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Indulgences
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Indulgences (Topic Page)
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"Can.
993 An indulgence is partial or plenary insofar as it partially or
totally frees from the temporal punishment due to sins."
(1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
994 All members of the faithful can gain indulgences, partial or
plenary, for themselves, or they can apply them by way of suffrage
to the dead." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"An indulgence is the remission granted by the Church of
the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven."
(Baltimore Catechism)
"A plenary Indulgence is that by which the whole temporal
punishment due to our sins is remitted." (Catechism of Pope
Pius X)
"A partial Indulgence is that by which is remitted only a
part of the temporal punishment due to our sins." (Catechism
of Pope Pius X)
"We should set the greatest value on Indulgences because
by them we satisfy the justice of God and obtain possession of
Heaven sooner and more easily." (Catechism of Pope Pius X)
"Can.
997 As regards the granting and use of indulgences, the other
prescripts contained in the special laws of the Church must also
be observed." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Indulgences
are granted in virtue of the power conferred on the prelates of
the Church." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"Can.
930 No one gaining indulgences can apply them to other people
[still] in life; unless otherwise established, all indulgences
granted by the Roman Pontiff are applicable to the souls detained
in purgatory." (1917 Code of Canon Law)
"To gain an indulgence for ourselves we must be in the
state of grace, have at least a general intention of gaining the
indulgence, and perform the works required by the Church."
(Baltimore Catechism)
"[T]he souls in Purgatory can be relieved by our prayers,
alms-deeds, all our other good works, and by indulgences, but
above all by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass." (Catechism of
Pope Pius X)
"An Indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment
due on account of our sins which have been already pardoned as far
as their guilt is concerned - a remission [of punishment, not of
guilt] accorded by the Church
outside the sacrament of Penance." (Catechism of Pope Pius X)
"By an Indulgence of forty or a hundred days, or of seven
years and the like, is meant the remission of so much of the
temporal punishment as would have been paid by penances of forty
or a hundred days, or seven years, anciently prescribed in the
Church." (Catechism of Pope Pius X)
"The Church by means of Indulgences remits this temporal
punishment by applying to us the superabundant merits of Jesus
Christ, of the Blessed Virgin and of the Saints, which constitute
what is known as the Treasury of the Church." (Catechism of
Pope Pius X)
"The
remission which is granted by means of indulgences does not
destroy the proportion between punishment and sin, since someone
has spontaneously taken upon himself the punishment due for
another's guilt" (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church
and "greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"Although
indulgences avail much for the remission of punishment, yet works
of satisfaction are more meritorious in respect of the essential
reward, which infinitely transcends the remission of temporal
punishment." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"The
effect of sacramental absolution is the removal of a man's guilt,
an effect which is not produced by indulgences. But he who grants
indulgences pays the debt of punishment which a man owes, out of
the common stock of the Church's goods" (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian in the history
of the Church")
"Can.
911 Everyone should greatly value indulgences, that is, a
remission in the presence of God of the temporal punishment owed
because of sins, the fault attached to which is already forgiven,
that ecclesiastical authority grants from the treasury of the
Church by mode of
absolution to the living and through the mode of
suffrages for the dead." (1917 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
995 §1 Apart from the supreme authority in the Church, only those
can grant indulgences to whom this power is either acknowledged in
the law, or given by the Roman Pontiff. §2 No authority below the
Roman Pontiff can give to others the faculty of granting
indulgences, unless this authority has been expressly given to the
person by the Apostolic See." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
992 An indulgence is the remission before God of temporal
punishment for sins whose guilt is already forgiven, which a
properly disposed member of the Christian faithful gains under
certain and defined conditions by the assistance of the Church
which as minister of redemption dispenses and applies
authoritatively the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and
the saints." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
996 §1 To be capable of gaining indulgences, a person must be
baptized, not excommunicated, and in the state of grace at least
at the completion of the prescribed works. §2 To gain
indulgences, however, a capable subject must have at least the
general intention of acquiring them and must fulfill the enjoined
works in the established time and in the manner determined by the
terms of the grant." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Since
the power of granting indulgences was conferred by Christ on the
Church, and she has made use of such power divinely given to her,
[cf. Matt. 16:19; 18:18] even in the earliest times, the holy
Synod teaches and commands that the use of indulgences, most
salutary to a Christian people and approved by the authority of
the sacred Councils, is to be retained in the Church, and it
condemns those with anathema who assert that they are useless or
deny that there is in the Church the power of granting them."
(Council of Trent, 1563 A.D.)
"The
Pope has the plenitude of pontifical power, being like a king in
his kingdom: whereas the bishops are appointed to a share in his
solicitude, like judges over each city. Hence them alone the Pope,
in his letters, addresses as brethren, whereas he calls all others
his sons. Therefore the plenitude of the power of granting
indulgences resides in the Pope, because he can grant them, as he
lists, provided the cause be a lawful one: while, in bishops, this
power resides subject to the Pope's ordination, so that they can
grant them within fixed limits and not beyond." (St. Thomas
Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian in the
history of the Church")
"Temporal
things are subordinate to spiritual matters, since we must make
use of temporal things on account of spiritual things.
Consequently an indulgence must not be granted for the sake of
temporal matters as such, but in so far as they are subordinate to
spiritual things: such as the quelling of the Church's enemies,
who disturb her peace; or such as the building of a church, of a
bridge, and other forms of almsgiving. It is therefore evident
that there is no simony in these transactions, since a spiritual
thing is exchanged, not for a temporal but for a spiritual
commodity." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"In
virtue of the power of the Keys, which she has received from Jesus
Christ, the Church may free the faithful from every obstacle to
their entrance into glory. She exercises this power in the
Sacrament of Penance, where she absolves them from their sins; she
exercises it also outside of the Sacrament, in remitting the debt
of temporal punishment which remains after the absolution; in this
second instance it is the indulgence. The remission of temporal
punishment by indulgences is granted to the faithful in this life
only; but the Church may authorize her children whilst still
living to transfer to their departed friends the remission
accorded to themselves; this is the indulgence applicable to the
souls in Purgatory." (Fr. Schouppe)
"Grace
affords a better remedy for the avoidance of sin than does
habituation to (good) works. And since he who gains an indulgence
is disposed to grace through the love which he conceives for the
cause for which the indulgence is granted, it follows that
indulgences provide a remedy against sin. Consequently it is not
harmful to grant indulgences unless this be done without
discretion. Nevertheless those who gain indulgences should be
advised, not, on this account, to omit the penitential works
imposed on them, so that they may derive a remedy from these also,
even though they may be quit of the debt of punishment; and all
the more, seeing that they are often more in debt than they
think." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"Indulgences
are, in the Church, a true spiritual treasure laid open to all the
faithful; all are permitted to draw therefrom, to pay their own
debts and those of others...[H]ow culpable we are if in such
abundance we remain poor and destitute ourselves and neglect to
assist others. Alas! The souls in Purgatory are in such extreme
necessity, they supplicate us with tears in the midst of their
torments; we have the means of paying their debts by indulgences,
and we make not endeavor to do so. Does access to this treasury
demand painful efforts on our parts, such as fastings, journeys,
and privations insupportable to nature? 'Even though such were the
case,' says with reason the eloquent Father Segneri, 'we should
submit to them.' Do we not see how men for love of gold, in order
to preserve a work of art, to save a part of their fortune or a
precious fabric, expose themselves to the flames of a fire? Ought
we not then to do at least as much to save from expiatory flames
those souls ransomed by the Blood of Jesus Christ? But Divine
goodness asks nothing so painful: it requires only such works as
are ordinary and easy - a Rosary, a Communion, a visit to the
Blessed Sacrament, an alms or the teaching of the elements of the
Catechism to abandoned children. And we neglect to acquire the
most precious treasures by such easy means, and have no desire to
apply them to our poor relatives languishing the flames of
Purgatory." (Fr. Schouppe)
"An
indulgence may profit a person in two ways: in one way,
principally; in another, secondarily. It profits principally the
person who avails himself of an indulgence, who, namely, does that
for which the indulgence is granted, for instance one who visits
the shrine of some saint. Hence since the dead can do none of
those things for which indulgences are granted, indulgences cannot
avail them directly. However, they profit secondarily and
indirectly the person for whom one does that which is the cause of
the indulgence. This is sometimes feasible and sometimes not,
according to the different forms of indulgence. For if the form of
indulgence be such as this: 'Whosoever does this or that shall
gain so much indulgence,' he who does this cannot transfer the
fruit of the indulgence to another, because it is not in his power
to apply to a particular person the intention of the Church who
dispenses the common suffrages whence indulgences derive their
value... If, however, the indulgence be granted in this form:
'Whosoever does this or that, he, his father, or any other person
connected with him and detained in purgatory, will gain so much
indulgence,' an indulgence of this kind will avail not only a
living but also a deceased person. For there is no reason why the
Church is able to transfer the common merits, whereon indulgences
are based, to the living and not to the dead. Nor does it follow
that a prelate of the Church can release souls from purgatory just
as he lists, since for indulgences to avail there must be a
fitting cause for granting them" (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor
of the Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the
Church")
"I
answer that, All admit that indulgences have some value, for it
would be blasphemy to say that the Church does anything in vain.
But some say that they do not avail to free a man from the debt of
punishment which he has deserved in Purgatory according to God's
judgment, and that they merely serve to free him from the
obligation imposed on him by the priest as a punishment for his
sins, or from the canonical penalties he has incurred. But this
opinion does not seem to be true. First, because it is expressly
opposed to the privilege granted to Peter, to whom it was said
(Matthew 16:19) that whatsoever he should loose on earth should be
loosed also in heaven. Wherefore whatever remission is granted in
the court of the Church holds good in the court of God. Moreover
the Church by granting such indulgences would do more harm than
good, since, by remitting the punishment she had enjoined on a
man, she would deliver him to be punished more severely in
Purgatory. Hence we must say on the contrary that indulgences hold
good both in the Church's court and in the judgment of God, for
the remission of the punishment which remains after contrition,
absolution, and confession, whether this punishment be enjoined or
not. The reason why they so avail is the oneness of the mystical
body in which many have performed works of satisfaction exceeding
the requirements of their debts; in which, too, many have
patiently borne unjust tribulations whereby a multitude of
punishments would have been paid, had they been incurred. So great
is the quantity of such merits that it exceeds the entire debt of
punishment due to those who are living at this moment: and this is
especially due to the merits of Christ: for though He acts through
the sacraments, yet His efficacy is nowise restricted to them, but
infinitely surpasses their efficacy. Now one man can satisfy for
another, as we have explained [earlier]. And the saints in
whom this super-abundance of satisfactions is found, did not
perform their good works for this or that particular person, who
needs the remission of his punishment (else he would have received
this remission without any indulgence at all), but they performed
them for the whole Church in general, even as the Apostle declares
that he fills up 'those things that are wanting of the sufferings
of Christ ... for His body, which is the Church' to whom he wrote
(Colossians 1:24). These merits, then, are the common property of
the whole Church. Now those things which are the common property
of a number are distributed to the various individuals according
to the judgment of him who rules them all. Hence, just as one man
would obtain the remission of his punishment if another were to
satisfy for him, so would he too if another's satisfactions be
applied to him by one who has the power to do so." (St.
Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian
in the history of the Church")
"Indulgences
are effective, in as much as the works of satisfaction done by one
person are applied to another, not only by virtue of charity, but
also by the intention of the person who did them being directed in
some way to the person to whom they are applied. Now a person's
intention may be directed to another in three ways, specifically,
generically and individually. Individually, as when one person
offers satisfaction for another particular person; and thus anyone
can apply his works to another. Specifically, as when a person
prays for the congregation to which he belongs, for the members of
his household, or for his benefactors, and directs his works of
satisfaction to the same intention: in this way the superior of a
congregation can apply those works to some other person, by
applying the intention of those who belong to his congregation to
some fixed individual. Generically, as when a person directs his
works for the good of the Church in general; and thus he who
presides over the whole Church can communicate those works, by
applying his intention to this or that individual. And since a man
is a member of a congregation, and a congregation is a part of the
Church, hence the intention of private good includes the intention
of the good of the congregation, and of the good of the whole
Church. Therefore he who presides over the Church can communicate
what belongs to an individual congregation or to an individual
man: and he who presides over a congregation can communicate what
belongs to an individual man, but not conversely. Yet neither the
first nor the second communication is called an indulgence, but
only the third; and this for two reasons. First, because, although
those communications loose man from the debt of punishment in the
sight of God, yet he is not freed from the obligation of
fulfilling the satisfaction enjoined, to which he is bound by a
commandment of the Church; whereas the third communication frees
man even from this obligation. Secondly, because in one person or
even in one congregation there is not such an unfailing supply of
merits as to be sufficient both for the one person or congregation
and for all others; and consequently the individual is not freed
from the entire debt of punishment unless satisfaction is offered
for him individually, to the very amount that he owes. On the
other hand, in the whole Church there is an unfailing supply of
merits, chiefly on account of the merit of Christ. Consequently he
alone who is at the head of the Church can grant indulgences.
Since, however, the Church is the congregation of the faithful,
and since a congregation of men is of two kinds, the domestic,
composed of members of the same family, and the civil, composed of
members of the same nationality, the Church is like to a civil
congregation, for the people themselves are called the Church;
while the various assemblies, or parishes of one diocese are
likened to a congregation in the various families and services.
Hence a bishop alone is properly called a prelate of the Church,
wherefore he alone, like a bridegroom, receives the ring of the
Church. Consequently full power in the dispensation of the
sacraments, and jurisdiction in the public tribunal, belong to him
alone as the public person, but to others by delegation from him.
Those priests who have charge of the people are not prelates
strictly speaking, but assistants, hence, in consecrating priests
the bishop says: 'The more fragile we are, the more we need these
assistants': and for this reason they do not dispense all the
sacraments. Hence parish priests, or abbots or other like prelates
cannot grant indulgences." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the
Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the
Church")
"For
some maintain that indulgences have not the efficacy claimed for
them, but that they simply avail each individual in proportion to
his faith and devotion. And consequently those who maintain this,
say that the Church publishes her indulgences in such a way as, by
a kind of pious fraud, to induce men to do well, just as a mother
entices her child to walk by holding out an apple. But this seems
a very dangerous assertion to make. For as Augustine states (Ep.
78 ad Hieron.), 'if any error were discovered in Holy Writ, the
authority of Holy Writ would perish.' In like manner, if any error
were to be found in the Church's preaching, her doctrine would
have no authority in settling questions of faith. Hence others
have maintained that indulgences avail as much as is claimed for
them, according to a just estimate, not of him who grants it - who
perhaps puts too high a value on it - nor of the recipient - for
he may prize too highly the gift he receives, but a just estimate
according to the estimate of good men who consider the condition
of the person affected, and the utility and needs of the Church,
for the Church's needs are greater at one time than at another.
Yet, neither, seemingly, can this opinion stand. First, because in
that case indulgences would no longer be a remission, but rather a
mere commutation. Moreover the preaching of the Church would not
be excused from untruth, since, at times, indulgences are granted
far in excess of the requirements of this just estimate, taking
into consideration all the aforesaid conditions, as, for example,
when the Pope granted to anyone who visited a certain church, an
indulgence of seven years, which indulgence was granted by Blessed
Gregory for the Roman Stations. Hence others say that the quantity
of remission accorded in an indulgence is not to be measured by
the devotion of the recipient, as the first opinion suggested, nor
according to the quantity of what is given, as the second opinion
held; but according to the cause for which the indulgence is
granted, and according to which a person is held deserving of
obtaining such an indulgence. Thus according as a man approached
near to that cause, so would he obtain remission in whole or in
part. But neither will this explain the custom of the Church, who
assigns, now a greater, now a lesser indulgence, for the same
cause: thus, under the same circumstances, now a year's
indulgence, now one of only forty days, according to the
graciousness of the Pope, who grants the indulgence, is granted to
those who visit a church. Wherefore the amount of the remission
granted by the indulgence is not to be measured by the cause for
which a person is worthy of an indulgence. We must therefore say
otherwise that the quantity of an effect is proportionate to the
quantity of the cause. Now the cause of the remission of
punishment effected by indulgences is no other than the abundance
of the Church's merits, and this abundance suffices for the
remission of all punishment. The effective cause of the remission
is not the devotion, or toil, or gift of the recipient; nor,
again, is it the cause for which the indulgence was granted. We
cannot, then, estimate the quantity of the remission by any of the
foregoing, but solely by the merits of the Church - and these are
always superabundant. Consequently, according as these merits are
applied to a person so does he obtain remission. That they should
be so applied demands, firstly, authority to dispense this
treasure; secondly, union between the recipient and Him Who
merited it - and this is brought about by charity; thirdly, there
is required a reason for so dispensing this treasury, so that the
intention, namely, of those who wrought these meritorious works is
safeguarded, since they did them for the honor of God and for the
good of the Church in general. Hence whenever the cause assigned
tends to the good of the Church and the honor of God, there is
sufficient reason for granting an indulgence. Hence, according to
others, indulgences have precisely the efficacy claimed for them,
provided that he who grants them have the authority, that the
recipient have charity, and that, as regards the cause, there be
piety which includes the honor of God and the profit of our
neighbor. Nor in this view have we 'too great a market of the
Divine mercy' (Saint Bonaventure, Sententiarum iv,20), as some
maintain, nor again does it derogate from Divine justice, for no
punishment is remitted, but the punishment of one is imputed to
another." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
Also
See: Indulgences
(Prayers & Devotions Section) | Expiation
| Purgatory
| Communion
of Saints | Treasury
of the Church | Sin
| Penance
| Purgatory
Release Project (Catholic Activities Section)
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