Pope authorizes indulgences for Year of Faith

(October 5, 2012) Catholics worldwide who participate in pilgrimages, visits, prayers, practices of piety and other activities that lead to more profound faith life can obtain plenary indulgences during the Year of Faith that begins on Oct. 11 and ends on Nov. 24, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI has authorized the indulgences for the faithful “who join the Successor of Peter, during this time of spiritual grace that the Lord offers us, in recalling the precious gift of faith,” said a decree released on Friday by Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro, head of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, which deals with indulgences. An indulgence removes fully or partially the temporal punishment due for sins that have already been forgiven in confession. There are a number of prerequisites that a person must fulfil in order to obtain an indulgence, namely going to confession, receiving Holy Communion, praying for the intentions of the Pope and total detachment from sin. The penitent can alternatively obtain indulgence for the souls of the dead. The decree, signed Sept. 14 but made public on Friday, listed numerous occasions in which Catholics who are truly repentant can participate in order to obtain plenary indulgences. They include programmes such as reading in churches or any suitable place of sacred texts, the Acts of the Second Vatican Council or nd the Catechism of the Catholic Church, making a pilgrimage to a basilica, catacomb, cathedral or minor basilicas and Marian Shrines, participating in a sacred function or meditating and praying the Our Father and the Credo. One can also visit the baptistery or the place where he or she was baptized and renew the baptismal vows. The decree noted that those unable to participate in public manifestations of faith because of valid reasons such as sickness, old age or imprisonment, can also obtain indulgences if they are spiritually united with the events in which the words of Pope or bishops are broadcast on television or radio, or pray the Our Father and make the profession of faith.