Ken,If you understood indulgences as forms of reparations you would realize that the Early Church Fathers DID teach reparation for souls in Purgatory and reparations can be in many forms.
For example -From Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
"Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth. And I wish to persuade you by an illustration. For I know that many say, what is a soul profited, which departs from this world either with sins, or without sins, if it be commemorated in the prayer? For if a king were to banish certain who had given him of-fence, and then those who belong to them should weave a crown and offer it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant a remission of their penalties? In the same way we, when we offer to Him our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, though they be sinners, weave no crown, but offer up Christ sacrificed for our sins, propitiating our merciful God for them as well as for ourselves.” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 23:9,10 (c. A.D. 350).
Sorry, I don't consider nor take Cyril's 4th century writings seriously. It shows me what he thinks, which may or may not be in line with what other writers have to say, who also speak of their own thoughts and ideas. Besides, he's 300+ years from Christ, and time has a way of changing things...but not God's things. Tell a story one day to one person and if it get repeated the next day, and then the next day, etc. and etc., it may be so corrupted that you wouldn't recognize it as the one you told that first day - so it is with traditionalist doctrines handed down orally day after day after day, etc.
However, Stfassisi, even though I understand the RCC's teachings of indulgences, and the philosophical explanations, I do not accept them at all as being from God or Christ and His Apostles.