Due to the pandemic, The Vatican has decided to grant Catholics who visit a cemetery to pray for the dead on any day in the month of November a plenary indulgence.
What is a plenary indulgence?
· A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ, Mary, and all the saints to remove the temporal punishment due to sin. One plenary indulgence may be received a day.
· The Plenary Indulgence cleanses a person of all temporal punishment due to sin. It also releases a soul from temporal punishment in purgatory so they may go to heaven sooner. It applies to one soul of your choice each time you perform the normal conditions listed below.
Conditions to receive a plenary indulgence:
· Visit and pray at the cemetery.
· Completely detached from sin, whether the plenary indulgence be for the souls in purgatory or for oneself.
· Sacramental Confession—one Confession can cover many indulgences, and can be done 20 days before or after.
· Eucharistic Communion—one Communion per indulgenced act, but can be received 20 days before or after.
· Prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father—usually an Our Father and a Hail Mary, one set of prayers for each act, can be prayed 20 days before or after.
It is appropriate that Communion and the prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed. One sacramental confession is sufficient for several plenary indulgences. However for each plenary indulgence one wishes to receive, a separate reception of the Eucharist and a separate prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father are required.
The Vatican decree issued due to the pandemic allows Catholics who are unable to leave their home, such as the sick or elderly, to still obtain a plenary indulgence by reciting prayers for the dead before an image of Jesus or the Blessed Mother. Examples of prayers homebound Catholics can pray include the rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, lauds or vespers of the Office for the Dead, or by performing a work of mercy by offering their pain to God.
Fr. Michael and Fr. Charles will hear confessions at the Ascension Cemetery. A light refreshment will be served and so please RSVP to by November 24, 2021. Thank you.