Indulgence

INDULGENCE

In the Jubilee Year of Mercy

When we commit sin there are two effects; the eternal punishment and temporal punishment. The eternal punishment (the guilt of the sin) is removed through sacramental confession, but temporal punishment is not remitted. We have to do proper penance for our sins in order to get remission from the temporal punishment. If we do not do it on this earth, we have to do it after death, in purgatory.

Indulgence is not remission of sins but remission of the temporal punishment of sins already forgiven through sacramental confession.

Who can obtain an Indulgence?

1.     One must be a catholic in communion with the Pope and should have the intention to receive it.

2.     Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased,

3.     It cannot be applied to other persons living on earth.

4.     A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day.

Conditions to obtain Indulgence in the year of Mercy

1.     Enter the cathedral/ pilgrim Church through the Holy Door of Mercy

2.     Make a sacramental confession

3.     Receive Holy Communion with reflection on mercy

4.     Make a profession of the faith (Creed)

5.     Pray for the intention of Holy Father (at least 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary & 1 Glory be…)

The faithful will have to fulfill all these five conditions in order to gain indulgence. Conditions No.2 to 5 may be done in 8 days (in either side).

Fr. Mathew John

Releasing of My Book on 19 March 2015

About the Book 

                                    Role of the Laity in the Diocesan Curia

This work is a comparative study of the Latin and the Eastern Canon Laws on the role of the laity in the diocesan curia. Though a diocese is entrusted to a diocesan bishop for the pastoral governance, he does not fulfil his pastoral functions alone; he does it mainly with the help of his curia. The diocesan curia can be composed of clerics alone or a combination of clerics and lay persons together. The lay persons have been given much involvement in the Church after the Second Vatican Council. The Council taught that on receiving baptism, lay persons participate in the priestly, prophetic and kingly functions of Christ (cf. LG 31). Today, lay people are involved in the administration of the Church, both at the universal as well as at diocesan level; thus their role in the Church is also emphasized. They can function in many offices in the diocesan curia.  

Traditionally, clerics are appointed in the diocesan curia. However, now lay people, who are outstanding in the requisite knowledge, prudence and integrity, can be appointed in the diocesan curia. There are lay persons who are experts in various fields, especially in the administration of temporal goods, including that of financial matters. While the Latin Code permits a lay person to hold chancellor’s office (in the Eastern Churches, the chancellor must be a cleric), both the codes allow the laity to function as finance officer, members of the finance council, judge, defender of the bond, promoter of justice, notaries, etc.

Forward written by: Gorge Cardinal Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church 

Size of the Book: 215 x 140 mm
Pages 360 + Cover
Cover; Multicolour
Binding: Section Stitched and perfect bound

Copies are available in Dharmaram Publications, Bangalore.   

Possible Offices of the Laity in the Diocesan Curia:

A Comparison of CCEO and CIC

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