Dear Pilgrims of Hope, by now all the Holy Doors have been opened in Rome. Like the Magi, guided by a star to Bethlehem to worship the Messiah, we continue our journey through this Holy Year guided by Christian hope. Here’s how you can participate more fully in this period of renewal and obtain the Jubilee Indulgence, wherever you are:
Pardon and reconciliation is the aim of the Holy Year. For Catholics, penance is a path which leads us to an encounter with the mercy of God. Passing through the Holy Door is seen as a step towards forgiveness and healing. In Lent last year, a conference was held in Rome for recently ordained priests, in preparation for the Jubilee Year, with an emphasis on the correct and generous administration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This took place at the Apostolic Penitentiary, which is the Vatican’s “Court of Mercy”, responsible for matters relating to the “Internal Forum” and the granting Indulgences, intimately connected to the effects of penance. God has entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church (cf. 2 Cor 5: 18-21).
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| The Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica, Rome |
Indulgences: An indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment as a result of sins committed but already confessed. Sin has its consequences, both for the individual and the community. That is why we confess our sins to a priest, who acts as an ambassador of Christ, and represents the Church, assigning a penance to the penitent in the confessional, as part of the satisfaction for sins. We should never doubt that we are forgiven in Confession. Atoning for our sins, which we have confessed, takes place either in this life or in Purgatory, through penance. Fulfilling one's penance means taking responsbility for the consequences of one's sinful acts, trusting in the loving Lord, in whom justice and mercy meet. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, nn. 1471-1479) explains Indulgences in reference to the merits of Christ and the saints: '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’ (n. 1471).
Indulgences, which are free, can be applied to the living and the dead, and are received by those truly sorrowful, inspiring works of mercy within them. Of course, we cannot deny the controversy surrounding Indulgences given the abuses and misconceptions of the past. In the lingua of the Jubilee, we could try to understand Indulgences as the sure hope of forgiveness. The normal way to obtain an Indulgence is detachment from all sin, sacramental confession, the reception of Holy Communion and the prayer for the intentions of the Pope (usually an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be). Indulgences are either Partial or Plenary, as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. Indulgences are associated with certain devotions, such as the First Friday, as well as the observance of certain feasts, and in particular, the Jubilee Year.
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| "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" 6 January 2025 |
The Jubilee Indulgence: Coinciding with the official announcement of the Holy Year 2025, a decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary set out the norms for obtaining the Jubilee Indulgence, a plenary indulgence:
Pilgrimages: to Rome, at least one of the four major basilicas; to the Holy Land; or to other ecclesiastical areas such as a cathedral, some church or sacred place designated by the bishop for the Jubilee; the plenary indulgence can be obtained here in the usual way.
Pious Visits to Sacred Places: like a designated Jubilee site in Rome or in other places of the world (in Italy, Assisi, Loreto, Pompei, Padua; or any minor basilica, cathedral church, co-cathedral church or Marian Shrine). Here the pilgrim should spend some time in Eucharistic adoration and meditation, concluding with the Our Father, Profession of Faith and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Works of Mercy and Penance: the fruit of penance, and indeed the Jubilee Indulgence, is mercy. Noting the penitential character of Fridays, the Vatican has encouraged the faithful to carry out the traditional corporal and spiritual works of mercy (cf. Mt 25:31-45). We can recall here the words of Mother Teresa, the Saint of Calcutta, ‘At the end of our life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in”’. Hope produces charity in the hearts of those who have obtained the grace of God’s forgiveness, 'bearing fruit that will last' (Jn 15:16).
Fasting: In the age of social media, the faithful are encouraged to fast at least one day of the week from "futile distractions" (such as social media, television, video games, certain phone apps). Holy Year challenge accepted?!
Diocesan or parish jubilee events: participating in spiritual exercises, missions, or formation activities based on the documents of the Second Vatican Council or the CCC. This brings the Jubilee into our local churches and parish communities.
Indulgences can be applied to the faithful departed, in particular the holy souls in purgatory, who died in the hope of the resurrection. Having confessed their sins, they are undergoing a period of purification before entering fully into the beatific vision and everlasting communion with God. Since we believe in the “Communion of Saints”, we can help them with our prayers and sacrifices, just as Our Lady and the saints assist us with their prayers before the throne of God in heaven. In the Jubilee Year, a double indulgence is granted per day, when a second act of charity is carried out on behalf of the souls in purgatory, for the faithful who, receiving Holy Communion, apply it to the deceased.
This is how the CCC summaries the Church's teaching on the practice and application of Indulgences: ‘The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man"’ (CCC 1473). The decree on the Jubilee Indulgences, then, brings together all the major themes of a Holy Year: Pilgrimage (to designated sacred places), the Holy Door (in Rome), Reconciliation (Confession), Prayer (for the Holy Father's Intentions), Liturgy (especially the Eucharist), the Profession of Faith (the Apostles Creed), and Indulgences (which leads to Charity).
In the Diocese of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), where the Holy Year will be solemnly inaugurated on Friday, 10 January 2025, Bishop Zungu has designated the following places of pilgrimage for the Jubilee: St Augustine’s Cathedral and St Luke’s Retreat Centre in the deanery of Port Elizabeth; Immaculate Conception and St Pius Retreat Centre in the deanery of East London; Sacred Heart on Albert Street in Qonce, St Patrick’s in Makhanda and the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven in Sommerset East for Border/Midlands deaneries respectively.
The Jubilee Indulgence, then, can be
obtained by those who may not be able to make a pilgrimage to Rome or pass through
the Holy Doors here. It is, after all, a year of hope for all the faithful. By
simply and sincerely making recourse to the treasures of our faith, a door of
hope is opened to all.
The Pilgrim
Fr Runaine James Radine
6 January 2025
The Epiphany of the Lord
