Dear Catholic Exchange:
About private revelations that there are priests and religious in purgatory: Didn't they know about and avail themselves of plenary indulgences? Number 28 in the 1968 Enchiridion of Indulgences states, “To the faithful in danger of death, who cannot be assisted by a priest to bring them the sacraments and impart the Apostolic Blessing with its plenary indulgence Holy Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime.” (I'm presuming the 1988 edition says the same.) According to this it sounds like it should be fairly easy to go straight to heaven, unless “properly disposed” is a very rigorous requirement. Is this similar to the “no attachment to venial sin” requirement to gain a plenary indulgence? Also, is “no attachment” a requirement for the plenary indulgence associated with Divine Mercy Sunday?
Thanks, and God bless you.
Pyrophobic in Mississippi
Dear Pyrophobic,
Peace in Christ!
For your reference here is a hyperlink to our Faith Facts on Purgatory and Indulgences, some of over two hundred available at our website www.cuf.org.
This is the relevant excerpt from our Faith Fact on purgatory dealing with the conditions to obtain a plenary indulgence.
“To obtain a plenary indulgence, one must complete five requirements: 1) completion of the prescribed act itself; 2) be free from the attachment to any sin, even venial; 3) receive absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation; 4) receive the most Holy Eucharist; 5) pray for the intentions of the Holy Father. Even if a person is not conscious of grave sin, he must go to Confession. Though the last three conditions may be fulfilled within one week of performing the prescribed act, it is fitting to receive Communion and pray for the Pope’s intentions on the same day that the prescribed work is completed.”
The freedom from attachment to all sin makes the plenary indulgence most difficult to achieve, for obtaining a plenary indulgence implies nearly complete sanctification insofar as this is possible in this world. Forgetting this essential condition of sanctity concurrent with or as a result of performing indulgenced actions (including Divine Mercy Sunday or other devotions) can lead to the erroneous idea that salvation is mainly about jumping through certain hoops. Indulgences and indulgenced activities only have value insofar as they are done in a spirit of repentance and conversion; this is the meaning of “properly disposed.” They are a route to sanctity through communion with the whole Church and are by no means a substitute for sanctity. If done well they can assist in a person’s ongoing conversion; apart from conversion and sactification, indulgenced actions have no magical power to render a person more pleasing to God or guarantee a better final judgment.
United in the Faith,
Pete Brown
Information Specialist
Catholics United for the Faith
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)
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