What if your Catholic departed loved ones can go straight to heaven? Can you do something about it?
This Nov 1-8, all Catholics can get a Plenary Indulgence for their departed loved ones.
Keep reading if you’re Catholic.
WHY DO YOU WANT A PLENARY INDULGENCE?
A person sins – say she commits adultery. Later, she’s forgiven by Christ because she’s genuinely repentant. Let’s say — she dies immediately after that repentance.
Confession of sins doesn’t directly involve the effects of her sins.
This is logical.
Her husband’s heart is still broken at this point. It will heal in time and by God’s mercy. The effect on her children will still be there – as well as the rest of her family.
The guilty girl can’t fix anything anymore because she’s dead.
So, she now has to suffer the temporal punishment of that sin.
It is part of the nature of sin -to have consequences.
The effect of this”temporal punishment” is the purification of the girl.
The church says exactly:
“CCC 1472b …. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the “temporal punishment” of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.” (CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church)
We tend to think there are no consequences all the time when God forgives us.
But in many cases, the consequences/effects of the sin are natural.
Hence, the effects will still be there.
Action –> consequence.
Just logical.
PURIFICATION
All of us will need to be purified before entering heaven.
That’s what we call purgatory.
So, this girl is in purgatory right now.
Let’s say she’s a loved one of yours – maybe she’s someone you don’t know but is an ancestor from years 1350 or 244.
HOW CAN YOU HELP THIS PERSON?
You get her a plenary indulgence! (It completely removes the punishment in purgatory).
It means “Welcome to Heaven,” as the Catholic Church teaches.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT MISS HEART BREAKER?
First of all, you can be praying for your loved ones who just died.
So you care for them.
Then, later, this person will be YOU.
(you will sin, you will ask for forgiveness, you will die…but you’ll get purified in purgatory anyway also -and get the temporal punishment for your sins. We sin a lot and damage many things on the way to forgiveness, right?).
“For a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.” Prov 24:16
Of course, we assume you’re not ending up in hell, right?
“JOMAR! I’M GOING TO HEAVEN!!”
With God’s mercy, you are. However, we cooperate with this mercy by doing many things, Including living out a Christian life.
It is never an instant “Heaven without doing anything” for the Catholic.
On the way to heaven, you will be purified here on earth (through repentance, confession, etc).
This purification is a fact of life.
You already suffer today.
That’s a purification for you.
But this is another topic, lets go back to our topic.
BY FIRE!
Now, according to 1 Corinthians:
11 for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 the work of each will come to light, for the Day[a] will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. 15 But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved,[b] but only as through fire.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Note: You will be saved. But you will suffer loss via fire. I just repeated the last line, so there’s that. This is why we pray for those in purgatory. We know one day, we will be there, too. There is a book I’m reading called “Purgatory”* – get a copy of it to know more.
THREE GROUPS
We express our love to the saints in heaven, our guardian angels, and now to the souls in purgatory. I just mentioned this to show how unique Catholics are! We interact with people, angels, and holy souls.
BOOK
At the end of this article is a whole book, “Manual of Indulgences” – from the US Bishop’s office. Read it for more info.
WHAT’S THE PLENARY THING?
A Plenary indulgence removes all of the temporal punishment of repented/forgiven sins accumulated up to this point (today) – for a person in purgatory. God has promised a complete remission of the time in purgatory if a plenary indulgence is gained and applied to a soul in purgatory. English?Welcome to Heaven.
BEFORE YOU READ THE REQUIREMENTS,
Note that the list below is seemingly designed to make you a holier person.
And there’s no payment or fee to do the requirements.
The indulgence is free.
The benefits to you and the person in purgatory – are eternal.
REQUIREMENTS
What is required of the Catholic to gain the plenary Indulgence on NOV 1-8?
1. You have confessed mortal sins recently (20 days) before or after the Nov 1-Nov 8. If you have already followed the first Saturday / First Friday devotions, you have already done this.
2. You don’t have attachments to venial sins. You don’t like to do it (and you don’t do it!).
3. You need to pray for the intentions of the Holy Father* (the link below gives you details). This is also part of the Sacred Heart / Immaculate Heart devotions.
4. Receive Communion. Again, go to mass, and you’re set. Say the Creed and Our Father – also part of the mass.
5. NOW AT THE GRAVESITE – bring a prayer for the deceased or even prayers for those in purgatory. See below for an example. Of course, your Google search can help. But I do recommend prayer books (literal paper). There’s a thing about looking at a mobile phone while on top of a grave versus looking at a prayer book with your mouth moving. Catch my drift?
PRINT THESE OUT: https://www.churchpop.com/5-powerful-prayers-for-the-poor-souls-in-purgatory-every-catholic-should-know/
EIGHT DAYS = EIGHT SOULS
You can plan to pray for one soul per day.
This obtains the Plenary Indulgence for that soul that day (if you do this right).
BOOK
At the end of this article is a whole book, “Manual of Indulgences” – from the US Bishop’s office. Read it for more info.
NOTICE THE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT UNIQUE?
>>”LOVE GOD, HATE SIN" – can summarize the first two requirements.
>>FAVORITE SINS?
Say you have this favorite sin.
You can’t stop doing it.
It gives you pleasure to commit this sin.
Well, for 8 days, you can stop this specific sin.
Confess it. Ask for God’s help to overcome it.
Do this plenary indulgence requirement.
That’s how you start stopping.
Note: You have to detach from all sins; this just gives you a few steps to start.
>>Praying for the Peter of the Roman Catholic Church is also a good thing – as well as praying for your priests.
Do a creed and an “Our Father” specific for The Holy Father’s intention. More details in the links below.
So far, nothing unique here. BASIC CATHOLICISM.
>>Getting Jesus’s Body / Blood during mass = is also not outside the life of a Catholic.
Note: Plenary indulgencies can be acquired only once per day.
JOMAR, I CAN’T FULFILL ONE OF THESE…
You get a partial indulgence for that soul you’re praying for.
Plenary means – that the soul goes straight to heaven once your indulgence is applied to them.
That’s why it’s a big deal this Plenary Indulgence.
GRAVESITE PRAYER: Prayers for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
Lord Jesus, lovingly welcome into Your presence my deceased family, relatives and friends who have completed their journey on this earth, and have gone to their rest in the hope of rejoicing with you forever in heaven.
Source of all life and love, look favorably upon their goodness, and forgive any sins they may have committed, so they may enjoy for all eternity the great rewards You have promised to those who believe in You. Amen.
V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.
Note: You have to mean this prayer, not just read it.
BOTTOMLINE
You -can only do this during All Saints Week or All Souls Week.
Let’s follow Jesus through the ways the Catholic Church has made it easier for us to do.
Personally, if you follow the Immaculate Heart or Sacred Heart devotions, you already meet most of the requirements.
So you would have an edge there.
But you may already know that.
Good for you!
MORE READINGS:
Abt this Nov 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/43800/plenary-indulgences-save-the-dates-for-a-special-opportunity-to-help-the-holy-souls-in-purgatory-november-1-8.html
USA Manual of Indulgences: (A whole book) http://holyjoe.org/indulgences/Indulgences_1999.pdf
MY PREFERED PRAYER BOOK:
https://jhilario.com/deliveranceph
Thank you for sharing this.God Bless you