My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

In my previous reflections, I addressed the topic of indulgences. An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment for sins, whose guilt is forgiven, which a properly disposed member of the Christian faithful obtains under certain and clearly defined conditions through the intervention of the church. Indulgences are a means from the spiritual treasury of God's graces to help us get to heaven. So as we celebrate Easter it is fitting to discuss the conditions for obtaining indulgences to assist us on our journey to eternal life.

In order to gain indulgences one must be baptized and not excommunicated and in the state of grace, at least at the completion of the prescribed works, and have at least the general intention of receiving them, and fulfill the prescribed works at the stated time in due fashion.

A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of a day; a partial indulgence can be acquired multiple times. However, the faithful can obtain the plenary indulgence at the hour of death, even if they have already gained one on the same day.

In order to obtain a partial indulgence, one must at least have the interior disposition of a contrite heart. Traditionally, a contrite heart is expressed by a prayer called an Act of Contrition. Three conditions must be fulfilled in order to gain a plenary indulgence: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the pope. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences (that is, spread over several days); but holy Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

The three conditions [sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the pope] may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; it is, however, fitting that Communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day the work is performed.

In addition, one must exclude all attachment to sin, even venial sin, in order to obtain a plenary indulgence. This means that the disposition of the penitent must exclude even the slightest affection for what is even venially sinful in order to receive remission of all temporal punishment due to sin. This requirement for the penitent to be detached even from minor sins is a safeguard against indulgences being viewed in a superstitious way with the expectation that the punishment due to sin will be remitted automatically by the performance of some ritual act regardless of the interior attitude of the penitent.

Throughout this discussion of the conditions for obtaining an indulgence are references to the works to be performed, so let's take a look at those. The church in her generous mercy provides many such works of devotion, charity and penance, so I will just provide some examples from the various categories. Deserving of special mention are grants pertaining to those works by any one of which the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence each day of the year, such as adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least one half-hour; the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross; recitation of the Marian rosary in a church or an oratory, or in a family, a religious community, or a gathering of the faithful; and the devout reading or listening to the Sacred Scriptures for at least a half an hour.

Partial indulgences are also granted for numerous prayers and devotions, such as visiting the Blessed Sacrament for adoration, teaching or studying Christian doctrine, using articles of devotion (such as a crucifix, cross, rosary, scapular or medal) properly blessed by a priest or a deacon, spending time in mental prayer, reciting the Angelus at dawn, noon and evening, praying to one's guardian angel with a duly approved prayer, such as Angel of God, participating in novenas and praying litanies.

Indulgences can be obtained not only for ourselves, but also for the souls in purgatory, such as by visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead.

It is important to remember that it is not the mere performance of these actions that bring about the benefits of an indulgence, but the interior spiritual disposition of one's heart and the detachment from sin that must accompany these good works.

At the heart of Christianity is the experience of the love of God in the person of Jesus. Jesus joins us to himself in his sacrifice of love through his death and resurrection. The joy of Easter is that Jesus has opened the door for us to share in his resurrection and eternal life.

May God give us this grace. Amen.