Indulgences for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Again this year, the indulgences that the faithful may obtain on behalf of the suffering souls in Purgatory are extended throughout the month of November, rather than being limited to the first eight days.

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On October 23, 2020, the Apostolic Penitentiary issued a decree concerning the indulgences that the faithful may obtain on behalf of the suffering souls in Purgatory. It states:

The Plenary Indulgence for those who visit a cemetery and pray for the deceased, even if only mentally, normally established only on the individual days from 1 to 8 November, may be transferred to other days of the same month, until its end. These days, freely chosen by the individual believers, may also be separate from each other;

the Plenary Indulgence of 2 November, established on the occasion of the Commemoration of all the deceased faithful for those who piously visit a church or oratory and recite the “Our Father” and the “Creed” there, may be transferred not only to the Sunday before or after or on the day of the Solemnity of All Saints, but also to another day of the month of November, freely chosen by the individual faithful.

A plenary indulgence is the full remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. For faithful Catholics to gain a plenary indulgence, they must perform the work to which a plenary indulgence is attached and fulfill the usual conditions which are: 1) be in the state of grace, 2) have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin, 3) have sacramentally confessed their sins, 4) have received most Holy Communion, 5) pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

It is appropriate, but not necessary, that Confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these be carried out within 20 days before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the Pope's intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are suggested. One sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are required for each plenary indulgence.

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