General Information about Indulgences

1. "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.” 

2. In general, the gaining of indulgences requires certain prescribed conditions (below, nn. 3, 4), and the performance of certain prescribed works.

3. To gain indulgences, whether plenary or partial, it is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed. 

4. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day. In order to obtain it, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of grace:

   • have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin;

   • have sacramentally confessed their sins;

   • receive Holy Communion (ideally during Mass);

   • pray for the intentions of the Pope.

5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within 20 days before or after the indulgenced act. It is sufficient to pray for the Pope's intentions with an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary." 

6. Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth.