Article II: On Indulgences

S. Th., Suppl., q. 25-27.

671. An indulgence (aflaat), in ecclesiastical usage and theological speech, is called the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins, already blotted out as regards guilt, which ecclesiastical authority grants from the treasury of the Church, for the living by way of absolution, for the dead by way of suffrage (can. 911). Therefore it differs both from sacramental absolution and the connected satisfaction, the obligation of which it does not take away, and by which the debt of punishment is diminished without an equivalent compensation; and from private satisfaction, which the just man can offer for himself and for others.

The power which belongs to the Church of granting indulgences is included in the most ample power of the keys, as we know both from the tradition of the Church, which from ancient times has used that power, although not always under the same form, and from the definition of faith in the Council of Constance, sess. 8, a. 42, against Wicleff, and Trent, sess. 25, against the Protestants; that they can also be granted to the dead is certain from the practice of the Church (can. 911 and 913), and from the condemned proposition 22 of Luther and 42 of the Synod of Pistoia. - The concession is made from the treasury of the Church, that is, from the superabundant satisfactions of Christ and of the Saints, which the Church can dispense to the faithful because of the communion of Saints (Clement VI, const. Unigenitus; condemned proposition 17 of Luther and 41 of the Synod of Pistoia). Hence an indulgence is nothing other than an indirect absolution of punishments; directly and formally it is a concession from the treasury of the Church, from which the remission of punishment follows: for the living it is made by way of a payment authoritatively made and applied to them, insofar as the Church from her treasury pays in place of her faithful the satisfactions to be furnished by them (q. 25, a. 1 and ad 2 and 3); for the dead, over whom she has no authority of jurisdiction, only by way of suffrage, insofar as she offers the payment to God, at the same time beseeching him that he deign to apply it to the dead: but in what measure this is done by God we do not know.

Therefore three things are required for an indulgence: a good work, regularly still to be performed; - on the occasion of this, a payment from the treasury of the Church; - consequently, the remission of temporal punishment due for sins.

Moreover indulgences have force, not only in the external forum before the Church, as certain men formerly said erroneously, but also in the internal forum and before God: 1) because according to the express privilege given to Peter (Mt. 16:19), what he remits on earth is also remitted in heaven; 2) because if the Church were to relax and not God, it would be more a deception than a true relaxation; 3) and the Church would harm rather than help, because she would remit to a graver punishment, namely of purgatory, by diminishing present penance (a. 1; cf. proposition 19 of Luther and 40 of the Synod of Pistoia). Hence simply they have as much force as they are proclaimed to have, "provided that on the part of the giver there is authority, and on the part of the recipient charity (or the state of grace), and on the part of the cause piety" (a. 2), namely a reasonable and pious motive: then they have force of themselves, according to the use of the power of the keys and the mind of the one granting, who truly makes the payment, but not always according to the effect of application, which in the living depends on certain conditions, and in the dead is made according to the measure of the divine good pleasure and acceptance (S. C. Indg., July 28, 1840).

Lest the ease of gaining indulgences furnish an occasion of diminishing good works, the words of St. Thomas are to be noted: "Although indulgences avail much for the remission of punishment, nevertheless other works of satisfaction are more meritorious in respect of the essential reward: which is infinitely better than the dismissal of temporal punishment" (ad 2).

672. An indulgence is divided: A. By reason of the quantity of the effect, one is plenary, which of itself, or from the intention of the one granting, remits the whole punishment to him to whom it is applied: so that, if because of indisposition, since he has not yet obtained the remission of guilt of all venial sins, someone "cannot gain it plenarily, nevertheless he gains it partially according to the disposition which he has" (can. 926); - another is partial, which remits only part of the punishment according as it is expressed by the one granting, for example, of one year, forty days, seven years, etc.: namely, so much punishment of purgatory is remitted as would be remitted if a man performed canonical penance, such as was done formerly, of one year, or of a Lent, or of seven years, etc., the value of which consequently cannot be perfectly determined. Up to this point some quarantines were usually granted to be gained; but these indulgences in more recent times generally have been abrogated: this is clear from the authentic collection of indulgences, 1938, approved by the Sacred Penitentiary, Dec. 31, 1937.

B. By reason of the thing to which it inheres, one is personal, which is granted immediately to persons who have performed such a work, whether individuals or a community such as a religious Order or confraternity, whose members can gain it provided the society has been canonically erected and they themselves have been legitimately enrolled (can. 692), even if they do not always observe its statutes; - another is local, which is affixed to a place, for example an altar, church, miraculous image fixed in a place, to be gained by those who devoutly visit it; - another is real, annexed to the possession or use of a movable thing, such as a cross, rosary, medal, image, etc., which for validity must be solid, and not made from material which can easily be broken or consumed.

C. By reason of extension, it is universal if it is granted to all the faithful of the whole Church; or particular, which is given to some diocese, city, community, or private person.

D. By reason of duration, it is perpetual, granted in perpetuity, or temporal, limited to a certain time, for instance to a year, three years, or seven years.

E. By reason of the subject to whom it is applied, one is for the living, which remits punishments by way of payment; another is for the dead, which obtains remission of punishments by way of suffrage; and finally another is for the living and the dead, which can be gained by the living, but can also be yielded by them to be applied to the dead: thus from can. 930: "all indulgences granted by the Roman Pontiff, unless the contrary is clear, are applicable to the souls detained in purgatory," and in those who have made the heroic act, all the indulgences which they can gain are applicable to the dead.

The application of indulgences to be made to other living persons is not usually granted, because it is not expedient to help those who, when they themselves are able, do not take care to gain indulgences for themselves; hence at his own choice "no one acquiring indulgences can apply them to others living in this life"; - nevertheless, by a special concession of the Supreme Pontiff, nothing prevents this from sometimes being able to be done: thus one celebrating at a privileged altar for the living and the dead gains an indulgence also for the living, and indulgences to be gained for the dying are sometimes granted to certain persons.

F. By reason of the mode by which it is granted, it is in gracious form if it is granted immediately by the very fact that someone fulfills the required condition; or in commissory form if it is given through the ministry of another to whom the faculty of granting immediately is delegated, as, for example, the apostolic blessing at the article of death.

673. The concession of indulgences requires three things: the power of the one granting, - a just cause, - the due form.

I. The power of the one granting. It is in the Supreme Pontiff, to whom the dispensation of the whole spiritual treasury has been entrusted, which he exercises by himself or through the Sacred Penitentiary (can. 912 and 258, § 2); in others it is derived from the concession of the Supreme Pontiff, and indeed in such a way that some by ordinary power can bestow certain indulgences, but only those to whom this has been expressly granted by law (can. 912), as bishops; others only by a power delegated to them, as is granted to apostolic nuncios and legates. "The Pope," says St. Thomas, q. 26, a. 3, "has the fullness of pontifical power, as a king in a kingdom. But bishops are taken into a part of the solicitude, as judges set over individual cities; on account of which he calls only them brothers in his letters, and all the rest he calls sons. And therefore the power of making indulgences resides fully in the Pope, because he can make them as he wills, provided, however, that a legitimate cause exists. But in bishops it is taxed according to the ordinance of the Pope. And therefore they can make them according as it is taxed for them, and not beyond."

Nevertheless, from can. 913: "those inferior to the Roman Pontiff cannot 1) commit the faculty of granting indulgences to others, unless this has been expressly granted to them by the Apostolic See; 2) grant indulgences applicable to the dead; 3) add other indulgences to the same thing or act of piety or sodality to which indulgences already have been granted by the Apostolic See or by another, unless new conditions to be fulfilled are prescribed."

In particular: a) "Bishops can impart the papal blessing with a plenary indulgence, according to the prescribed formula, each in his own diocese twice in the year, that is, on the solemn day of Easter of the Resurrection and on another solemn feast day to be designated by them, even if they merely assisted at the solemn Mass; but Abbots or Prelates nullius, Vicars and Prefects Apostolic, even if they lack episcopal dignity, can do this in their territories on only one of the more solemn days of the year" (can. 914). But "Regulars who have the privilege of imparting the papal blessing are not only held by the obligation of observing the prescribed formula, but cannot use this privilege except in their own churches and in the churches of nuns or tertiaries legitimately aggregated to their Order; but not on the same day and place on which the Bishop imparts it" (can. 915); this, however, is not to be understood of the apostolic blessing which religious preachers are permitted to impart at the end of missions or spiritual exercises, and which is given by another formula, but of the privilege by which, without another condition of a function, regulars are able to give that blessing.

b) "Bishops, Abbots or Prelates nullius, Vicars and Prefects Apostolic, and major Superiors of an exempt clerical religion, can designate and declare one altar as a daily perpetual privileged altar, provided another is not had, in their cathedral, abbatial, collegiate, conventual, parochial, quasi-parochial churches, but not in public or semi-public oratories, unless they are united to a parochial church or subsidiary to it" (can. 916).

c) Cardinals enjoy the faculty "of granting indulgences of 200 days, even to be gained toties quoties, in places or institutes and for persons of their jurisdiction or protection; likewise in other places, but to be gained only by those present, on each occasion" (can. 239, § 1, 24).

d) "In suffragan dioceses the Metropolitan can only... grant indulgences of 100 days, as in his own diocese" (can. 274, 2).

e) "Once possession of the diocese has been taken, residential Bishops have the right... of granting indulgences of 50 days in places of their jurisdiction" (can. 349, § 2, 2), even to exempt religious or in their churches (com. int., Dec. 6, 1930).

f) "When a church or altar is consecrated, the consecrating Bishop, although he lacks jurisdiction in the territory, grants an indulgence of one year to those visiting the church or altar on the day itself of the consecration; but on the anniversary day, 50 days if he is a bishop, 100 if an archbishop, 200 if a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church" (can. 1166, § 3).

It should be noted that the communication of the good works of his Order which regular Prelates sometimes grant to distinguished benefactors contains no bestowal of indulgence, but only participation in suffrages.

II. A just, that is, reasonable and pious cause. For the Pontiff is not the owner of the treasury of the Church, but its steward and dispenser; and a faithful dispenser must observe the rules of justice and equity, and therefore not remit the punishments of sins without a just cause, which cause can be nothing other than the honor of God and the general utility of the Church (q. 25, a. 2); otherwise he would dispense contrary to the very will of the Lord, would exceed his power, and the concession would be null (q. 26, a. 3). Therefore the cause must be extrinsic, or diverse from the punishment itself to be taken away; and it is required to be proportioned to the effect and quantity of the indulgence: it is necessary, Billuart notes, a. 4, from Bellarmine, that the end please God more than the satisfaction which is relaxed by the indulgence, and that the work enjoined be a suitable means and proportioned to attaining this end, so that a more abundant dispensation, lest it be prodigal, requires a graver cause; otherwise, for the part by which it exceeded proportion, it would be invalid.

Hence a) an indulgence for the whole Church demands a public cause; on the contrary, for a particular indulgence a private cause suffices;

b) public causes are usually enumerated: the exaltation of the faith, concord among Christian princes and peoples, the conversion of the enemies of the Church, the promotion of the worship of God and the Saints, the reformation of the people, the increase of faith, charity, and religion, incitement to good works and to the frequenting of the sacraments;

c) the sufficiency of the cause is to be prudently estimated, not only from the difficulty of the work, but from the intended end and the usefulness of the work for the end; and this is presumed to be present for an indulgence granted by the Roman Pontiff;

d) nevertheless the Pontiff or Bishop can sometimes grant an indulgence without the imposition of a work, if there is a reasonable cause for this, as can be in a very worthy man, or at the article of death.

III. The due form. Although no form of itself is necessarily to be observed in the concession of indulgences, nevertheless by the usage of the Church it is the case that indulgences, except perhaps merely private ones, are expressed and published in an authentic writing. Thus:

1. "Those who have obtained concessions of indulgences from the Supreme Pontiff for all the faithful are held by the obligation, under penalty of nullity of the grace obtained, of bringing authentic exemplars of the same concessions to the Sacred Penitentiary" (can. 920).

2. "New indulgences, even those granted to churches of regulars, which have not been promulgated at Rome, are not to be made public without consulting the Ordinary of the place" (can. 919, § 1).

3. "All books of indulgences, summaries, booklets, sheets, etc., in which their concessions are contained, are not to be published without the license of the Ordinary of the place. But the express license of the Holy See is required that it be permitted to publish in print, in whatever language, both an authentic collection of prayers and pious works to which the Apostolic See has annexed indulgences, and a list of apostolic indulgences, and a summary of indulgences either previously collected but never approved, or now for the first time to be gathered from diverse concessions" (can. 1388).

4. The Sacred Penitentiary on Dec. 31, 1937, issued a decree concerning its new authentic collection, in which, namely, are contained prayers and pious works, both those which in favor of all the faithful and those which in favor of certain groups up to that day had been enriched, with general concessions of indulgences not reported in the same collection having been abrogated.

It should be noted: a) For indulgences to be applied to things or to persons, a certain form of rite must sometimes be observed by the minister. The ordinary form for crosses, rosaries, and medals consists in making by hand the sign of the cross over the things, without the pronouncement of a formula or the sprinkling of blessed water; but a proper formula is to be observed for crosses of the way of the cross, rosaries of the Most Holy Rosary or of the Seven Sorrows, enrollment in the confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary or of the holy Scapular, or the apostolic blessing at the article of death. The privilege of Cardinals according to the norm of can. 239, 5 and 6, however, remains intact.

b) One who has obtained from the Apostolic See the faculty of blessing things with the application of indulgences with the consent of the Ordinary of the place, in order to exercise the faculty validly must be a priest approved to hear confessions in the diocese. In order to exercise it licitly, the consent of the Ordinary of the place is required, at least tacit or implicit, and if it cannot practically be done otherwise, even prudently presumed (S. C. Indg., June 14, 1901); for religious, however, if they do not use the faculty outside the religious house, the license of the superior then suffices, even if in the rescript it is said: with the consent of the Ordinary of the place (S. C. Indg., June 4, 1888).

c) Concessions of indulgences and faculties of imparting them are to be interpreted broadly because they are favors (can. 50); but according to the proper signification of the words, and therefore they must not be extended to other cases besides those expressed (can. 49); which, moreover, would be of no utility, since even common error does not supply for the defect of truth. Probability of opinion cannot meet this, since it is not a matter of honesty alone but of the validity of the act for obtaining the end (II, n. 94, 4), nor is it proved that the Church supplies.

Thus one who has the faculty of blessing pious things privately for applying an indulgence cannot use it publicly in a church or oratory before the faithful gathered and holding in their hands the things to be blessed (S. C. Indg., Jan. 7, 1843).

674. The gaining of indulgences requires the capacity of the subject and the fulfillment of the prescribed works.

A. A subject capable "of gaining indulgences for himself, from can. 925, § 1, must be baptized, not excommunicated, in the state of grace at least at the end of the prescribed works, and a subject of the one granting": for the concession of indulgences is an act not of order but of jurisdiction over subjects, which cannot be exercised over non-subjects. Nevertheless it can happen that someone becomes, as to this matter, a subject by his mere presence in the territory, for "unless something else appears from the tenor of the concession, indulgences granted by a Bishop can be gained both by subjects outside the territory, and by pilgrims, transients, and all exempt persons dwelling in the territory" (can. 927).

But how he who grants an indulgence can gain it for himself St. Thomas declares, q. 27, a. 4: "An indulgence must be given for some cause, in order that by an indulgence someone may be provoked to some act which tends to the utility of the Church and the honor of God. But a prelate, to whom the care of the utility of the Church and of propagating the divine honor has been committed, does not have a cause for provoking himself to this. And therefore he cannot make an indulgence for himself alone, but he can use an indulgence which he makes for others, because for them there is a cause of making it." And indeed "no one can exercise an act of jurisdiction upon himself; but those things which are given to others by authority of jurisdiction, a prelate also can use both in temporal and in spiritual things... And thus a bishop can receive for himself the suffrages (that is, satisfactions) of the Church which he dispenses to others, the immediate effect of which is the remission of punishment through indulgences, and not jurisdiction" (ad 1), for "an indulgence is not given by way of a sentence," "which no one can pronounce upon himself," "but by way of a certain dispensation, which a man can make toward himself" (ad 3).

The state of grace required is of itself sufficient at the moment at which the indulgence is to be gained, namely, at the end of the prescribed works; not before, unless some work, for example holy Communion, supposes the state of grace. The necessity of this is frequently expressed by this formula: "with a heart at least contrite"; which signifies nothing except that he who is not in the state of grace must at least recover grace for himself by an act of perfect contrition (S. C. Indg., Dec. 17, 1870). Outside this case, the state of grace does not seem to be required for gaining indulgences in favor of the dead, since they are in grace: nevertheless many think otherwise; yet it seems certain that the indulgence of a privileged altar comes to the dead person if the priest sacrilegiously celebrates in the state of sin, because the value of the sacrifice to which the indulgence is annexed in no way depends on the celebrant.

B. The fulfillment of the prescribed works is prescribed by can. 925, § 2, to be done in this way: "That a capable subject may truly gain indulgences, he must have at least a general intention of acquiring them and fulfill the enjoined works at the stated time and in the due manner according to the tenor of the concession."

Hence: I. An intention at least habitual is required, that is, one formerly had and not retracted, at least a general intention of gaining all indulgences, even unknown ones: for an indulgence is a benefit which must be accepted; - nor does a merely interpretative intention suffice, which would be but is not; a virtual intention is commended, and in a particular case it can be required if the ordination of the work to a special end requires it.

II. The enjoined work must truly be fulfilled, so that if someone by ignorance or inability is impeded from carrying it out, he cannot gain the indulgence: for it is not granted except under that condition; unless, however, provision has otherwise been made by the one granting for those impeded.

III. Generally the work must be supererogatory, for from can. 932: "by a work which someone is obliged by law or precept to perform, an indulgence cannot be gained, unless something else is expressly said in its concession; nevertheless one who performs a work enjoined upon him as sacramental penance and perhaps enriched with indulgences can at the same time both satisfy the penance and gain the indulgences." Likewise indulgences can be gained by paschal Communion, except the indulgence of the Jubilee (S. C. Indg., May 1, 1844); likewise by observing the statutes or pious customs of religious communities, if they do not oblige under sin.

IV. The prescribed work must be good in itself, not substantially vitiated, and it must be fulfilled integrally, at least as to substance, and in that place, time, and manner in which it is determined by the tenor of the concession.

1. As to place, if an indulgence is affixed to some place, it must necessarily be visited.

2. As to time: a) "A plenary indulgence granted for the feasts of Our Lord Jesus Christ or for the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary is understood to be granted only for feasts which are found in the universal calendar."

b) "A plenary or partial indulgence granted for the feasts of the Apostles is understood to be granted only for their natal feast."

c) "A plenary indulgence granted as daily perpetual, or for a time, to those visiting some church or public oratory, is to be so understood that it can be acquired on any day, but only once in the year by each faithful person, unless something else is expressly said in the decree" (can. 921).

d) "Indulgences annexed to feasts or sacred supplications or novena, septenary, and triduum prayers, which are performed before or after the feast or even during its octave, are understood to be transferred to that day on which feasts of this kind are legitimately transferred, if the transferred feast has the office with Mass without solemnity and external celebration and the transfer is made in perpetuity, or if the solemnity and external celebration is transferred either for a time or in perpetuity" (can. 922). Therefore if only the office with Mass is transferred for a time and without solemnity and external celebration, the indulgence remains affixed to the day, even if it is Friday in Parasceve (S. Poen., Feb. 18, 1921).

e) "For gaining an indulgence affixed to some day, if a visit of a church or oratory is required, this can be made from noon of the preceding day up to midnight which closes the stated day" (can. 923).

3. As to manner, the enjoined works must be performed personally by him who wishes to gain the indulgence; nevertheless, with his consent or mandate, the giving of alms can be done by another, for example by a father or superior for a son or subject, or by the ministry of another, for example a servant or friend.

In particular: a) "If for gaining indulgences prayer in general according to the mind of the Supreme Pontiff is prescribed, mental prayer alone does not suffice; but a vocal prayer can be chosen at the discretion of the faithful, unless some particular prayer is assigned." Nevertheless the Sacred Penitentiary, Dec. 7, 1933, declared that indulgences annexed to invocations and ejaculatory prayers can also be acquired by only mental recitation of them.

b) "If a particular prayer has been assigned, indulgences can be acquired in whatever language the prayer is recited, provided that the fidelity of the translation is clear from the declaration either of the Sacred Penitentiary or of one of the Ordinaries of the place where the language into which the prayer is translated is common; but indulgences cease entirely by any addition, subtraction, or interpolation." This, however, is to be understood only of those changes which alter the substance of the indulgences (S. Poen., Nov. 26, 1934).

c) "For the acquisition of indulgences it is enough to recite the prayer alternately with a companion, or to follow it mentally while it is recited by another" (can. 934).

d) Prayers are not to be said on bended knees or in a determined place, unless this is expressly noted.

e) Nor must a determined order be used in the fulfillment of works, unless it is specially prescribed, provided that the last work is performed in the state of grace.

C. The ordinary conditions for plenary indulgences are confession and Communion, and prayers according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff, with which a visit of a church is often joined, and sometimes pious exercises publicly performed.

1. Confession and Communion. - a) When an indulgence is granted to those contrite and confessed or by some other similar clause, sacramental confession is necessary even for those who are not conscious of mortal sin, although for these absolution is not required.

b) "For gaining any indulgences whatsoever, a confession perhaps required can be made within the eight days which immediately precede the day to which the indulgence has been affixed; Communion, however, on the vigil of the same day; and both also within the entire following octave" (can. 931, § 1).

c) "Likewise for gaining indulgences granted for pious exercises carried on for a triduum, week, etc., confession and Communion can also be made within the octave which immediately follows the completed exercise" (ibid., § 2).

d) "The faithful who are accustomed, unless legitimately impeded, to approach the sacrament of Penance at least twice in a month, or to receive holy Communion in the state of grace and with a right and pious mind daily, although once or twice in the week they abstain from it, can obtain all indulgences, even without the actual confession which otherwise would be necessary for gaining them, except indulgences either of the ordinary and extraordinary Jubilee or after the manner of a Jubilee" (ibid., § 3).

2. Prayers according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff. That intention is usually for the prosperity and exaltation of the Catholic Church, for the extirpation of heresies and the conversion of all who are erring, and for the peace and unity of the whole Christian people. Now prayers are to be recited according to the choice of each one, unless particular prayers are determined (can. 934, § 1); from the declaration of Sept. 20, 1933, it suffices if someone has recited one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. Nevertheless, for the indulgence of the Portiuncula or another to be gained toties quoties, at least six Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes are required (S. Poen., July 10, 1924; Jan. 13 and July 5, 1930). When it is prescribed that a church be visited and prayers be poured forth there, this is to be done.

3. The visit of a church must be religious, from the intention of worshiping God:

a) If prescribed determinately, for example of a parish church or of that church to which the indulgence is annexed, it is to be performed in this church, and in it prayer is to be made according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff; although the other conditions can be fulfilled elsewhere, and the reception of holy Communion also together with the visit.

b) If prescribed indeterminately, it can be made in any church or public oratory; - but it does not suffice in a semi-public or private oratory; this is granted only to cardinals and bishops with their households for their own chapels, if for the indulgence there is prescribed a visit of the church of the place in which they are actually staying (can. 239, § 1, 11; and 349, § 1, 1).

c) But "the faithful of either sex who, for the pursuit of perfection or for instruction or education or even for health, live a common life in houses lacking a church or public chapel, established with the consent of the Ordinaries, and likewise all persons dwelling there for ministering to them, whenever for gaining indulgences there is prescribed a visit of some non-determined church, or of some indeterminate public oratory, can visit the chapel of their own house in which they can satisfy by law the obligation of hearing Mass, provided they have duly performed the other enjoined works" (can. 929). This does not hold for those detained in prison, - nor for the indulgence of the Portiuncula, since this requires the visit of a determined church.

d) Concerning this matter the Sacred Penitentiary declared on Sept. 20, 1933: "The condition of visiting a church or public or (for those legitimately using it) semi-public oratory is fulfilled by going to the church or to the oratory at least with a certain general or implicit intention of honoring God in himself or in his saints, with some prayer being used, and indeed the prescribed prayer, if any was imposed by the one granting the indulgence, or any other, whether oral or even mental, according to each one's piety and devotion.

Those things which are required for the visit of a church or oratory are also to be observed in the visit of some image or altar."

e) One who on the same day wishes to gain several indulgences, each of which requires a visit of a church, must, unless otherwise expressly stated, perform as many visits as he wishes to gain indulgences; but visits are not multiplied except by a true exit outside the Church and a new entrance: thus, for example, for an indulgence toties quoties.

f) One who on a Sunday or feast day enters a church to hear Mass by precept does not satisfy the visit required for an indulgence; nevertheless many say that he does satisfy if he arrives in good time and before Mass has begun prays according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff, or even if he prolongs the visit after Mass and then pours forth the prayers.

4. "Pious exercises are then said to be publicly performed only when they are commonly held in churches or in public or (for those legitimately using them) semi-public oratories; in other cases they are understood to be privately performed" (Collection of Indulgences 1938, preface, n. 7).

D. Commutation of works can sometimes be made:

a) According to can. 935: "The pious works enjoined for gaining indulgences confessors can commute into others for those who, detained by a legitimate impediment, are unable to perform the same." This faculty a confessor can exercise even outside confession, provided that he can here and now validly and licitly hear the confession of the one in whose favor he commutes; not indeed concerning works which would substantially affect the object or cause of the indulgence, such as intention, the state of grace, the use of a crucifix, spiritual exercises to which an indulgence is attached, but concerning the especially ordinary conditions of confession, Communion, prayers, fasting, or even the visit of a church, even a determined church, as for gaining an indulgence toties quoties (com. int., Jan. 19, 1940). This, however, seems to be understood of a church which is situated in the same place; - otherwise any confessor could render all penitents participants in all the indulgences of all the churches of the whole world which they could not approach.

b) From can. 936: "The mute can gain indulgences annexed to public prayers if, together with the rest of the faithful praying in the same place, they raise their mind and pious affections to God; and if it is a matter of private prayers, it is enough that they recall them in mind, express them by signs, or merely run through them with the eyes."

c) From the special concession of Oct. 19-22, 1917, the mutilated can gain indulgences, for the gaining of which the recitation of prayers together with some bodily act is enjoined, which they are unable to perform, by pouring forth the prayers alone.

E. Things to be noted. 1. "A plenary indulgence, unless something else is expressly provided, can be acquired only once in a day, even if the same prescribed work is repeated several times; a partial indulgence, unless the contrary is expressly noted, can be gained more often throughout the day, with the same work repeated" (can. 928).

2. "Several indulgences under various titles can be annexed to one and the same thing or place; but by one and the same work, to which indulgences are annexed under various titles, several indulgences cannot be acquired, unless the required work is confession or Communion, or unless something else has been expressly provided" (can. 933), as, for example, with regard to the indulgences of the Most Holy Rosary of the Preachers and of the Crocigeri, which can be accumulated from the concession of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, June 12, 1907, and with regard to apostolic indulgences simultaneously with those with which the works are otherwise enriched, from the Sacred Penitentiary, Feb. 17 and June 14, 1922.

3. Unless something else is clear, a month in the concession of indulgences is to be understood as the space of 30 continuous days according to the norm of can. 34, § 2; a day from midnight to midnight, unless otherwise noted, as for an indulgence affixed to a day and to be gained by the visit of a church, which can be made from noon of the preceding day to the midnight which closes the stated day (can. 923).

675. Indulgences cease: 1. All, by revocation of the one granting, his successor, or superior.

2. Temporal indulgences, by the lapse of the time for which they were granted; hence one given "at good pleasure" expires at the death of the one granting (can. 73), but one granted without any limitation of time of itself endures perpetually and does not expire by the death of the one granting (can. 70).

3. Personal indulgences, by renunciation accepted by the Supreme Pontiff, and by the death of the physical person to whom it was granted, or by the legitimate extinction of the moral person according to the norm of can. 102.

4. Real indulgences "cease only when rosaries or other things entirely cease to exist or are sold" (can. 924, § 2). Therefore rosaries do not lose indulgences a) if they are given to others, or lent so that they themselves may be able to gain indulgences for themselves (S. Poen., Feb. 18, 1921); b) if they cease to exist in some part; c) if the cord is broken or the chain is changed, because the indulgences are rather affixed to the beads; d) if only a few beads are lost and others are substituted, provided the greater part of the blessed beads is preserved; e) if something is received for them, not as a price and under the title of sale, but under the title of alms or some other non-onerous title.

5. Local indulgences, by the absolute destruction of the thing (can. 75); nevertheless those "annexed to some church do not cease if the church is utterly overthrown and is built again within fifty years in the same or almost the same place (for example, at a distance of 20 or 30 paces) and under the same title" (can. 924, § 1). This also holds concerning an altar rebuilt under the same title and in the same church.

676. The indulgence of a privileged altar. - Thus is called an altar to which a plenary indulgence for the dead has been annexed, the due conditions having been fulfilled. This privilege can be local, if it is annexed to the altar itself, which must be firm or fixed (n. 389); or personal, if it has been granted to the priest himself celebrating anywhere; or mixed, if it is annexed to Masses celebrated at such an altar and by such a priest, for example a confrater or tertiary.

By common law: 1) by local privilege, Bishops and other Ordinaries can designate one altar as a daily perpetual privileged altar in their churches, as was noted above n. 673, I, b), from can. 916.

2. On the day of the commemoration of all the faithful departed, all Masses enjoy the privilege as if they had been celebrated at a privileged altar (can. 917, § 1); likewise during its octave, but only for the soul to whom the Mass is applied (S. Poen., Oct. 31, 1934).

3. All altars of a church during those days on which the supplication of the Forty Hours is held in it are privileged (can. 917, § 2).

4. By personal privilege, which can also be obtained by special concession of the Holy See, Cardinals, bishops even titular, vicars and prefects apostolic enjoy it by common law.

It should be noted: a) That to indicate a privileged altar, nothing else is to be inscribed except: privileged altar, perpetual or for a time, daily or not, according to the words of the concession (can. 918, § 1), namely, with every other mention omitted, such as concerning its infallible efficacy for liberating a determined soul of purgatory.

b) For Masses to be celebrated at a privileged altar, under the pretext of the privilege, a greater Mass alms cannot be demanded (can. 918, § 2); this would be simony.

Concerning the conditions to be fulfilled, it is necessary to observe: 1) that the plenary indulgence can be applied to one only; - 2) that the Mass must be applied exclusively for the dead, otherwise the indulgence is not applied; - 3) that the indulgence, unless the indult permits the division of the sacrifice and the indulgence, can be applied only to the dead person for whom the Mass is offered; hence if it is offered for one, no intention of applying the indulgence is required, but by that very fact it is applied; on the contrary, if the Mass is celebrated for several, the one to whom he wills the indulgence to be applied must be determined beforehand by the celebrant (S. Poen., July 6, 1917); - 4) that it is no longer required that the Mass be said of requiem, even on days not impeded (S. Off., Feb. 20, 1913); - 5) in the case in which by special indult an altar is privileged for the living and the dead, an indulgence is granted for the living if the Mass is applied for the living; but for the dead if the Mass is applied for them (S. C. Indg., Aug. 25, 1897).

Concerning the obligation undertaken of celebrating Mass at a privileged altar, it was said above, n. 378, 4.

677. The indulgence of the Way of the Cross. - The exercise of the Way of the Cross was instituted for gaining all the indulgences obtainable by a real visit of the stations of the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem, that is, of the journey of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the praetorium to the place of Calvary. - For this, a) on the part of the Way of the Cross there is required: 1) that it be legitimately erected; 2) that there be 14 visible wooden crosses; 3) that they have been blessed in the place itself (morally speaking) in which the stations are erected, and affixed before or after the blessing, a certain distance being preserved between them: the rest is not necessary; b) on the part of the faithful there is required: 1) the visit of each station, or local movement from one to another; 2) meditation on the Passion according to each one's capacity at each station; 3) the exercise performed in one moral stretch, or not morally interrupted. In a public exercise, if local movement of the people would cause disturbance or is impossible because of the narrowness of the place, it suffices that the priest, or in the chapels of religious communities, one of the brothers or one of the sisters, go around the stations, while the multitude of those hearing remains in its place.

Erection has been granted to the Order of Friars Minor; others, excepting a privilege such as Cardinals and Bishops personally have, cannot erect unless they have obtained from the Holy See the delegated faculty. For validity it now suffices that "the priest erecting, asked for this, be furnished with the due faculty" (S. Poen., Mar. 1, 1938), and the license of the Ordinary of the place in writing is no longer required. But for liceity let the permission of the Ordinary of the place be present, or presumed permission, if he cannot easily be approached.

But since, authentic documents having been lost, there was doubt concerning the indulgences granted to the exercise of the Way of the Cross, in order to remove all doubt for the future, Pius XI, as is clear from the decree of the Sacred Penitentiary, Oct. 20, 1931, deigned to decree that: All the faithful who, whether singly or in company, at least with a contrite heart, have performed the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross, legitimately erected, according to the prescriptions of the Holy See, can gain:

a) A plenary indulgence toties quoties they complete the pious exercise itself.

b) Likewise another plenary indulgence if on the same day on which they performed the mentioned pious exercise, or even if within a month from the same performed ten times, they have approached the holy Synaxis.

c) A partial indulgence of 10 years for each station, if perhaps they have not brought the exercise begun to completion, for any reasonable cause.

The same indulgences can be gained by the legitimately impeded faithful, if they have a crucifix of the Way of the Cross blessed by one having the power and hold it in the hand (or one holds it in place of all), and at the same time there are recited by them, without notable and moral interruption, 14 Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes, one namely for each station, then 5 in honor of the five wounds of the Lord, and 1 according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff (S. C. Indg., Sept. 16, 1859). And if someone for a reasonable cause is impeded from holding the crucifix in the hand, it suffices to carry it with him during the recitation (S. Poen., Nov. 9, 1933). A cross, however, does not suffice, but the image of the Crucified must be present, and indeed in solid and not fragile material. The sick who cannot recite the said prayers can acquire the indulgences either by kissing or even only by looking, with affection and a contrite mind, at some Crucifix blessed for this purpose, shown to them either by a priest or by some other person, and by reciting, if they can, some brief prayer or ejaculatory prayer in memory of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ our Lord (S. Poen., Mar. 25, 1931, and Mar. 18, 1932).

This was confirmed by the mentioned decree of Oct. 20, 1931, and indeed "so that those who for a reasonable cause have not been able to recite all the prescribed Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes, obtain for a plenary indulgence a partial indulgence of 10 years for each Our Father with Hail Mary and Glory Be recited; and if someone, by force of illness, can only kiss or only look at a Crucifix blessed for this purpose, but cannot add an ejaculatory prayer, he is not impeded from obtaining the plenary indulgence."

678. The indulgence of the Most Holy Rosary. - The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is "a certain sacred formula of praying to God in honor of Blessed Mary, by which, through fifteen decades of the angelic salutation, with the Lord's Prayer inserted between each, the fifteen principal mysteries of human redemption are reviewed with pious meditations." Thus in the office of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lect. 4. It must be recited with beads specially blessed for this purpose, which are of 5 (not 4 or 6 or 7), or 10, or 15 decades, and which during prayer must be held in the hand and turned; but if it is recited in common, it suffices that one person hold and turn the beads, while the rest, cares which impede attention being removed, devoutly unite with him in the recitation. Indeed it has recently been granted that whenever, either because of manual work or because of another reasonable cause, an impediment arises so that they cannot hold them in the hand, the faithful can gain the indulgences, provided that during the recitation they carry them with themselves in some way (S. Poen., Nov. 9, 1933).

At least five decades must be recited in one morally continuous stretch; indeed, by concession of Pius X, the decades of the rosary can be separated, provided that the recitation of the rosary is completed on the same day (C. Indg., July 8, 1908); nevertheless confreres of the Sodality of the Most Holy Rosary gain the indulgences even if they separate the individual decades, provided that they say the whole Rosary within the week. The Creed or Salve Regina is not required at the beginning, nor a prayer or Litanies at the end; nor the Glory Be at the end of the decades, or the Requiem when the rosary is said for the dead; but the individual decades must begin with the Our Father and consist of 10 Hail Marys. Recitation must altogether be accompanied by meditation on the mysteries of the life, passion, and resurrection of Christ, according to each one's capacity; the mysteries are now determined both as to substance and as to logical order, and cannot be changed in the recitation (S. C. Indg., Aug. 13, 1726), but whatever series of mysteries is meditated, whether of joy, of sorrow, or of glory, or in whatever order the three series are placed, suffices for gaining the indulgences.

Before the individual decades the mystery to be considered can be announced, or even before the individual angelic salutations, since this is not a true interpolation in the prayers nor a moral interruption; - indeed the custom of inserting a brief announcement of the mystery after the word "Jesus" in each salutation, although of itself disapproved because of can. 934, § 2, was permitted by indult for certain places; this indult has now been extended in favor of all who according to the aforesaid custom have been accustomed to recite the Rosary in any places whatever (S. Poen., Jan. 22, 1921).

The blessing of the rosary has been granted to the Order of Preachers; others, excepting a privilege such as Cardinals and Bishops personally have, cannot bless unless they have obtained from the Holy See or from the master general of the Preachers a delegated faculty; the same is to be said of the erection of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. This holds for concessions made before Apr. 1, 1933; for the future, from the decree of the Sacred Penitentiary, Mar. 20, 1933, the General of the Preachers is still able to delegate his own for blessing rosaries, but no longer outsiders. These in the future must approach the Sacred Penitentiary, unless it should wish to grant the privilege anew to the General of the Preachers.

The summary of indulgences of the Most Holy Rosary was published by order of Leo XIII and recognized as authentic on Aug. 29, 1899; to these afterward certain others were annexed. The principal ones are:

1. For the recitation of the Most Holy Rosary: to all the faithful an indulgence of 5 years as often as they devoutly recite a third part of the rosary, and of 10 years, once in the day, if they recite it in common; - a plenary indulgence on the last Sunday of the month if at least three times in the week they recite a third part together with others, and, refreshed by the Sacraments, visit some church or public oratory and there pray according to the mind of the Supreme Pontiff; - likewise a plenary indulgence, if they have obtained pardon of sins and have approached the sacred Synaxis, as often as before the Most Holy Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle they have devoutly recited a third part (Pius XI, brief Ad S. Dominici, Sept. 4, 1927). - But if they use a rosary specially blessed by the Fathers Preachers, or by one having the faculty, there is an indulgence of 100 days for each Our Father and Hail Mary, provided that at least a third part of the rosary is recited, and a plenary indulgence once in the year if each day they recite at least a third part and are refreshed by the Sacraments.

2. For special exercises: an indulgence of 5 years once, on any day, and a plenary indulgence, under the ordinary conditions, for those who for 9 days give themselves to pious exercises in honor of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary (S. Poen., Mar. 18, 1932); - likewise a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions, on any of 15 continuous Saturdays, if on each Saturday they receive the Sacraments and recite a third part of the Rosary; but those who are legitimately impeded on Saturday can perform the exercise on Sunday (S. Poen., Aug. 31, 1936); - likewise special indulgences are annexed to the exercises of the association of the Living Rosary or of the Perpetual Rosary.

3. For the feast of the Most Holy Rosary and the month of October: besides the indulgence toties quoties to be gained on the feast day by all who, refreshed by the sacraments, visit a church of the Preachers or another church or public oratory in which the Sodality of the Most Holy Rosary has been erected, there is granted an indulgence of 7 years for any day of the month of October to those who recite a third part of the rosary; - moreover, one plenary indulgence to those reciting a third part of the rosary on the feast day and on each day through the octave, and another if, after the octave of the Most Holy Rosary, they say a third part of the rosary at least ten times within the month of October: under the condition of confession, Communion, and the visit of some church (S. Poen., Mar. 18, 1932).

4. To confreres of the Sodality of the Most Holy Rosary many are granted, for example, an indulgence of 100 years and as many quarantines, once in the day, to all confreres devoutly carrying the beads out of reverence for the Blessed Virgin (Pius X, July 31, 1906); - an indulgence of 5 years and as many quarantines as often as, in reciting the rosary, they devoutly pronounce the name of Jesus in the angelic salutation; - likewise 10 years and as many quarantines if they recite the rosary three times in the week, for each time; a plenary indulgence if, refreshed by the sacraments, within the space of one natural day they recite the whole rosary for the triumph of the Church and visit some church or public oratory (S. C. Indg., June 12, 1907), - likewise 7 years and as many quarantines as often as they are present at devotions customarily established in churches of the Preachers in the month of October, - likewise a plenary indulgence on the feast of the Annunciation if, refreshed by the sacraments, they recite the rosary, and many others to those who on certain days visit the chapel or church of the confraternity or are present at or participate in certain exercises. Concerning all of these can be consulted the recent booklet of Fr. Fanfani, De Rosario B. M. Virginis, 1930, and De Confraternitatibus Ordini Praedicatorum propriis, 1934.

It should be noted: a) There are other chaplets besides the rosary. Thus the chaplet of St. Bridget, which consists of 6 decades, each of which contains 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Creed, and 1 Our Father at the end with 3 other Hail Marys, and does not require meditation on the mysteries, but must be blessed by the Lateran Order of the Most Holy Savior, or by someone delegated for this by the Holy See: sometimes the faculty is granted of applying to rosaries of 5, 10, or 15 decades the indulgences of the Bridgettine chaplet, in which case it is not necessary to add 1 Our Father and 3 Hail Marys at the end, but the Creed must be said at the end of each decade, and five decades then suffice. The indulgences are 100 days for each Our Father, Hail Mary, and Creed, provided that six or five decades are recited; and a plenary indulgence at the article of death for those who have been accustomed to recite this chaplet once in the week, and many others. - The chaplet of the Crosiers, to be blessed by them, has annexed an indulgence of 500 days as often as an Our Father or Hail Mary is recited with it, without its being necessary to recite the whole chaplet or to add meditation. - The chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is proper to the Order of Servites and is composed of 7 parts, each of which consists of one Our Father and 7 Hail Marys, and to which at the end 3 Hail Marys are added. It must be blessed by a special formula and enjoys many indulgences.

b) Several indulgences can be annexed to the same chaplet, for example, of the Holy Rosary and of St. Bridget, but in such a way that by repeated recitation, now these, now those, one gains them separately, but not by one recitation simultaneously and conjointly (can. 933).

c) Nevertheless, by special concession of Pius X, the indulgences of the Most Holy Rosary of the Preachers and of the chaplet of the Crosiers can be accumulated (S. C. Indg., June 12, 1907); Pius XI joined to these the apostolic indulgences (S. Poen., Feb. 17 and June 14, 1922), and Pius XII (S. Poen., Mar. 11, 1939).

d) The Most Holy Rosary, before others, has been enriched with indulgences, so that generally by it more or better ones can be acquired more easily, at least by those who are enrolled in the Sodality of the Most Holy Rosary.

679. The indulgence of the holy Scapular. - The scapular a) must be made exclusively from wool, each one of its proper color; this, however, is not necessary for the cords, except for the scapular of the Passion, whose cords must be woolen and red; - b) it must be legitimately blessed and imposed; but if it has been worn out or lost, another not blessed can be substituted for it; - c) he who receives the scapular generally must be enrolled in the confraternity of which it is the insignia; - d) he must wear it hanging from the neck, so that one part covers the breast, the other the shoulders; nor is it required that it be worn immediately upon the body, for it suffices even over the clothes; - e) if someone does not regularly carry it, the indulgences are suspended until he resumes it; - f) nor is it necessary that he be admitted anew, unless he has laid it aside from contempt or from the will to leave the confraternity or cast away the scapular; - g) one who carries several must keep them sufficiently distinct, so that the little cloths do not form one scapular, and they are not sewn together except at the upper part, but each adheres to its cords.

The principal scapulars are:

1. The scapular of Blessed Mary of Mount Carmel, of brown color, which is most ancient and is eminent by the singular protection which the Blessed Virgin is piously believed to have promised to those who have devoutly worn it and die in it; - and by a special privilege by which members, under certain conditions, on the first Saturday after death, can hope, by the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin, for special help ordered to prompt liberation from purgatory. The Church permitted the Carmelites to preach this (S. Off., Jan. 20, 1613). The conditions are that one observe chastity according to his state; and if he knows how to read, that he recite daily the little Office of the Blessed Virgin, which condition clerics and religious who say the office to which they are bound satisfy; one who does not know how to read must fast on the days prescribed by the Church, and observe abstinence on Wednesday and Saturday, except the day of the Nativity of the Lord; but all confessors can commute this abstinence.

2. The scapular of the Most Holy Trinity, of white color, furnished with a cross of red and blue color not painted with a needle.

3. The scapular of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Seven Sorrows, of black color.

4. The scapular of the Immaculate Conception, of blue color. This had been endowed with a singular favor, by which members, in honor of the Holy Trinity, of the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived without stain, and according to the mind of the Supreme Pontiff, reciting 6 Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes, gained toties quoties the indulgences of the Portiuncula, Jerusalem, the 7 Basilicas of the City, and St. James of Compostela, that is, once in the day for plenaries. Nevertheless, by a recent decree of the Sacred Penitentiary, Apr. 22, 1933, this grace, like all other similar ones, was reduced so that those reciting can gain only a partial indulgence of 10 years on each occasion; but if through an entire month they have done this, they can acquire a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions.

5. The scapular of the Passion, of red color, which must be furnished with an image.

All have privileges and indulgences, concerning which, as concerning all things which regard indulgences, Beringer-Steinen, Die Ablasse, can be consulted; this work has been translated into various languages.

After the scapular has been imposed, a medal also can be worn in its place. And indeed from the decree of the Holy Office, Dec. 16, 1910, a single medal, showing the image of Our Lord Jesus Christ displaying his Most Sacred Heart, and on the other side the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, can be worn, but on one's own person, in place of all scapulars approved by the Holy See, except those which are proper to Third Orders. It is necessary that the medal be blessed by as many distinct blessings as there are scapulars in whose place it is substituted, and indeed by a priest who possesses the respective faculty of blessing the scapulars.

680. Jubilee in ecclesiastical speech is a solemn plenary indulgence, which has many privileges joined to it and is granted by the Supreme Pontiff only at certain times. Therefore it does not differ from an ordinary plenary indulgence except because of the circumstances, namely by reason of the solemnity, the works enjoined, the privileges annexed to it, the abundance of graces which divine mercy is accustomed to bestow at that time, and the greater hope of obtaining the indulgence totally.

One is ordinary, which now is usually granted regularly when the twenty-fifth year recurs, which is called a holy year: in that year it is celebrated at Rome, and after the year the Jubilee is extended to the whole world for six months, and sometimes for an entire year. Another is extraordinary, which is granted by reason of a great solemnity, as in the year 1933 for the centenary of the Redemption, or by reason of a special public necessity: this is general if it is granted to the whole world, or particular if it is given to a province, city, or particular place.

The end of the Jubilee is not the obtaining of the indulgence, but some common and great good of the Church to be obtained, such as the stirring of the Christian people to penance, the more solemn celebration of a great event, the cessation of public calamity, peace, etc.; to this end it is fitting that the faithful perform several good works. But that they may be enticed to perform them, the Pontiff grants a plenary indulgence and various privileges to those fulfilling the works.

A. The conditions customarily prescribed for the ordinary Jubilee are confession duly made, worthy Communion, devout visitation of the churches designated for this purpose with prayer according to the mind of the Supreme Pontiff through several days, continuous or interposed; for an extraordinary Jubilee fasting and alms are sometimes added. These are to be fulfilled during the time in which the Jubilee runs; hence confession on its vigil does not suffice; and indeed the rules handed down by Benedict XIV for the Jubilee of the year 1750 are to be observed, unless they are expressly revoked (S. Congr. Indg., Mar. 15, 1852).

1. The good works must be supererogatory, not due from elsewhere, and must be done from the intention of gaining the Jubilee; hence annual confession or paschal Communion does not suffice, nor the visit of a church for hearing Mass by precept, nor alms due from a legacy or vow, nor fasting already prescribed, unless the Pontiff should expressly indulge this; nevertheless Viaticum suffices (S. Poen., Mar. 28, 1900).

2. One who after confession has been made falls into mortal sin must repeat confession when he has not yet received holy Communion; otherwise, for gaining the Jubilee an act of perfect contrition suffices (S. Poen., July 31, 1924). But, says Genicot, Th. M. II, n. 412, confession seems to have to be repeated by him who remembers some sin not declared in the confession previously made through innocent forgetfulness (Benedict XIV, const. Inter praeteritos).

3. How many churches are to be visited, and how often, and within what time, is determined by the Bull which grants the Jubilee; likewise whether separately or on the same day, which day can be computed either by the civil manner from midnight to midnight, or by the ecclesiastical manner from first vespers to twilight. But if all those visiting together processionally cannot enter the church, it suffices that they stand near, outside the church, and unite themselves with the multitude; however, it is not certain that this holds if the church is closed, unless this has been granted, as has sometimes been done for the Roman basilicas (S. Poen., July 31, 1924). Religious do not satisfy by visiting their own church unless they have an indult.

4. Fasting is understood with abstinence from flesh, not as formerly with abstinence from eggs and milk foods (can. 1250). Yet it obliges all, old people and children; but because of grave inconvenience it can be commuted. Sometimes it is prescribed that it be done on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the same week.

5. Alms, if it is enjoined according to each one's devotion, a small alms suffices; but if according to ability, it must be proportioned to this.

B. Privileges customarily granted to confessors, even ordinary confessors, are:

1. Of commuting, for a just cause, the works required for the Jubilee, except confession; commutation is not to be granted without a just impediment, which will occur very rarely for Communion and the reciting of prayers, nor is it to be made except into a nearly equal work.

2. Of absolving from all sins and censures reserved by law or by man, but only in the internal forum and with those things enjoined which are to be enjoined; nevertheless not generally from those most specially reserved, nor of absolving an accomplice.

3. Of absolving all, even religious women; hence these have the faculty of choosing for themselves from those approved for both sexes a confessor in order to gain the Jubilee.

4. Of dispensing from certain occult irregularities, but as regards orders already received.

5. Of commuting by dispensing for a just cause in private vows, even sworn vows; nevertheless not in religious vows, or vows accepted by a third party unless he renounces them, nor in penal vows unless something else is imposed which equally wards off the danger of sinning.

6. Of dispensing, but only in the internal forum, from certain occult impediments, such as consanguinity of the third or second collateral degree, even touching the first, which comes from illicit generation, but in order to validate a contracted marriage; or of crime without machination, even for contracting marriage.

The faculties can be stricter or broader, concerning which therefore the Bull of the Jubilee must always be considered. Broader faculties, however, are granted to the major Penitentiaries in the four Roman Basilicas.

Confessors enjoy the faculties only in order to gain the Jubilee and only in the internal forum; and indeed only in the act of confession, unless something else is expressly noted. One who has made a good confession with the intention of the Jubilee, but afterward does not fulfill the other works and does not gain the Jubilee, remains validly absolved or dispensed, but of itself sins at least venially. But one who has confessed sacrilegiously was neither validly absolved nor dispensed.

C. The suspension of graces, that is, of special faculties and privileges and of pontifical indulgences for the living, is usually made outside the City during the Jubilee, so that the faithful may take care to gain it. Nevertheless the following are usually excepted:

1. indulgences for the dead; indeed those which otherwise are granted for the living can, during the Jubilee, be applied to the dead;

2. the indulgence at the article of death;

3. indulgences granted for the prayer Angelus Domini at the sound of the bell;

4. indulgences for the visit of the Most Holy Sacrament exposed for Forty Hours, as also for accompanying it when it is carried to the sick, or for a candle sent for this purpose to be carried by others;

5. the indulgence of the Portiuncula, but to be gained at Assisi.

And sometimes there are others which are listed in the Bull.

Faculties granted by grace or privilege are usually suspended: of absolving from reserved sins and censures, of relaxing censures, of commuting vows and dispensing in them, of dispensing from irregularities and canonical impediments. Nor are the faculties of confessors in the internal forum always suspended as regards penitents who cannot approach the City. In this matter, however, there can be diversity for different Jubilees; hence no certain rule is supplied except by the Bull indicating the Jubilee and determining the prescriptions.

Observation. - To certain categories of the faithful who are in the impossibility of going to the City, it is usually granted that already during the holy year they may gain the Jubilee: thus all religious women and pious women living a common life, and women and girls living with them; anchorites who live in continual enclosure and solitude, professing a regular Order; captives, those detained in prisons, those undergoing the penalty of exile or deportation; the sick, and old people who have completed their seventieth year; laborers procuring their livelihood for themselves by daily labor, if they are impeded from undertaking the Roman journey; and perhaps others if they are indicated in the Bull.

But those who have gained the Jubilee in the holy year can gain it again if in the following year it is extended to the whole world.