Against Heresies

If you're a Catholic, I want you to know that from now until November 8, you still have an opportunity to obtain a PLENARY INDULGENCE for the souls in Purgatory. Especially for your loved ones. Listen carefully so that you don't miss anything. All you have to do is devoutly visit a cemetery and pray for the dead, even if it is just a mental prayer. But there are other conditions you must fulfil if you want to obtain a plenary indulgence. Let me explain. First, you must be in a state of grace. You must also have the intention of gaining the indulgence and offering it for a deceased soul. Second, you must visit a cemetery between November 1 and November 8 and pray for the departed. You don't necessarily have to visit the grave of the particular person you are praying for. Any cemetery will do. Third, you must receive sacramental confession. The good thing is that one confession can suffice for several plenary indulgences. You don't have to go for confession every single day. Fourth, you must receive Holy Communion. However, you need to receive Holy Communion each time you want to gain a plenary indulgence. So, if you want to gain five plenary indulgences over five days, you need to receive Holy Communion five times. Fifth, you must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father. One Our Father and one Hail Mary are sufficient for this. You can, of course, say more prayers if you wish. Sixth, and this is very important, you must be completely detached from every sin, including venial sin. This means that you must sincerely reject every attachment to sin. If you fulfil all the other conditions but lack this complete detachment, you may obtain only a partial indulgence. Now, you should also know that there is an important distinction here. You cannot apply a plenary indulgence to another living person, but you can apply it to somebody who has died by way of suffrage. Pope St. Paul VI explained this in his writing, "Indulgentiarum Doctrina." He says: "Partial as well as plenary indulgences can always be applied to the dead by way of suffrage." Now, what do we mean by suffrage? When we say suffrage, we mean that we cannot independently release a person from Purgatory by our own authority. Rather, we offer the indulgence to God on behalf of that soul, and God applies it according to His mercy. So, you can offer a plenary indulgence for a particular deceased person, including a loved one. Let me give you guys a few final clarifications. You can gain only one plenary indulgence per day under the ordinary rules. One confession can cover several indulgences, but each indulgence requires its own Holy Communion and prayer for the Pope's intentions. You do not have to fast, give alms, recite the Rosary or say any special prayer formula to obtain this particular cemetery indulgence. Also, remember that the indulgence is specifically for the faithful departed. You are not obtaining another plenary indulgence for yourself on those same days. So, between now and November 8, let us remember the souls in Purgatory. Visit a cemetery, pray for the departed and offer the indulgence for them. Remember, the souls in Purgatory can no longer obtain indulgences for themselves. But we, the Church militant, can assist them through our prayers and the spiritual treasures of the Church. Let us not forget the faithful departed. They need our prayers too.