St. Vincent's Manual/On Indulgences
ON INDULGENCES.
ARTICLE I.
OF THE PUNISHMENT DUE TO SIN.
THERE are two sorts of actual sins, viz.: Mortal and Venial.
Mortal sin deserves an inconceivable and eternal punishment; for is of faith, that whoever, at his death, is found guilty of but one Mortal sin, shall be banished from the presence of God, excluded from the society of the Saints, and precipitated into hell, there to dwell for ever with the devils and reprobates in the most dreadful torments.
Whatever may be the language of the world, or the cry of passions, with regard to this point of doctrine, we must either admit it, or else entirely renounce the Christian faith; for no one of its dogmas is more clearly announced, or more expressly taught.
God, in his infinite mercy, has been pleased to furnish us with the means of escaping from the abyss of sin, when we have had the misfortune of falling into it, viz.: a true repentance joined to the sacrament of penance; or, when it is not in our power to recur to this sacrament, the same sincere repentance, founded on the love of God above all things, with the desire to do so.
But, when a sinner has received the grace of justification, by approaching the sacrament; he does not always receive the remission of all the pains due to his sins. This is an article of faith, set down in express terms by the Council of Trent. Sess. 14, Canon 12.
The eternal pain is remitted without any restriction; but there generally remains a temporal pain to be undergone for a longer or shorter time, according to the nature of the sin, and the dispositions of the penitent: and this necessary atonement must be made either in this life or in the next.
On this truth were founded the severe canonical penances formerly inflicted by the Church on repenting sinners. Three, seven, ten, even fifteen or twenty years fasting on bread and water, privations and humiliations even for a whole life, were sometimes prescribed for one single sin; and even these were not thought to exceed the degree of satisfaction due to the justice of God.
If the Church, at this present time, treats sinners with greater indulgence and mercy, it is not because, she considers them less guilty, or their faults less deserving of punishment: sin is always the same — always equally deserving of punishment.
Those who die without having made the necessary atonement shall have to endure long and severe pains in purgatory. Even venial sin, not expiated in this world, will be punished in purgatory.
If, then, the pain due to one sin is such, what must be the immense debt of a sinner who has passed whole years in the most criminal habits, and to whom we may apply the words of the Royal Prophet ; He has multiplied his iniquities above the number of the hairs of his head.
God alone can know the extent of the obligations of the sinner to his justice, even after the guilt has been remitted by his mercy, and the soul has recovered sanctifying grace.
Were we deeply penetrated with these sacred truths, we would endeavor to offer to God every day some satisfaction, in order to diminish, if we cannot entirely cancel, the debt we have contracted.
It is to sinners thus disposed, that the Church, by her Indulgences, offers a means to supply their insufficiency.
ARTICLE II.
OF THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF INDULGENCES.
BY Indulgence we understand a release from the temporal punishment due to actual sins, already remitted as to the guilt, granted out of the sacrament of penance, by those who have the power of dispensing the spiritual treasures of the Church.
We say, 1st, A release from the temporal punishment; because an Indulgence cannot remit the eternal punishment. 2dly, Due to actual sins; because baptism leaves no punishment to be undergone. 3dly, Already remitted as to the guilt; because we cannot obtain the remission of temporal punishment due to sin, whilst the sin itself remains. 4thly, Granted out of the sacrament of penance; because, although the priest, in remitting the sin in the tribunal of penance, remits also a part of the temporal punishment, in proportion to the dispositions of the penitent, yet a part often remains, which may be remitted by an Indulgence out of the sacrament of penance. 5thly, By those who have the power of dispensing, &c.; because the granting of Indulgence is an act of jurisdiction, and therefore supposes a legitimate authority in the one who exercises it. 6thly, The spiritual treasures of the Church; the spiritual treasures of the Church are the merits and satisfaction of Jesus Christ and the Saints, out of which the Church, when she grants an indulgence to her children, offers to God an equivalent for the punishment which was due to the divine justice. For the merits and satisfaction of Jesus Christ are of infinite value; they can never be exhausted; they are the source of all our good. The merits and satisfaction of the Saints, as they have their value from Jesus Christ, and through him are accepted by the Father, so, by the communion, which all the members of Jesus Christ's mystical body have one with another, are applicable to the faithful upon earth.
That our Lord Jesus Christ has given his Church the power to grant Indulgences, is evident from the inspired volume; for, 1st, he says to St. Peter: Thou art Peter . . . and I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. St. Matt, xvi 19. In which words our Saviour gives to St. Peter, as the Chief Pastor of his Church, an ample and universal power to conduct the faithful to heaven, by loosing them from every thing that might hinder them from going thither; provided, always, they be properly disposed, and perform the conditions required upon their part. Now, there are only two things that can hinder a soul from going to heaven, viz.: the guilt of sin, and the debt of temporal punishment; until that debt be paid, none can enter therein: consequently, our Saviour's saying, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven, manifestly includes both, and assures us that, when the Chief Pastor looses the faithful from their sins in the sacrament of penance, or from the debt of temporal punishment, by granting an Indulgence, this sentence is ratified in heaven, and stands good in the sight of God himself. 2dly, On another occasion, declaring that he that will not hear the. Church— that is, the Pastors and Rulers of the Church — is to be considered as a heathen and a publican, he immediately says to these Pastors, in the person of all the Apostles: Amen, I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. St. Matt, xviii 18. In which words, by the same reasoning as in the former ease, we see the power of granting Indulgences conferred on the first Pastors or Bishops of the Church, as successors of the Apostles. It is given to the head of the Church with regard to all the faithful, and to the Bishops of the Church With regard to that portion of the faithful committed to their charge, to be exercised by them under such regulations as the Church herself, in her sacred Councils, has judged proper to appoint. 3dly, St. Paul though not one of the twelve Apostles present with our Saviour when this power was given them, both exercised it himself, towards the incestuous Corinthian, and recommended to the pastors of that church to do the same.
Indulgences are divided into Plenary and Partial.
A Plenary Indulgence remits all the temporal punishment due to sin, in such a manner, that, whoever gains it entirely, and receives the perfect application of it, becomes as pure before God as if he were just regenerated in Jesus Christ by the waters of baptism. Therefore, were we to die immediately after gaining the full benefit of a Plenary Indulgence, we would go immediately to heaven. But it is impossible to know if we have received the full benefit of any Indulgence; because the benefit we receive from Indulgences is proportionate to the perfection of our dispositions, and to the piety with which we have performed the works prescribed.
A Jubilee differs from a Plenary Indulgence, only inasmuch as it is accompanied with more privileges and more solemnity: every Pastor, in time of the Jubilee, has power to take off all excommunications, to absolve in all reserved cases, and to commute simple vows into other works of piety. The benefit of it extends to all the faithful, who, in a body, offer a holy violence to heaven by prayers and good works. The term between one Jubilee and another, is now fixed to twenty-five years, by Paul II and Sixtus IV, that, as the frailty of man to sin is very great, and man's life seems to shorten, every one, if possible, might enjoy this benefit. Upon extraordinary occasions, Jubilees are also sometimes published.
A Partial Indulgence remits only a part of the temporal pain due to sin.
In granting Indulgences of a determinate number of days, of weeks, or of years, the Pope does not pretend to abridge the sufferings of purgatory for such a length of time. His intention is to remit as much of the pain due to sin, as would have been remitted by the Canonical penance faithfully performed during a corresponding number of days, weeks or years: but the extent of this remission can never be known.
Perhaps Indulgences of many years, even reiterated and multiplied efforts to gain Plenary Indulgences, will not deliver us from all the pain due to our sins. We know, however, that Indulgences afford us a certain means of hastening our entrance into heaven; and this alone should induce us to do out very bast, to gain all we possibly can.
Indulgence for the deed are not muted by way of absolution, since the Pastors of the Church have no jurisdiction over the dead. They are available to the faithful departed, oniy by way of suffrage, or spiritual succor, applied to their souls, out of the treasure of the Church.
To gain an Indulgence, it is necessary, 1st, that we should be in a state of grace, and hare the intention to gain it. Should we perform an act to which an Indulgence is annexed, without thinking of it, or without having had the intention, we do not gain it. However, it is not necessary that this intention should be actual; for, it is sufficient to act in a human manner: now for this, only a virtual intention is necessary; that is to say, an intention which has been actual, and which is supposed to continue; although, through inadvertence or distraction, we had lost sight ot it. 2dly, That the conditions required, be exactly performed. For, as Indulgences are always granted on certain conditions to be complied with on our part, such as approaching the holy sacraments, works of charity and mercy, exercises of piety and religion, prayers for the necessities of the Church, and the like; if these conditions required are not exactly performed, as required, we have no title to the favor of the Indulgence. 3dly, To gain a Plenary Indulgence, we must receive the holy sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. Communion is to be received on the day for gaining the Indulgence, unless it is otherwise marked in the grant of the Indulgence. Confession may be made on the day previous, as well as on the day ; and those who are in the practice of confessing once a week, may gain several Plenary Indulgences in the same week, without being obliged to make a confession previous to each indulgence. We must also pray with devotion. This condition is sufficiently complied with, by saying the Our Father, and the Hail Mary five times, or he Litany of Jesus, or the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, for the praise and glory of God's holy name, for the exaltation of the holy Catholic Church, for the conversion of infidels and heretics, for peace and union between Christian nations, and for all the intentions of the same holy Church 4thly, To gain the full effect of a Plenary Indulgence, it also necessary to have a perfect repentance, and sincere detestation of all our sins, even of the least venial sin; because, as the punishment of sin will never be forgiven while the guilt of it remains in the soul, and as a sincere repentance is absolutely required for the remission of the guilt; therefore, this sincere repentance must precede the remission of the punishment. Hence we may see how few there are, who gain the full effect of a Plenary Indulgence, as there are few, who have a sincere and efficacious repentance of every venial sin, and a sincere and firm resolution of avoiding every sm, great or small, with all the probable occasions of sin. Still, this ought not to hinder us from doing our best to gain a Plenary Indulgence, when occasion offers; because, though we should not gain the whole effect of it, the more endeavors we use, and the better we be disposed, the more ample benefit we reap from it: and whereas, we can never be certain how far we gain this benefit, and have but too much reason, from our own imperfect dispositions, to fear that we may have yet a great debt remaining unpaid; therefore, oar endeavoring to gain an Indulgence ought not to make us remiss in leading a truly penitential life, but rather encourage us to do bo the more exactly; because, the more we endeavor by works, worthy of penance, to satisfy the divine justice, the better we will be disposed, when the opportunity cornea, for gaining more abundant effects of Indulgences: for, when we think we have done our best, it is perhaps little to what we ought to have done; and what we gain by Indulgences makes up for the deficiencies of human infirmity: besides, the spirit of the Church is to grant Indulgences to those only, who, on their part, sincerely endeavor to satisfy the divine justice. Any other idea of an Indulgence would be a strange illusion. An Indulgence then never exempts any one from the necessity of doing penance: penance has been commanded to all without any exception; and we ought to imitate Jesus Christ, as did the Saints, whose lives were a continual penance.
VARIOUS INDULGENCES.
I.
They who recite devoutly the Trisagium and Doxology, may, every day, gain an Indulgence of one hundred days and on every Sunday, and during the octave of Holy Trinity they may, three times a day, gain the same Indulgence: and they who recite these prayers daily, may, once a month, on a day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence.
The Trisagium is the canticle of the Seraphim, which the prophet Isaias heard them singing, prostrate in profound adoration, before the throne of God, and which St. John the evangelist heard repeated in the highest heavens, day and night, without any intermission.
The Doxology is often repeated by the Church, in her divine office, in honor of the most Holy Trinity.
All who have a lively faith in the ineffable mystery of three persons in one God, should, after the example of the celestial choirs, adore, bless, and praise the most Holy Trinity, as often as possible, and with all the fervor of which they are capable.
THE TRISAGIUM, OR THE CANTICLE OF THE SERAPHIM.
HOLY, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts! all the earth is full of his glory.
THE DOXOLOGY.
GLORY be to the Father; glory be to the Son, and glory be to the Holy Ghost.
II.
If three persons associate together in honor of the most Holy Trinity, of the Incarnation of the divine Word, and of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, to recite jointly, or separately, seven times, Glory be to the Father, &c., and once Hail Mary, three times a day, viz., morning, noon and evening, they may gain an Indulgence of one hundred days, each day of the week; of seven years, and seven times forty days, on each Sunday; and should they daily repeat them, a Plenary Indulgence twice each month, on two Sundays of their choice.
Should one of the three, thus united, die, of from any cause abandon this devotion, another must be chosen, that the union of three persons may always be preserved.
III.
They who recite devoutly, morning, noon, and evening, the Glory be to the Father, &c., three times, in thanksgiving to the most Holy Trinity, for the graces and privileges conferred on the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially! on the day of her glorious Assumption, may, every day, gain an Indulgence of three hundred days; ted they who daily recite these prayers, may once a month, On a day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence.
IV.
They who recite with devotion, the following offerings to the most Holy Trinity, to obtain a happy death, may, each time, gain one hundred days' Indulgence; and if they recite them daily, they may, once a month, on a day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence.
THREE OFFERINGS.
1.
MOST Holy Trinity, we offer thee the merits of Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for the precious blood he shed for us in the Garden of Olives; and by the same merits, we beseech thee to pardon us our sins.
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
2.
MOST Holy Trinity, we offer thee the merits of Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for the death he suffered for us on the cross; and by the same merits, we beseech thee to grant us the remission of all the punishment due to our sins.
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
3.
MOST Holy Trinity, we offer thee the merits of Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for the ineffable charity, which brought him from heaven, to become man, to suffer and die for us on the cross; and by the same merits, we beseech thee to grant us, at the hour of death, dispositions so perfect that our souls may be, immediately admitted to the glory of heaven.
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the father, &c.
They who say with devotion the acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity, expressing in them the special motive of each of these virtues, may, each time, gain an indulgence of seven years, and seven times forty days: should they say them daily, they may, once a month, on a day. at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence; and, at the article of death, a Plenary Indulgence.
N. B. No particular formula is necessary.
VI.
They who recite devoutly the following prayers to the most Holy Trinity, may, every day, gain one hundred days' Indulgence ; and they who recite them daily, may, on one of the three last days of each month, gain a Plenary Indulgence, provided, that having confessed and communicated, they visit some church or public oratory, and pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff.
PRAYERS.
O FATHER! O Son! O Holy Spirit! O most Holy Trinity! O Jesus! O Mary be blessed for ever.
O Angels and Saints of heaven! obtain for me these graces which I ask through, the blood of Jesus Christ:
To do always, the will of God.
To keep myself always in the holy presence of God.
To have God alone ever in view.
To love God alone.
To do every thing for God.
To seek only the glory of God.
To labor at the work of my perfection, from no other motive than the love of God.
To be sensible of my absolute nothingness.
To know more and more the will of my God.
O most holy Virgin! O Mary! offer to the eternal Father the precious blood of thy divine Son, for the salvation of my soul; for the souls in purgatory; for the wants of the Holy Church; for the conversion of sinners and, for the whole world.
Say Glory be to the Father, &c. three times, in honour of the precious blood of our Lord; Hail Mary once, in honour of our Lady of Seven Dolors; and Eternal rest, &c. for the souls in purgatory.
VII.
They who recite with devotion the prayers to the Five Wounds of our divine Redeemer, may, every day, gain one hundred days' Indulgence; and those who recite these prayers, at least ten times each month, may, on the 3d of May, and the 14th of September, gain a Plenary Indulgence. They who recite these prayers daily, from Passion Sunday until Holy Saturday, inclusively, may, each day, gain seven years and seven times forty days' Indulgence, and on Easter Sunday a Plenary Indulgence.
PRAYERS TO THE FIVE WOUNDS OF OUR BLESSED REDEEMER.
BEGIN BY AN ACT OF CONTRITION.
PROSTRATE before thee, O crucified Jesus, amiable Redeemer of my soul! I confess, with bitten regret, that I have most ungratefully offended thee, and nailed thee to the cross every time I have committed a mortal sin. O my God, infinite Source of all perfection, Sovereign Goodness! thou art worthy of all my affections, for the innumerable blessings, which thou hast, in such abundance, continually bestowed on me. Oh! how unfortunate I am! I cannot undo what I have done ; but, at least, I am sorry for my sins, and I detest them because they have offended thee. O Infinite Goodness! I humbly cast myself at thy sacred feet, and I desire at least to sympathize with thee in all thy sufferings for me, to thank thee for thy excessive charity, and to beg thy pardon, not only with my lips, but from the bottom of my heart.
TO THE WOUND OF THE LEFT FOOT.
O MY divine Saviour, I humbly adore the sacred Wound of thy. left foot, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused thee. I thank thee for the love with which thou didst make thy painful journey to Calvary, marking every step of the way with thy precious blood. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of thy holy Humanity, in expiation of my crimes, which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition.
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
O holy Mother! impress deeply on my heart the Wounds of my crucified Jesus.
TO THE WOUND OF THE RIGHT FOOT.
O MY divine Saviour! I adore the sacred Wound of thy right foot, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain, it caused thee. I thank thee for 'the love with which thou didst suffer thy sacred feet to be pierced, and, with barbarous cruelty, nailed to the cross, to atone for my wanderings, and for the guilty indulgence of my disorderly passions. I offer to the eternal Father, the love and sufferings of thy holy Humanity; and I beseech him to grant me the grace to weep bitterly for my sins, and to persevere in virtue to the end of my life, without ever straying from the obedience due to thy holy commandments.
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
O holy Mother! impress deeply on my heart the Wounds of my crucified Jesus.
TO THE WOUND OF THE LEFT HAND.
O MY divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred Wound of thy left hand, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused thee. I thank thee for having thereby, with so much love, delivered me from the eternal punishment which my sins deserve. I offer to the eternal Father, the love and sufferings of thy holy Humanity; and I beseech him to grant me the grace to profit by the remainder of my life, that I may bring forth fruits worthy of penance, and thus disarm the divine justice, provoked by my repeated sins.
Our Father &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
O holy Mother! impress deeply on my heart the Wounds of my crucified Jesus.
TO THE WOUND OF THE RIGHT HAND.
O MY divine Saviour! I adore the sacred Wound of thy right hand, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused thee. I thank thee for all the blessings which this bountiful hand has so abundantly bestowed on me, notwithstanding my ingratitude in refusing to correspond with thy gracious designs. I offer to the eternal Father, the love and sufferings of thy holy Humanity; and I beseech him to change my heart and affections, and to render all my actions conformable to his holy will.
Our Father, Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
O holy Mother! impress deeply on my heart the Wounds of my crucified Jesus.
TO THE WOUND OF THE OPENED SIDE.
O MY divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred Wound of thy opened side. I am exceedingly moved at this cruel outrage. I thank thee for the love with which thou didst suffer thy side to be pierced, and thy heart opened, to give us even the last drop of thy precious blood, that our redemption might be most abundant. I offer to the eternal Father, both this outrage offered to thy holy Humanity, and the love with which thou art always ready to receive the greatest sinners, that my soul may be received into this most loving Heart, and may abide therein for ever. Amen.
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
O holy Mother! impress deeply on my heart the Wounds of my crucified Jesus.
A PRAYER TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS.
O MARY, Virgin Mother of God ! martyr of love and sorrow, at the sight of the sufferings and humiliations of Jesus! Thou hast concurred in the work of my redemption, by thy innumerable afflictions; especially by the offering thou didst make to the eternal Father of this only Son, as a holocaust and a victim of propitiation for my sins. I feelingly compassionate thy most bitter sorrow. I thank thee for the almost infinite love with which, to save us miserable sinners, thou didst consent to be deprived of thy Son Jesus, true God and true Man. O holy Virgin, Mother of God! no one has ever implored thy powerful intercession in vain; use, then, thy influence with the Father and the Son, that breaking now, and for ever, the chain of my bad habits and perverse inclinations, I may never, by any new sin, again crucify my Jesus, but that I may persevere in his grace until death, and obtain eternal life through the merits he acquired for me by his bitter passion and death upon the cross.
Hail Mary, &c., three times.
PRAYER.
O JESUS, my Lord and my God! who didst, about the sixth hour, vouchsafe to be nailed to the cross, for the redemption of the world, and on it to shed thy precious blood for the remission of our sins, we humbly supplicate thee to grant, that, after our death, we may be admitted into the mansions of the blessed; there to adore, love, praise and enjoy thee for ever.
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