Definition: Indulgences
The Roman Catholic Church claims the power to excuse or release persons from all or part of the suffering coming to them in purgatory. This is done for good acts performed or prayers said. In the middle ages, indulgences were granted in exchange for donations to the church. Thus the scandal of the selling of indulgences, which was a primary factor in bringing about the Protestant reformation. While the practice of the selling of indulgences has been condemned, the Roman Catholic Church still grants indulgences for deeds and prayers. If a devout person gains more indulgences than they need to wipe out their own time in purgatory, they may assign the excess indulgences to persons (usually deceased) of their choosing. Certain prayers take three years off one’s sentence in purgatory. Other actions, usually performed over a period of days, carry a "plenary indulgence." That is, they release a soul from all their purgatorial sentence, no matter how long. Some Roman Catholics make a practice of collecting as many plenary indulgences as they can. They assign them first to their deceased relatives, and then to the souls in purgatory with the longest sentences. Such practices are incomprehensible to Christians outside the Roman Catholic Church (and to many within it as well).
The decree included the offer of a plenary, or full, indulgence to all the young people who will gather with the pope in Madrid. World Youth Day runs Aug. 16-21 in the Spanish capital; the pope arrives Aug. 18.
An indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. The conditions necessary for receiving a plenary indulgence include having recently gone to confession, receiving the Eucharist and offering prayers for the intentions of the pope.
Pope Benedict decreed that World Youth Day participants can receive a plenary indulgence if they participate with prayerful devotion in any sacred event or "pious exercise" as well as attend the closing Mass, receive the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist and offer prayers for the pope's intentions.
The decree, signed by Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, head of the Vatican office that deals with indulgences, said a partial indulgence also is available to all Catholics who are contrite for their sins and offer their prayers with the pope for young Catholics.
The cardinal also asked priests around the world to make themselves available to hear the confessions of those who want the indulgence and to encourage public prayers for the success of World Youth Day.
In central Madrid's Buen Retiro Park, 200 portable confessionals will be set up for confessions that begin Aug. 14. The pope will hear confessions at the park Aug. 20.
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