With COVID-19 the reality of death and the fragility of life has become more apparent for many. During the month of November, as always, the Church invites us to reflect on our own mortality, and encourages us to pray for the souls of the faithful departed, especially those from our own family and friends.

We can do this in many ways. We can have Masses offered for our loved ones (details here), we can pray rosaries or divine mercy chaplets, we can give alms on behalf of our loved ones, and we can visit and pray at cemetaries and obtain indulgences for the faithful departed.

Indulgences have never gone away, but the Church has corrected the misuse and overemphasis that was prevalent around the time of the Protestant Reformation.

When we sin, there is a double consequence: guilt and punishment. In the sacrament of reconciliation, which Jesus Christ instituted, our sins are forgiven and our guilt is removed. However, the temporal punishment remains. This is not the eternal punishment of Hell, but rather the punishment, which arises due to the actions we have done and the attachments to sin that remain even after being forgiven. In order for us to enter into eternal life with Jesus we need to be free both from the guilt and the temporal punishment. Purgatory is the final place in which these temporal punishments are dealt with, but we can also deal with them here on earth in hopes of not needing purgatory, as well as being able to experience the fullness of life here and now. This is where indulgences come in.

Indulgences can either be partial (removing some of the punishment) or plenary (removing all of the punishment). The Catholic Church has been founded by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Apostles down through the Popes and Bishops today to be ministers of his grace. If we believe that the Church has the authority to forgive the guilt of sin – which would block someone from being able to enter heaven in the case of grave sin – wouldn’t the Church also have the authority to lessen/remove the temporal punishment which delays entry into heaven? The answer is yes, and as mentioned the way the Church does this is through indulgences which is the distribution of the merits of Jesus and his saints. These indulgences are granted to those who perform certain prayers, actions, pilgrimages, etc. These actions draw us closer to God, making us more like him, and remove the temporal punishments.

Two Plenary Indulgences which you may have sought before or heard others speak of around the month of November are:

1) The Plenary Indulgence for those who visit a cemetery and pray for the deceased, from 1 to 8 November.

2) The Plenary Indulgence of 2 November, established on the occasion of the Commemoration of all the deceased faithful for those who piously visit a church or oratory and recite the “Our Father” and the “Creed”.

On Oct. 22, 2020, the Apostolic Penitentiary announced that due to COVID-19 and the various levels of restrictions throughout the world, that the conditions to obtain these indulgences have been broadened and extended throughout the month of November. To see the full press release with all the pertinent info on conditions please click here.

This extension and broadening has been extended for 2021 as well. Press release here.

You may obtain only one Plenary Indulgence per day. There are particular requirements to obtain one, such as being in the state of grace at the time of the prescribed act and do the following:

  1. Have an interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin
  2. Go to confession
  3. Receive the Holy Eucharist
  4. And recite prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father (one Our Father and one Hail Mary, are suggested as a minimum, but additional prayers may be added).

If some of the above conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence becomes partial.

Then in case you were wondering about the timing of these conditions:

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.
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.

So during this month of November, let us reflect on our own mortality, and pray for the souls of the faithful departed, especially those from our own family and friends.