In the Catholic Church, an indulgence is the remission of punishment caused by sin. As indulgences became popular throughout the Middle Ages, so too did their abuse. Church officials sometimes sold indulgences at high costs, or promised spiritual rewards they were not authorized to offer.

Why do you think the demand for indulgences increased? Because the catholic church was starting to lose business. How did the Catholic Church defend the selling of indulgences? They said that you won’t go to heaven.

Catholic church defended the selling of indulgences by saying it was to minimize the sins of the people. Indulgence was issued by Church and given to a people who did good work or penance. The main reason for the selling of the indulgences by the catholic church was to raise funds to built St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

They could have accepted donations, Sold bibles for money or even did fundraisers.

Indulgences were introduced to allow for the remission of the severe penances of the early church and granted at the intercession of Christians awaiting martyrdom or at least imprisoned for the faith.

1567

1095

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A PLENARY OR PARTIAL INDULGENCE Must have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin; Must have confessed their sins through the sacrament of confession (not just in your heart), within 20 days before or after the indulgence date.

A plenary indulgence fully removes all punishment. Finally, indulgences can be obtained for oneself but also for those who have died, so they can be distinguished in that way.

To obtain the plenary indulgence on November 1-November 8, we must receive Communion and sacramental Confession (and have no attachment to sin, even venial). Communion must be received each day we wish to gain the indulgence, but we only need to go to Confession once during the period.

Regarding the time which purgatory lasts, the accepted opinion of R. Akiba is twelve months; according to R. Johanan b. Nuri, it is only forty-nine days.

Catholics can receive no more than one plenary indulgence per day.

7) Sprinkle Holy Water on the Ground: “By this holy water and by Thy precious blood, wash away all my sin, O Lord, and relieve the souls in purgatory,” and then make the sign of the cross.”

We pray for each of the dead, not simply for our own ones. In particular the prayers we offer are for those souls still in purgatory. Whatever one may think of the theological basis for the doctrine of purgatory, it offers a psychologically realistic parallel between those gone and those left behind.

The Beads of the Dead chaplet is a prayer in memory of the forty hours between Christ’s death and resurrection, often prayed on behalf of a loved one. You will need a special chaplet with four decades which are available here.

At the end of your Rosary, say the Hail Holy Queen. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Prayer for the souls in purgatory Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

We should pray for ourselves and for all other people, even for our enemies, but not for the souls of the dead. The Bible tells us, “Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment” (Hebrew 9:27, see also Luke 16:19-31). It would do no good to pray for someone who has died.

Nothing physically happens to a person who dies without having the last rites administered to them. These are the final prayers and blessings a person receives that give spiritual comfort and a renewed faith that they will walk with Christ to meet their maker.