Indulgences

[StephenF]

Indulgences, like the Tridentine Mass have never been abrogated but I cannot recall the last time I heard a priest refer to them.  I am aware of the "Enchiridion" (sic)  of indulgences but have not seen it in some time.  Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory has also disappeared.   Is it worth the effort to try to see these things revivied?  Your thoughts, please...  

[thoma]

Both of my parish priests have spoken on indulgences.  Our associate pastor is a 40 y.o. is a good, conservative NO priest who celebrates Mass with reverence; he is excited about saying the TLM. He mentions indulgences a lot. 

The pastor is a "nice guy" priest -loves God, is somewhat loosey-goosey in sticking to the rubrics, rarely tackles the hard issues, and is everybody friend- but even he has talked about indulgences in connection with Divine Mercy Sunday.

[PaxVobiscum]

I think Indulgences are so badly understood by Catholics today, and are still a major anti-Catholic talking point (never mind that it's been centuries since crooked priests sold them) that it might be best not to talk about them until people get used to the Traditional Latin Mass.  Just my opinion.  

Better, I think, to first encourage more prayers for the poor souls in Purgatory, public Rosaries, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Corpus Christ processions, novenas, etc., plus more knowledge of the Faith, particularly the Real Presence.

As you said in another thread, everything traditionally Catholic was thrown out with the statues and altar rails.  I'm glad I wasn't Catholic then; it would have broken my heart to see the statues thrown out as you did.  It's a miracle anyone stayed in the Church.  Those of you who stayed are truly the faithful.

[Aloysius]

Indulgences MUST be spoken of.  People are spiritually starving  without them.  The sincere Catholic who knows nothing of  indulgences seeks and obtains forgiveness, but never begins to be  healed and actually fix the problem.
 
  It's not a question of what people are used to, or how to best advance  the cause of tradition; it's a question of whether people are given the  chance to heal the damage caused to their souls by sin.  Whether  or not we speak of applying them to others, such as the Church  Suffering in Purgatory, is of less importance but we should still not  treat the issue like some strategic thing to be not talked about until  people get used to other traditional ideas.
 

[remnant]

I try to obtain one every chance I get. This is part of the Church's treasury. We have the privilege of obtaining them for souls in purgatory, and the obligation to do so as well. And if we only truly understood them, why would you NOT want to gain them for your self??
We are talking about "get out of jail free" cards here. Skip your purgatory!

[MagisterMusicae]

Indulgences, like the Tridentine Mass have never been abrogated but I cannot recall the last time I heard a priest refer to them.  I am aware of the "Enchiridion" (sic)  of indulgences but have not seen it in some time.  Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory has also disappeared.   Is it worth the effort to try to see these things revivied?  

An indulgence is a favor granted by the Pope, using his authority, to attach some remission of the temporal punishment due by sins (either partial or plenary), upon the performance of some charitable act.

Since it is a favor granted, these favors can be revoked. A Pope may remove an indulgence. "Abrogation" is not a proper term for Indulgences in general, as no Pope could do away with the concept of an Indulgence. No one has ever claimed that Indulgences have been "abrogated" as some have done with regard to the Traditional Mass.

It used to be that some amount of time was attached to an Indulgence (days, years, quarantines, etc). This was the equivalent time of doing public penance. A quarantine was 40 days. Thus a 7 year partial Indulgence would be the equivalent to confessing and doing 7 years of penance toward my sins.

Pope Paul VI did, however, modify the way the Church approaches Indulgences. Now, instead of time, an Indulgence is either plenary (remits all temporal punishment due to past sins), or partial (remits some of the temporal punishment due to past sins).

Of course Indulgences and the acts of charity and devotions attached should be encouraged. As with all supplementary devotions, however, they should be encouraged as supplementary to the daily prayers that are more obligatory by their relation to our daily life : Morning and Evening prayers, Rosary, Prayers at Meals, Daily Mass.

[OrateFratres]

In the modern church today, yes, we don't hear much about them. But, like the others said above me, they are still living and present. For example, you could still use your, say, 1960 Catholic Prayer Book of Indulgences and still obtain the graces.