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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
A supposedly message granting a Plenary Indulgence	Diego	Thursday, March 1, 2012
Question: Recently after a small family gathering one lady said that she had received an e-mail with a prayer that stated Jesus would grant a plenary indulgence for anyone reciting attached prayer for certain number days. She was all excited about it. I have had run-ins before with her as I have corrected her many times when she would forward e-mails to me. She stopped forwarding them to me. I didn't want to start a life confrontation, neither did my wife, but my wife wanted me to check to make sure. I thought only the Pope can grant a Plenary Indulgence; is that correct?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D. Dear Deigo: You are correct—only the pope can determine Plenary Indulgences. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: An indulgence is the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment due, in God's justice, to sin that has been forgiven, which remission is granted by the Church in the exercise of the power of the keys, through the application of the superabundant merits of Christ and of the saints, and for some just and reasonable motive. ... The distribution of the merits contained in the treasury of the Church is an exercise of authority (potestas iurisdictionis), not of the power conferred by Holy orders (potestas ordinis). Hence the pope, as supreme head of the Church on earth, can grant all kinds of indulgences to any and all of the faithful; and he alone can grant plenary indulgences. For the part of Jesus, He is not bound by the Sacraments, Sacramentals, or extra-sacramental grants. Regardless of whether or not a person has a grant of Indulgence, Jesus can remit all temporaral punishment on his own merits and power. When he does this he makes such grant to the person personally and directly in the spiritual realm. We will never know about it on this earth. Christ, in His great compassion, as given the Church to power to establish indulgences from the treasury of the Church under the power of the Keys. Thus, no email can establish an indulgence. Any and all Plenary Indulgences will be anounced to the world, not in an email, but in an official document released by the Holy See, under the Pope's Seal. The only Plenary Indulgences that are legit are those listed in the Enchiridion of Indulgences. Pray for your relative. She is obviously influenced by all these nonsense emails and chain letters (which I believe are evil when they say one must forward them on for some reward, or one will suffer something terrible if they do not). Anytime one receives any chain letter or any other "news" like this, delete it. If the news is legit it will be issued Holy See and reported reliable professional Catholic news sources. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

A supposedly message granting a Plenary Indulgence

Diego

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Question:

Recently after a small family gathering one lady said that she had received an e-mail with a prayer that stated Jesus would grant a plenary indulgence for anyone reciting attached prayer for certain number days. She was all excited about it. I have had run-ins before with her as I have corrected her many times when she would forward e-mails to me. She stopped forwarding them to me. I didn't want to start a life confrontation, neither did my wife, but my wife wanted me to check to make sure.

I thought only the Pope can grant a Plenary Indulgence; is that correct?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D.

Dear Deigo:

You are correct—only the pope can determine Plenary Indulgences. The Catholic Encyclopedia states:

An indulgence is the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment due, in God's justice, to sin that has been forgiven, which remission is granted by the Church in the exercise of the power of the keys, through the application of the superabundant merits of Christ and of the saints, and for some just and reasonable motive.

...

The distribution of the merits contained in the treasury of the Church is an exercise of authority (potestas iurisdictionis), not of the power conferred by Holy orders (potestas ordinis). Hence the pope, as supreme head of the Church on earth, can grant all kinds of indulgences to any and all of the faithful; and he alone can grant plenary indulgences.

For the part of Jesus, He is not bound by the Sacraments, Sacramentals, or extra-sacramental grants. Regardless of whether or not a person has a grant of Indulgence, Jesus can remit all temporaral punishment on his own merits and power. When he does this he makes such grant to the person personally and directly in the spiritual realm. We will never know about it on this earth.

Christ, in His great compassion, as given the Church to power to establish indulgences from the treasury of the Church under the power of the Keys.

Thus, no email can establish an indulgence. Any and all Plenary Indulgences will be anounced to the world, not in an email, but in an official document released by the Holy See, under the Pope's Seal.

The only Plenary Indulgences that are legit are those listed in the Enchiridion of Indulgences.

Pray for your relative. She is obviously influenced by all these nonsense emails and chain letters (which I believe are evil when they say one must forward them on for some reward, or one will suffer something terrible if they do not).

Anytime one receives any chain letter or any other "news" like this, delete it. If the news is legit it will be issued Holy See and reported reliable professional Catholic news sources.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum