Section VII. On the Heroic Act of Charity

I. Notion. "The heroic act of charity consists in this, that one of Christ's faithful, either by using some formula or even only mentally, offers to God Almighty for the souls in Purgatory all satisfactory works which he himself, so long as he lives, will perform; likewise all indulgences, both those granted for the departed and those granted only for the living, which he also can and must apply to the departed; finally all suffrages which after death will be able to come to him in any way whatsoever."¹ It is said:

1. Satisfactory works, that is, the satisfactory fruit of his works, which fruit is attached to every good work and of itself is ordered to taking away or lessening the punishments due to one's own sins. But the meritorious fruit of works is not ceded, since it is so personal that it cannot be renounced; nor are works ceded insofar as they are impetratory, whether for oneself or for others.

2. Offers to God; now this oblation can be made to God either immediately or mediately, namely through the Blessed Virgin Mary, in whose hands all satisfactory works, all indulgences, and all suffrages are deposited, to be distributed by her to the souls in purgatory as she pleases.² Finally, the offering made to God does not assume the character of a vow, and can always be revoked at will.³

That the act explained is greatly to be commended is clear from its very nature; for it is an act of charity toward the departed, by which someone as it were chooses punishments for himself, so that the souls of purgatory may more quickly escape punishment. There is added the fact that the Supreme Pontiffs have enriched the mentioned act with privileges.⁴

¹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 19, 1885.

² Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 19, 1885, to III and IV.

³ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 19, 1885.

⁴ Benedict XIII, August 23, 1728; Pius VI, December 12, 1788; Pius IX, September 30, 1852.

II. Privileges.¹

1. Priests who have made the praised act enjoy the indult of a privileged altar on individual days.

2. The faithful can gain a plenary indulgence: 1. on individual days on which they receive Holy Communion; 2. on individual Mondays on which they hear Mass in suffrage for the departed, provided that in either case they visit a church or public oratory and there pray according to the intention of the Supreme Pontiff. But if someone is impeded from hearing Mass on Monday, it suffices to assist at the Mass to be heard on Sunday by precept. Priests also can gain the said indulgences, even if they celebrate and by celebrating have already gained another indulgence; since even communion received on the occasion of celebration suffices for acquiring a plenary indulgence, indeed for acquiring several plenary indulgences² (canon 933).

3. All indulgences which are gained by those who have made the heroic act of charity are applicable to the departed.³

Note 1. The plenary indulgence which a priest gains by force of the privilege of the altar granted on account of the heroic act of charity must be applied to the soul for whom the Mass is celebrated; for the privilege is granted by the Supreme Pontiff in this sense.⁴

Note 2. It was asked whether those who have made the heroic act of charity can, or rather must, apply to the departed the plenary indulgence to be gained at the point of death. The Sacred Congregation of Indulgences left the question in suspense, responding on January 23, 1901: "No interlocutory response is to be given." But of itself nothing prevents the said indulgence from being able to be renounced; that this must be done seems to be deduced from the special character of the heroic act of charity, as explained above.

¹ Raccolta, p. 531; Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 19, 1885.

² Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, May 10, 1844 (Decreta authentica, n. 327, to II and III).

³ Raccolta, p. 531.

⁴ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 19, 1885.