INDULGENCES AND PURGATORY

[The grants of indulgences were changed in 1968. See the Enchiridion of Indulgences 1968]

God in His infinite mercy and compassion offers us a most wonderful and easy means for lessening or cancelling our Purgatory.

Fully aware of our weakness, and knowing, too, how fearful many are of penance, He opens wide the treasury of His Goodness and offers us most abundant Indulgences in exchange for some small act of devotion.

For one recitation of short ejaculatory prayers, He grants 100 or 300 or more days Indulgence. These we may say hundreds of times in the day. Those who say the little ejaculation: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee" one hundred times a day gain 30,000 days Indulgence. Those who say it 1,000 times, as many do, gain 300,000 days Indulgence each day!

Nothing can be easier than to acquire the habit of saying this little prayer all day long, countless times each day.

Then, for each Hail Mary of the Rosary, one gains more than 2,000 days Indulgence!

Besides an immense number of Partial Indulgences, there are very many Plenary (full, complete) Indulgences which may be gained during life and at the hour of death.

These are specially given by the Church to enable us to avoid Purgatory.

These Indulgences can be applied to our own souls, and we shall thus directly make satisfaction for our sins. Or, we may apply them to the souls in Purgatory, who will see to it that we do not lose by our generosity.

RESOLUTION

Let us strive to gain all possible Indulgences.