Catholics hope to cleanse indulgences of their bad reputation

Illinois is all too familiar with tales of men in power indicted for selling favors and inspiring calls for reform.

The Roman Catholic Church had its own version 500 years ago when a church reformer named Martin Luther indicted church leaders for selling indulgences -- a spiritual benefit by which Catholics believe they can reduce their punishment for sin in purgatory.

The scandal spawned the Protestant Reformation and, though the church outlawed the exchange of money for mercy in 1567, indulgences fell off the radar for many Catholics.

Now five centuries later, the proverbial pardons from purgatory have made a comeback. Pope Benedict XVI has authorized bishops to offer plenary indulgences at least nine times during his papacy.

"It is one of a number of ways that Pope Benedict is helping Catholics rediscover some practices that have been neglected over the last few decades," said Edward Peters, author of "A Practical Guide to Indulgences."

The most recent window of opportunity closes when the 2,000th anniversary celebration of the birth of St. Paul ends on Monday.

To qualify for the special indulgence, a Catholic must make confession, receive Communion, offer prayers for the pope and take part in a devotional celebration of the saint. That celebration could be in the form of a pilgrimage to a Pauline church for prayer, meditation or a reading of Pauline Scriptures.

There are five parishes in the Chicago archdiocese bearing the apostle's name, three in Chicago, one in Gurnee and one in Chicago Heights. Parishioners in the Chicago archdiocese also could qualify by attending a Pauline celebration at any parish.

On Sunday, hundreds of Catholics attended a procession and mass in honor of the saint at St. Paul Catholic Church in the Pilsen neighborhood. A hymn composed in honor of St. Paul and vespers for

Purgatory cleanses the imperfections left behind, said Rev. Richard Todd, a Claretian priest who serves at St. Paul Church in Pilsen, a popular pilgrimage destination for the past year.
He compares those imperfections to the tension that lingers between two people when one hurts the other, even after the wrongs have been forgiven. Extra effort is often required to restore the relationship, he said. The same is true with God.

"It depends on how deeply you've been hurt," Todd said. There's a residue that's left. This takes care of that."

I'm glad that the author of the story accurately identified what indulgences are. Far too often I find, particularly in secular publications, that the issue of indulgences are associated with forgiveness of sin rather than cleansing of impurity in the Christian. And then this sets off a discussion with accusations that "Catholics can buy their way into heaven" and so on, when the doctrine of purgatory has nothing to do with that in the first place (in other words, my hat's off to the Chicago Tribune for that).

Key points:

Indulgences have nothing to do with salvation or with the forgiveness of sins. Indulgences have to do only with the doctrine of purgatory. If you don't believe in purgatory, there is no sense in even discussing indulgences, as that's the only thing they impact.
The key issue with indulgences is an utter detachment from the desire to sin in the first place. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even venial sin, be absent. (from the Norms for Indulgences) As an example, to receive a plenary indulgence, you don't just avoid committing adultery in the future, you need to not have the desire to mentally undress the babe standing in front of you. In other words, if you build your building with a bunch of hay and straw, that part is going to be purged. (ref I Cor 3:10-13) -- "purgatory" means a place of purgation (purification).

FWIW. Flame on folks.

>> and, though the church outlawed the exchange of money for mercy in 1567, indulgences fell off the radar for many Catholics.

Off the radar, but still going strong after 442 years. I love apologists - especially the ones from D.C. (i.e. Bush the First’s “no new taxes”; now O’Bama’s “we won’t tax health care benefits” pitchmen).

1) Purgatory is the place where the imperfections are cleansed from a believer’s soul prior to entering Paradise

2) The Church seeks to help minimize the necessary cleansing each believer requires.

3) A plenary indulgence minimizes the necessary cleansing

4) Why not offer pleanry indulgences perpetually?

Why does the present indulgence have to end Monday like some used car or furniture liquidation sale?

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