A reader writes:
Jimmy, I have a question about indulgences and the only answer I have been able to find is ‘a few days’.
What is the timeframe in which one has to make confession and receive communion in order to obtain an indulgence?
It’s understandable that there would be confusion on this point. In his apostolic constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina, Paul VI merely wrote:
n.8—The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the
performance of the prescribed work; nevertheless it is fitting that Communion be
received and the prayers for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff be said the same
day the work is performed.
In the absence of further clarification, what "several days before or after" means would be a natural source of perplexity. Fortunately, in the year 2000 the Apostolic Penitentiary (which has charge of issuing indulgences) issued a notice titled The Gift of the Indulgence clarifying the question as follows:
5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the Pope’s intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are suggested. One sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions are required for each plenary indulgence.
Even "about 20" (an eye-opening number!) isn’t a fixed deadline, but at least it gives us an idea of the scale we’re talking about, and since it’s only "about 20" then for practical purposes it would be to safe to saw "within three weeks" (potentially even a little more, but presumably less than a month or they would have just said "a month").
Jimmy,
I think it’s worth mentioning that indulgences can be gained not only for ourselves, but for others too – particularly the souls in Purgatory.
Notice how this means that monthly confession always leaves one in a position to gain a plenary indulgence. Cool.
I am glad for this clarification, but… Wow! Twenty is “several”?
The church obviously needs to put out an authoritative list of non-specific quantitative slang-
“A couple”, of course, is two and needs no clarification, though it is often used loosely to mean “two-er-three”.
“A few” – Now, I always took this to be a minimum of three and up to five, but not more than that… then you’re talking about,
“Several” – This can overlap somewhat with “a few”, but I never envisioned it to be more than seven or eight.
There are other categories that need work;
A “handful”
A “bunch”
A “boatload” (also a “raft”)
I’m sure there are others, but I’m beat from doing taxes and am going to have “a few” beers.
with days, I would have asssumed ‘several’ to mean anywhere up to fourteen, after which it becomes ‘weeks’. Once again, the church is generous and gives us extra time to get to confession in a time when hours confession is offered is limited.
Enjoy your beers, Tim! (I wonder if you confessed to drinking too much if 20 beers would count as ‘several’?)
Robert,
I was of the understanding that one can gain an indulgence for oneself OR for the souls in purgatory – but NOT for other living persons. Am I missing something?
I read somewhere that indulgences can not really be gained for those in purgatory because the Church does not have the authority for that, but we can do everything required for the indulgance intending it be applied to a person in Purgatory and trust in God’s mercy.
Anyone know the definitive answer to this?
I don’t know, but our parish’s information on the event claimed that confession can be up to 2 weeks before or after Divine Mercy Sunday for the indulgence to be effective.
…of course, they scheduled our first confessions for two weeks AND ONE DAY before D.M. Sunday, so by their reckoning I have to go back already… 😉
This is a good example of Jimmy’s “high context”, “low contex” language issues. In English even words like: “few”,”many” and “several” have distinct meanings but in Latin and (I take it) Italian, the words are much more flexable.
Regarding indulgences for others, the CCC says:
The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. (CCC 1471)
and the Code of Canon Law says:
“Can. 994 All members of the faithful can gain indulgences, partial or plenary, for themselves, or they can apply them by way of suffrage to the dead.”