What Are You Looking For? Part 2: The Liturgy and the Sacraments

Reconciliation: Indulgences

Reconciliation: Indulgences

                If you were to ask almost any Protestant and even many Catholics what caused the Protestant Reformation, you would get one answer: the selling of indulgences.  Of the 95 Theses that Martin Luther nailed to the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg on November 1, 1517, this is the only one people really remember, unless you are an historian.  And the thought of the selling of indulgences still offends people today, even though they generally don’t know what they are, or how to obtain them.  And you’re probably wondering why I have them under the sacramental category of reconciliation.  That part is easy.  The Catechism has indulgences as part of the teaching on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

                The Sacrament of Reconciliation is all about sin.  There are two types of punishment for sin.  One is eternal: this would be the choice of heaven or hell.  The other is temporal.  It’s temporary, in that it’s not eternal.  The eternal punishment for un-confessed mortal sin is hell.  That choice must be made before we die.  Once we die, it’s too late.  There is nothing the deceased or their family can do to get them out of hell.  Ever.  That’s why it is so vitally important to confess any mortal sin as soon as possible after committing it.  Again, for a sin to be mortal, it must be a grave matter, you have to know it’s a grave matter (not agree with the teaching that it’s a grave matter, or even understand why it’s a grave matter, but know the Church teaches it’s a grave matter), and then you have to do it anyway.  The Church does not now, nor has it ever, taught that an indulgence can get someone out of hell.  Or keep someone who dies in a state of mortal sin from going to hell.  Indulgences have absolutely nothing to do with someone in the state of mortal sin.

                So just what is an indulgence, and what is it for?  Indulgences come in two categories: plenary and partial.  And there are, and always have been, conditions that must be met in both cases.  A plenary indulgence is kind of a “get out of Purgatory free card”.  Except that you shouldn’t use it on yourself, but on others who have died but weren’t in a state of mortal sin.  All those “normal, average” Christians that weren’t purified enough in this life to enter directly into the beatific vision.  If you obtain a plenary indulgence for yourself, it is only good for that day, should you die.  That’s why you should obtain them for those already in Purgatory.  Then when you pass, someone will do the same for you.

                How does one obtain a plenary indulgence?  First, you must be a Catholic.  You can’t be a Protestant and obtain an indulgence, just like you can’t avail yourself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation if you are a Protestant.  To reap the benefits of the Sacraments of the Church, you must be a part of the Church.  Next, you must be in a state of grace.  This means no un-confessed mortal sin in your life.  You must go to Mass that day and receive the Eucharist (hence the need for being in a state of grace).  You must have recently gone to confession.  By “recently” I mean within the past week or so, not within the past six months or so.  You have to pray for the Pope’s intentions.  (No, you don’t have to know what they are.  A Hail Mary and an Our Father for the intention of the Pope covers this.)  You must intend to obtain the indulgence.  In other words, it doesn’t just automatically happen, unless you habitually intend to gain a plenary indulgence for those in Purgatory.  And you must be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin.  That’s the basics for obtaining a plenary indulgence.  After all of these conditions have been met, then you still have to do something more.  There are lots of options.  One of them is to devoutly read the Bible for 30 minutes.  Another is to devoutly pray the Marian Rosary in a church, chapel or oratory with a group.  There’s a short list available on the USCCB website, as well as a list specific to the Year of Faith.     

So if this is what is required for a plenary indulgence, what is a partial indulgence?  A partial indulgence is granted (by God, as are all indulgences) when you have fulfilled some of the requirements for a plenary indulgence, but not all of them, or you have fulfilled all of the requirements but not perfectly.  That’s why God is the true granter of indulgences.  Only he is going to know if you are truly free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin.  The Church just lists the conditions under which you could attain an indulgence.  Only God knows if you met them all perfectly or not.

                As you can clearly see, you can never just “buy” an indulgence, plenary or otherwise.  How do you “buy” or “sell” attendance at Mass?  Or no attachment to sin, even venial sin?  It’s impossible, yet these have always been the basic requirements for anyone seeking to obtain an indulgence.  Yes, there have been times, perhaps still are, when making certain charitable contributions to certain things may have been one of the things you could do, but the basic list always had to be completed as well.  You never could just “buy” an indulgence and then go and sin all you want.  Not in Luther’s day, and certainly not in our day.