Indulgences

Lay Dominican Novitiate/ O.P. Notes
Lecture given by Dr. Bernardita Garcia, O.P.

An indulgence is 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. (CCC s.1471)

The gaining of indulgences requires certain prescribed conditions, and the performance of certain prescribed works. To gain indulgences, it is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace, at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed.

An indulgence can either be partial or plenary. A partial indulgence remits only some of the temporal punishment due to sin, while the plenary indulgence remits all temporal punishment.

Partial Indulgence