Order of Malta

Plenary Indulgence

Vatican Grants Plenary Indulgence for 2024 Lourdes Experience Participants

The Apostolic Penitentiary, on behalf of Pope Francis, has asked William Cardinal Goh, Archbishop of Singapore, to impart a Papal Blessing with a plenary indulgence during the Lourdes Experience on December 7, 2024, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The Christian faithful attending the event, can receive this spiritual benefit under usual conditions required for receiving a plenary indulgence.

What is a Plenary Indulgence?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1471) defines indulgence as:

“A remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.”

In simpler terms, a plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Church that completely removes the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven in confession. It purifies the soul and strengthens one’s relationship with God.

Understanding Temporal Punishment

To understand temporal punishment, consider this example:
A parent forgives their child for stealing and eating a donut sold at Sunday Mass. The forgiveness restores their relationship, but the child still owes for the stolen donut. This “owing” reflects temporal punishment, which can be paid:

• • In this life: through penance, good works, or indulgences.
• • In the next life: through the purifying suffering of purgatory.

(The testimony of mystics teaches that it is much easier to “pay” in this life than in the next.)

Through indulgences, the Church—by the authority to “dispense and apply” the graces of Christ and the saints—helps us reduce or fully remove this temporal punishment. Think of this as the parent paying for the stolen donut on the child’s behalf in exchange for the child completing some chores.

How Can I Obtain a Plenary Indulgence?

To receive a plenary indulgence at the Lourdes Experience, you must:

1. 1. Attend the event: Either in person or remotely via live broadcast.
2. 2. Participate devoutly: Join the liturgical rites with true repentance and devotion.

Conditions to Obtain the Plenary Indulgence

(For yourself or a soul in purgatory)

The following conditions must be fulfilled:

1. 1. Sacramental Confession: Receive confession within about 20 days before or after the event.
2. 2. Holy Communion: Receive the Eucharist.
3. 3. Prayer for the Pope’s Intentions: Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (e.g., an Our Father and Hail Mary).
4. 4. Detachment from Sin: Be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin.

Partial Indulgence

If these conditions are not fully met, or if there is incomplete detachment from sin, the indulgence granted will be partial.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is a Papal Blessing?

A papal blessing is a special invocation of divine grace and protection given by the Pope or a bishop delegated by him. It is often accompanied by spiritual benefits, such as indulgences, which provide a deep sense of spiritual renewal.

For the 2024 Lourdes Experience, Cardinal William Goh has been granted the authority to impart this blessing in the Pope’s name. Receiving this blessing with devotion fosters a closer connection to God and the Church while opening the faithful to the grace of a plenary indulgence.

Q2: Is there a limit to how many partial indulgences one can obtain in a day?

No, there is no limit to the number of partial indulgences. However, only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day.

Q3: To whom can indulgences be applied?

Indulgences can be applied to oneself or to the souls of the deceased. They cannot be applied to other living persons.