omnes enixe rogantur ut die
Commemorationis omnium fidelium defunctorum, ter sacrum facere ad normam
Constitutionis Apostolicae “Incruentum Altaris”, a Benedicto Pp. XV, v.m., die X
Augusti MCMXV datae.
Praesenti totum per mensem novembrem valituro. Contrariis
quibuscumque minime obstantibus.
Datum Romae, ex aedibus Paenitentiariae Apostolicae, die XXII mensis
Octobris anni MMXX, in S. Ioannis Pauli Pp. memoria.
MAURUS Card. PIACENZA
Paenitentiarius Maior
CHRISTOPHORUS NYKIEL
Regens
L. + S.
In PA tab. N.791/20/I
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This is wonderful. So many more souls in purgatory will be touched by this announcement.
A special thank you and prayers for the SPA
Hmm. Interesting.
I thought Francis was a heretic Pope, presiding over a Church suffering infiltration by Masons and homosexualists (sarcasm).
And yet here he is extending the time for obtaining a plenary indulgence for the deceased, during the month of All Souls.
The practice of obtaining indulgences for the departed is such a Catholic and Traditional practice, that it is the one Catholic practice that Protestants find especially odious and blasphemous.
Even today, certain Protestant ministers dedicate a Sunday or two in the pulpit, for denouncing All Souls Day. They warn that this Romish error “mocks the Blood of Jesus” as if indulgences can add even an iota to Christ’s salvific work.
One minister I know said that for being a purely Catholic “invention” the “alleged fantasyland of Purgatory was a great Catholic money maker–sort of like the Haunted House at Disneyland.
Perhaps because Francis is such a bad and heretical Pope, we should make more of an effort to bury this decree from the Sacred Penitentiary, and keep quiet about it (lol). I wonder if it won’t introduce “weaponized ambiguity” for some of the faithful (sarcasm).
Now, I’m left baffled that a Pope who allegedly trips over himself to please Protestants and heretics, is publicly pushing the Catholic practice of offering prayers and penances for the dead?
Is it a particularly Masonic or homosexualist practice to hype up devotions for the poor souls in Purgatory?
Does Francis have a hidden agenda to make the Church more gay, or more idolatrous to S. American idols, through All Souls Day? I didn’t think so, but we can never be too careful in this pontificate.
Thank you, Fr. Z, for alerting us to this. I would not have known about it. What a blessing we have!
“The practice of obtaining indulgences for the departed is such a Catholic and Traditional practice, that it is the one Catholic practice that Protestants find especially odious and blasphemous.”
In the Protestant “confirmation” class that I attended as a teen many years ago, indulgences were highlighted as a Catholic abuse that led to the Reformation. That is, of course the issue that set off Martin Luther, with particular help from the odious practice of “buying” indulgences. (Technically, almsgiving was one condition for receiving an indulgence. But that rapidly turned into a shakedown of the faithful who were even allowed to believe that indulgences actually forgave sins).
Luther while rightly denouncing that abuse, went much farther and questioned the entire theology of indulgences. Things went downhill from there.
In my adult life as a Catholic convert, I find indulgences to be a powerful help the Church provides, for the living and the dead. I would wish, however, that the intricate theology behind it were explained in a more clear way to the laity (I think that was and is part of the problem Protestants have) or even that it is highlighted from the pulpit at all. Like many other doctrines of the Faith, it is neglected.
And that Pope Francis has extended the time for this particular indulgence is great news indeed!
Does this mean that we can receive more than one November 2nd indulgence?
NOCatholic,
My words above are to be read tongue in cheek. I agree with you totally, that the extending of the time for obtaining November indulgences for the deceased is great news.
Fr Sotelo,
No worries, I understood you perfectly!
mysticalrose,
This sounds like 2 separate indulgences are involved: the All Souls Day indulgence and the separate indulgence for visiting a cemetery during first 8 days of November.
I’m not sure, but those might have to be gained on separate days. Normally plenary indulgences are only one per day, unless one is in danger of death. If I am wrong, someone please correct me.
This is a very nice change.
And I approve this message [thanks for the heads-up Fr. Z].
They are about to close UK churches again. What do we do about com and conf for the indulgence?
Father:
In the past, I’ve visited a cemetery and prayed for one (different) soul each day from November 1st-8th. Was that correct? Does this 2020 decree mean that we can receive an indulgence for one person each day of November? Can you dumb-it-down for me; I’ll do whatever is the rule. Thanks as always.
Yup, that is exactly what it means! Yay!
Father Z
Regarding ‘The plenary indulgence granted for visited a cemetery to pray for the dead from 1-8 November, is extended to other days of the month as the faithful choose” does this mean if I visit a cemetery and pray for the souls every day in November that I could gain 30 plenary indulgences (provided I comply with the usual norms of course)? Or does it mean any 8 days in November?
Sorry if that’s a dumb question but I want to be clear on the matter. Thank you.
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As I read the decree, there are 8 plenary indulgences available to be obtained by visiting a cemetery. Normally they are to be obtained between the 1st and 8th of November. This year these 8 indulgences can be obtained on any 8 days of November.
Incidentally, the November 2 indulgence for visiting a church normally overlaps the November 1-8 indulgence, so only 8 plenary indulgences can be obtained.
This year, if you transfer it to a different day from the others, you can obtain 9.
Thank you, Fr Kelly.
In English here https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/10/23/201023b.html
Are we still supposed to be praying for “the Intention of the Pope,” if it is heretical?
Thanks Fr. K.
What do the words following visiting a cemetery mean: “vel mente
tantum”? “Or only mentally”? So I don’t actually have to go to a cemetery, only think about it. How nice.
I believe so long as all the conditions have been met/ completed, we can receive a Plenatory Indulgence every day..30 I’m hoping for.
I think if you are in lockdown, and can’t get to confession of Holy Communion, then say your confession to God with a promise to a
Go as soon as possible and a spiritual Communion uniting yourself to the faithful and a mental visit to the cemetery.
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aurbert “I believe so long as all the conditions have been met/ completed, we can receive a Plenatory Indulgence every day”
This is interesting, but the Church is the one who determines the conditions and requirements for indulgences. Paragraph a of the decree says: (translated slavishly)
The plenary indulgence for piously visiting a cemetery and there, at least mentally praying for the dead, for each of 8 days, customarily fixed from the first to the eighth of November only, may be transferred for the utility of the faithful to other days in the month of November adding up to eight, even if they are separated from each other to be chosen freely by each of the faithful.
plenaria Indulgentia pro pie visitantibus coemeterium et, vel mente
tantum, pro defunctis exorantibus, singulis octo diebus, more solito a primo
usque ad octavum Novembris tantum adfixa, pro fidelium utilitate, in alios dies
usque ad octo, etiam seiunctos, intra mensem Novembrem transferri possit, a
singulis fidelibus libere eligendos;
Enchiriduon Indulgentiarum Conc. 29 2.1 says that on other days they indulgence is partial.
Grateful to be Catholic: “vel mente tantum” refers to the prayers being offered, not the visit to the cemetery.
Which (I guess) does mean that we can have one plenary indulgence more: normally, only one of the two indulgences “Church indulgence on All Souls” and “Cemetry indulgence on Nov 2nd” can be won as a plenary one. In this year, one of the to (or both) can be transferred to other days.
That’s how I read it, Imrahil. This year, we can gain a total of 9 between the two grants.
But partial indulgences are worth gaining too. I applaud the effort to visit a cemetery every day during November to pray for the dead.