What is an Indulgence?

​Recently a parishioner asked what indulgences were. The Catechism defines indulgences as “the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt has already been forgiven”.  For this reason, indulgences are closely linked to the effects of the Sacrament of Confession (CCC1471). The Catechism says the faithful person who desires to obtain an indulgence must be properly disposed under prescribed conditions through the help of the Church. One of these helps is the Sacrament of Confession. Eternal punishment of mortal sin is cleansed by the Sacrament of Confession. Confession also helps the faithful be more disposed to detachment to sin. But, all sin even venial sin has consequences for the faithful even after Confession both here and after we die called temporal punishment. The consequence of temporal punishment caused by sin is the attachment that remains to sin even after Confession and the forgiveness of the sin. Patiently bearing sufferings and trials, striving in prayer, mercy, and charity and various practices of penance in this life can benefit in detachment of sin and should be seen as a grace from God (CCC1473). Also, “recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin” (CCC1475). The ultimate purification we go through in Purgatory frees the soul of this attachment and or temporal punishment of sin. Indulgence is a remission of some or all of the temporal punishment that comes with attachments of sin. An indulgence may be plenary or partial. If it is partial it removes only part of the temporal punishment due to sin if it is plenary it removes all punishment due to sin up to that point.  The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the saints who are in purgatory (CCC1471). 

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