Under III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory
1032 This teaching is also based on the practice
of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred
Scripture: "herefore [Judas Maccabeus] made
atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered
from their sin. From the beginning the Church
has honored the memory of the dead and offered
prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic
sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain
the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends
almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken
on behalf of the dead:
Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons
were purified by their father's sacrifice, why
would we doubt that our offerings for the dead
bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate
to help those who have died and to offer our
prayers for them.
St. John Chrysostom (347 A.D. — 407 A.D.)
1471 The doctrine and practice of indulgences
in the Church are closely linked to the effects
of the sacrament of Penance.
What is an indulgence?
"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." The faithful can gain
indulgences for themselves or apply them to the
dead.
Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church
1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church
who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing
granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor
of individual Christians and opens for them the
treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints
to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission
of the temporal punishments due for their sins.
Thus the Church does not want simply to come to
the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them
to works of devotion, penance, and charity.
1479 Since the faithful departed now being purified
are also members of the same communion of saints,
one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences
for them, so that the temporal punishments due
for their sins may be remitted.
1498 Through indulgences the faithful can obtain
the remission of temporal punishment resulting
from sin for themselves and also for the souls
in Purgatory. |
