The conditions for acquiring holy indulgences and the remission of sins

Holy indulgences are our participation in the Sacred Treasury of the Church. This treasure is formed by the merits of NS Jesus Christ and the Saints. For this participation: 1 ° we satisfy the penalty debts we have with Divine Justice; 2 ° we can offer the same satisfaction to the Lord for the painful souls in purgatory.
The Church offers us a great wealth of indulgences; but what are the conditions to buy them?

To purchase indulgences you need:

1. To be baptized, not excommunicated, subjects of those who grant them and in a state of grace.

a) Indulgences are the application of the treasures of the Church; and therefore they can only be applied to members of the Church: as a member, to participate in the vitality of the body, it is necessary to be united with it. The infidels, the Jews, the catechumens are not yet members of the Church; the excommunicated are no longer; therefore both of them are excluded from indulgences. They must first become healthy members of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, which is the Church.

b) Subdivisions of those who grant indulgences. In fact, indulgence is an act of jurisdiction, importing absolution. Therefore:
the indulgences granted by the Pope are for the faithful from all over the world; since all the faithful are subject to the jurisdiction of the Pope. The indulgences granted by the Bishop instead are for his diocesans. However, since indulgence is a law of favor, or a gift, therefore, if there is no restriction in the concession, the indulgence granted by a Bishop can be purchased by all foreigners who come to the diocese; and also by diocesans who are outside the diocese for some time. That if indulgences are granted to some community, only members of it can profit from them.

c) That there is a state of grace. It is necessary that whoever acquires indulgences, at least when he does the last pious work, finds himself without grave guilt on his conscience and possibly with his heart detached from any affection for sin, otherwise the indulgence is not profitable. And why? Because punishment cannot be remitted before guilt is remitted. Indeed, it is a very good thing that when it is a question of appeasing the Lord, all the works prescribed are done in the grace of God. How can appease those who with their sins actually move God with indignation?

In granting certain partial indulgences, the words "with a contrite heart" are usually inserted. This means that it is necessary to be in grace; not that anyone who is in such a state should make an act of contrition. Likewise, the words: "in the usual form of the Church" means: that indulgence is granted to contrites of heart, that is, to those who already had forgiveness of punishment.

Indulgences cannot be applied to the living. But there is a remarkable question among theologians; Is the state of grace also necessary to acquire indulgences from the dead? This is doubtful: therefore anyone who wants to be sure of making a profit will do well to place himself in God's grace.

2. The intention is to buy them, secondly. The intention is enough that it is general. In fact, a benefit is granted to those who know and want to receive it. There is a general intention from every believer, who in religious works wishes to acquire all the indulgences that are attached to it, even if he does not know exactly what they are.
The intention is enough that it is virtual, that is: to have had the intention to buy them once in life, without being retracted later on. On the other hand, the interpretative intention is not sufficient; since this, in fact, never occurred. The plenary indulgence in articulo mortis, that is, at the point of death, also benefits from the dying man, of whom it can be assumed that he would have had this intention.

But S. Alfonso with S. Leonardo da Porto Maurizio exhort to put every morning, or at least occasionally, the intention to purchase all those indulgences that are attached to the works and prayers that will be made.

If it is a matter of plenary indulgence it is also necessary that the heart be detached from all affection for venial sin: since as long as affection remains, it cannot recover the penalty due for sin. It should be noted, however, that the plenary indulgence which cannot be acquired as such for some affection for venial sin will at least be partially acquired.

3. Thirdly, it is necessary to carry out the prescribed works: over time, in a manner, in full and for that specific reason.
a) In the prescribed time. The useful time, to visit a church by reciting prayers in the mind of the Supreme Pontiff, ranges from noon on the previous day, to midnight on the following day. On the other hand, for other prayers and pious works (such as catechism, pious reading, meditation), the time should go: from midnight to midnight. But if it is a public holiday to which the indulgence is attached, the pious works and prayers can already be done from the first vespers (about two in the afternoon) of the previous day, until the night of the following day. Visits to the church, however, can always start from noon on the previous day.
Confession and Communion can ordinarily be anticipated.

b) In the prescribed manner. For if prayers are to be done on one's knees, this must be observed.
It is necessary that the act be consciously placed; not by chance, by mistake, by force, etc.

The works are personal; that is, they cannot be done by another person, even if one wanted to pay for it. Except that the work, while remaining personal, can be done by others; for example, if the boss made the service person give alms.

c) Integrally. And that is, substantially whole. Who in the recitation of the Rosary omits a Pater or Ave, still acquires the indulgence. Whoever omits a Pater and Ave when five are prescribed, already omits a relatively important part and cannot profit.
If fasting is prescribed among the works, indulgence cannot be gained by those who omit it, albeit out of ignorance or power (as it would be in an old man); legitimate switching is then required.

d) For the specific reason of the Indulgence. As a general principle, in fact, it is not possible to pay two debts with a single currency, each corresponding to that one currency. And that is: if there are two obligations, a single act cannot satisfy you: for example fasting on an eve, festive Mass, they cannot serve and for the fulfillment of the precept and for the jubilee, if such pious works were prescribed for you . Sacramental Penance can, however, serve and fulfill the obligation deriving from the Sacrament and to gain indulgence. With the same work, to which indulgences are attached in various respects, it is not possible to acquire more indulgences, but only one; there is a special concession for the recitation of the Holy Rosary, in which the indulgences said of the PP Crucifers and those said of the PP Preachers can be combined.

4. The works, commonly prescribed, are: Confession, Communion, visit to a church, vocal preci. Often other works are not fixed, however; especially this happens when the Jubilee is needed.

a) Regarding Confession there are some warnings: the faithful who are used to confessing twice a month and communicating at least five times a week, can acquire all the indulgences that would require confession and communion (except for the Jubilee only). Furthermore, the confession suffices that it be made in the week preceding or in the octave following the day on which the indulgence was fixed. Confession, although not required for certain indulgences, nevertheless in practice is necessary; since the clause "contrites and confessed" or "under the usual conditions" is placed. But in these cases those who use to confess and communicate, as mentioned above, can gain indulgences.

b) About Communion. It's the best part; for it ensures the dispositions of the heart to have holy indulgences. Viaticum serves as Communion for the purchase of indulgences also for the Jubilee; but spiritual communion is not enough. It can be received either on the day the indulgence is fixed, or on the eve or in the eight following days.

Communion then has a particularity: one Communion is enough to gain all the plenary indulgences that can occur during the day. In fact it is the only work that must not be repeated in order to gain indulgences, even if these are distinct and for each one communion is required; only it is necessary to repeat the other works as many times as there are indulgences to be made.

5. For the Dead there are two special conditions to be observed for them to apply indulgences. That is: it is necessary that they have been granted as applicable to the deceased, and this can only be done by the Pope; and secondly it is necessary that whoever buys them intends to really apply them; or from time to time, or at least a habitual intention.

6. Furthermore: vocal prayers are often prescribed: then it is necessary to do them with the mouth, since mental prayer would be insufficient. That if they are to be done in a church, this condition is necessary for the purchase; nor can prayers already obligatory for other reasons, such as sacramental penance, be served. They can be recited in any language, alternately with companions; for deaf-mutes and for the sick people are used to switching. Generally, when prayers are prescribed without precise determination, five Pater, five Ave and five Gloria are needed and enough. The faithful ascribed to some confraternity can gain indulgences, provided they put the prescribed works; even if they have not observed the statutes of the confraternities themselves.