Indulgences can always be applied to the souls in purgatory. By doing so, we can perform charity in the most effective way.
Newsdesk (03/03/2023, 15:37, Gaudium Press) From the earliest times of the Christian era, the Church has recommended praying for the souls of the faithful departed. The Holy Church also teaches us that every Catholic can take a soul out of purgatory by applying indulgences to these blessed ones.
Indulgences can be applied to the dead
Pope Paul VI expressed in his Apostolic Constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina, that “indulgences, either partial or plenary, can always be applied to the dead by way of suffrage”. This means that with the indulgences which the Church kindly offers us, we can apply these benefits to a deceased person and take a soul out of purgatory.
Moreover, also in the Apostolic Constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina, Paul VI pointed out that “when the faithful gain indulgences in suffrage for the dead, they perform charity in the most exquisite way and, thinking of supernatural things, they work more righteously in earthly things”.
How can we bring a soul out of purgatory during Lent?
The procedure is the same as we would do to get these indulgences for ourselves, only that we apply it to the soul of the deceased whom we wish to favour. We can offer these indulgences in suffrage for the soul of someone in particular, or we can place the indulgences in the hands of the Virgin Mary so that she may apply them to the souls who need them most.
How to gain indulgences during Lent?
During Lent, we have four ways to gain a plenary indulgence:
Pray the Stations of the Cross: You can pray the 14 stations in a church or, if for an extreme reason the person is unable to be there, you can pray where you are.
Praying the Rosary: To obtain the plenary indulgence, the Rosary must be prayed in a church, oratory, family, religious community or association of the faithful.
Eucharistic Adoration: This adoration should be carried out for at least half an hour.
Reading or listening to Holy Scripture for at least half an hour.
Conditions for receiving an indulgence
To obtain the plenary indulgence, the faithful must also fulfil these three fundamental conditions: confession of sins; Communion; Prayer for the Pope’s intentions (the Church suggests an Our Father, a Hail Mary and Glory Be).
By following these steps and applying a Lenten indulgence to a deceased person, you can take one soul out of Purgatory per day. Why only one soul from Purgatory? Because you can only obtain one indulgence per day. (EPC)
Compiled by Roberta MacEwan
