Rosary Indulgences

ROSARY INDULGENCES
Rosary Indulgences CONTENTS

This page covers -
1. What are Indulgences?
2. By whose authority are they granted?
3. What are the Rosary Indulgences?

WHAT ARE INDULGENCES?
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1471)
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. Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead."

( However this "the living" is modified by the Norms for Indulgences, to say that "no one gaining an indulgence may apply it to other living persons". So obviously, a person can only gain an indulgence for the dead, or for him or her self.) (I'll explain the meaning of "duly disposed" and "certain prescribed conditions" in detail under the heading "What are the Rosary Indulgences?")

BY WHOSE AUTHORITY ARE THEY GRANTED?
Norm 7 says "In addition to the supreme authority of the Church the only ones who can grant indulgences are persons who have this power recognised in law, or granted by the Pope." Norm 8 expands on this by saying "In the Roman Curia the Apostolic Penitentiary alone has been put in charge of those matters relating to the granting and use of indulgences. This is without prejudice, however, to the right of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to oversee whatever involves doctrinal teaching on indulgences"
Norm 9 goes on to say"No authority whatsoever below the Pope may assign to others the power to grant indulgences, unless such has been expressly granted that authority by the Apostolic See."

WHAT ARE THE ROSARY INDULGENCES?
Grant Number 48 covers the recitation of the Rosary, and says :
"A plenary indulgence is granted when the Rosary is recited in a church or oratory or when it is recited in a family, a religious community, or a pious association. A partial indulgence is granted for its recitation in all other circumstances.

"The Rosary is a prayer formula divided into fifteen ( now 20) decades of Hail Mary's with the Lord's Prayer separating each of these decades. During each of these decades we recall in devout meditation the mysteries of our redemption.)

"It has been customary to call but five such decades the "Rosary" also. Concerning this customary usage then, the following norms are given as regards a plenary indulgence.

1. The recitation of a third ( now quarter) of the Rosary is sufficient for obtaining the plenary indulgence, but these five decades must be recited without interruption.

2. Devout meditation on the mysteries is to be added to the vocal prayer.

3. In its public recitation the mysteries must be announced in accord with approved local custom, but in its private recitation it is sufficient for the Christian faithful simply to join meditation on the mysteries to the vocal prayer.

4. In the Eastern Churches where recitation of the Marian Rosary as a devotional practice is not found, the Patriarchs can establish other prayers in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary which will have the same indulgences as those attached to the Rosary, (e.g. in the Byzantine Churches, the Akathist hymn, or the office Paraclisis."

To be "duly disposed" means the following - (from Norm 20)
20. 1. To be capable of gaining indulgences a person must be baptised, not excommunicated, and in the state of grace at least at the time the prescribed works are completed.
2. Actually to gain indulgences the person must have at least the general intention of doing so and must perform the acts enjoined at the time stipulated and in the manner required, according to the tenor of the grant.
Norms 21 and 22- Not applicable for our present purposes.

The "certain prsecribed conditions" include -
Norm 23, 1. Beside the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin, the requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence are the performance of the indulgenced work and fulfilment of three conditions: sacramental confession, eucharistic communion, and prayer for the Pope's intentions.
Norm 23, 2. Several plenary indulgences may be gained on the basis of a single sacramental confession; only one may be gained, however, on the basis of a single eucharistic communion and prayer for the Pope's intentions.
Norm 23, 3. The three conditions may be carried out several days preceding or following performance of the prescribed work. But it is more fitting that the communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions must take place on the day the work is performed.
Norm 23,4 If a person is not fully disposed or if the prescribed work and the three mentioned conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will only be partial; the prescriptions in N27 and N28 for those impeded are exceptions.
Norm 23.5 The condition requiring prayer for the Pope's intentions is satisfied by reciting once the Our Father and Hail Mary for his intentions; nevertheless all the faithful have the option of reciting any other prayer suited to their own piety and devotion.
Norms 24 and 25 are not applicable for our present purposes.
Norm 26 says "To gain indulgences it suffices to recite the prayer alternating with another person or to follow it mentally as another recites it
(Comment - Alternating with another person is a method often used in the recitation of the Rosary)
(Further comment - In these days of shortage of priests in many areas, Norms 27 and 28 are designed to modify the conditions to make Indulgences still possible in some cases.) Norm 27 Confessors are empowered to commute either the prescribed work or the necessary conditions in favour of those for whom these are impossible because of some legitimate obstacle.
Norm 28. Local Ordinaries or Hierarchs may also grant to the faithful subject to them, in keeping with Canon Law, and who reside in places where they cannot go to confession or communion at all or can do so only with great hardship that they may gain a plenary indulgence without actual confession and communion, provided they have inner contrition and the resolution to go to these sacraments as soon as possible.