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.

"The heroic act of charity toward souls detained in Purgatory consists in this, that a Christian faithful person, whether with some formula employed or even only mentally, offers to God Almighty, for the souls of Purgatory, all satisfactory works which he himself, as long as he lives, will perform; and also all suffrages which after death in whatever way can come to him. Many Christian faithful most devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Father Gaspar Oliden of blessed memory, of the Order of Clerics Regular Theatines, as author or adviser, have been accustomed to deposit works of satisfaction and suffrages of this sort in the hands, in a certain way, of the Blessed Virgin, to be distributed by Her according to Her merciful good pleasure in favor of the souls of Purgatory.

This heroic Act of charity has more than once been approved by the Apostolic See; indeed, that it might become more useful to the dead, it was enriched with Indulgences, and those who emitted it were increased with privileges. These things Pius IX, Pope of holy memory, confirmed, increased, and extended to all the Christian faithful by Decree of the Sacred Congregation placed over Indulgences and Sacred Relics, given on 20 November 1854.

But now concerning the object of this oblation, concerning the essential conditions of the same act, and concerning the indulgences and Privileges annexed to the same, doubts have arisen from time to time. For it has been doubted whether among satisfactory works there should be comprehended also the Indulgences which a Christian faithful person, while he lives, can gain; and whether one who has elicited the heroic Act satisfies it, although he reserves for himself and applies to himself those Indulgences which are conceded for the living. Moreover a dispute has been raised with regard to the pious practice of making the oblation of satisfactions and suffrages into the hands of the B. Virgin Mary, some maintaining the necessity of this oblation into the hands of the Blessed Virgin for the obtaining of Indulgences and the use of privileges, others opposing it. Finally, some doubts have prevailed concerning the manner in which Plenary Indulgences can or ought to be applied to the souls of Purgatory by those who have emitted the heroic act of charity.

Wherefore, that those things which seemed obscure in this matter might become clear, and those which were uncertain might become certain, the following doubts were proposed to be decided by the Cardinal Fathers of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences:

1. Whether among the satisfactory works which in the heroic Act of charity are offered for the souls of Purgatory there are comprehended also Indulgences which have been declared by the Supreme Pontiffs applicable to departed Christian faithful?

2. Whether that oblation is satisfied by those who wish to reserve to themselves the Indulgences which are conceded for the living; or whether these Indulgences, in order to satisfy the pious purpose, must be applied to the Dead, according to the Indult conceded by the Supreme Pontiff to those emitting the heroic Act of charity?

3. Whether, 1st, it is an integral part of the heroic Act of charity, or a condition prescribed for participation in the privileges, that all one's own satisfactions and Indulgences be offered not only for the souls of Purgatory, but also be left to the Most Blessed Virgin to be distributed as it shall please Her? or, 2nd, whether this consignment, as it were, into the hands of the Virgin is to be held merely as a pious devotion accessory to the Act, to be commended to the Christian faithful?

4. Whether the Plenary Indulgences which Christian faithful emitting the heroic Act of charity gain, both on account of sacred Communion and on account of hearing Mass on Monday, must be applied to the souls which the B. V. Mary desires to free from Purgatory before others, or can be applied to any soul of Purgatory?

5. Whether the Plenary Indulgence of a personal privileged Altar, 1st, must be applied by the priest who has emitted the heroic Act of charity to the soul for which he celebrates Mass? or, 2nd, can be applied at will to any Deceased person? or, 3rd, must be applied to the souls which the B. V. Mary desires to free from Purgatory?

Resp. To the 1st: Affirmatively. To the 2nd: Negatively to the first part; Affirmatively to the second. To the 3rd: Negatively to the first part; Affirmatively to the second. To the 4th: Provision has been made in the foregoing. To the 5th: To the first part, Affirmatively; for in this manner the privilege of the Altar is conceded by the Supreme Pontiff; to the second and third part, Provision has been made in the response to the first part." S. Indulg. C. 19 Dec. 1885.

What of the heroic act of charity with regard to the privileged altar? A personal indult of a privileged altar on each day of the year, as also the faculty of applying to the departed all indulgences granted and to be granted for the living, has been granted for the heroic act of charity toward the souls of Purgatory. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, Decree Urbis et Orbis, November 20, 1854.

This act consists in this: that one of Christ's faithful, either using some formula or only mentally, offers to God for the souls of Purgatory all satisfactory works which he himself will perform as long as he lives, and all indulgences which he can gain, and also all suffrages which in any way can come to him after death. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 18, 1885.

But an heroic act of this kind does not prevent someone from satisfying the obligations which he has, and from offering suffrages for this or that soul. The heroic act of charity can be revoked. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 20, 1907; Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. 40, p. 370 ff. E.M.

"1. Whether among the satisfactory works which in the heroic act of charity are offered for the souls in Purgatory are comprehended also indulgences which have been declared by the Supreme Pontiffs applicable to the Christian faithful departed?

"2. Whether this oblation is satisfied by those who wish to reserve for themselves the indulgences which are granted for the living; or whether these indulgences must be applied to the departed in order to satisfy the pious resolution, according to the indult granted by the Supreme Pontiff to those making the heroic act of charity?

"3. Whether, first, it is an integral part of the heroic act of charity, or a condition prescribed for participation in the privileges, that all one's own satisfactions and indulgences not only be offered for the souls in Purgatory but also be left to the Blessed Virgin to be distributed as shall have pleased her; or, second, whether this placing into the hands of the Virgin is to be regarded only as a pious devotion accessory to the act and to be commended to the Christian faithful?

"4. Whether the plenary indulgences which the Christian faithful making the heroic act of charity gain both because of Holy Communion and because of hearing Mass on Monday must be applied to the souls which the Blessed Virgin Mary desires to liberate from Purgatory before others, or can be applied to any soul in Purgatory?

"5. Whether the plenary indulgence of a personal privileged altar, first, must be applied by a priest who has made the heroic act of charity to the soul for whom he celebrates Mass; or, second, can be applied at will to any departed person; or, third, must be applied to the souls which the Blessed Virgin Mary desires to liberate from Purgatory?

"Response. To 1. Affirmative. - To 2. Negative to the first part; affirmative to the second. - To 3. Negative to the first part; affirmative to the second. - To 4. Provision was made in the preceding responses. "To 5. To the first part, affirmative, for in this manner the privilege of the altar is granted by the Supreme Pontiff; as to the second and third parts, provision was made in the response to the first part." Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, 18 December 1885.

665. 1° Notion. This act consists in this: that a member of the faithful of Christ, whether by employing some formula, or only in mind, offers to God, for the souls of Purgatory, all satisfactory works which he himself will perform through life, and all suffrages which can come to him after death. - Laudably this oblation is made through the hands of the Blessed Virgin, so that satisfactions and indulgences may be distributed to the dead according as it shall please her; but this is not an integral and necessary part of the heroic act.⁵

⁴ Atto eroico di carità, Rome, 1853; Raccolta, pp. 530-531; Melata, pp. 110-114; Beringer, I, q. 320-324.

⁵ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 19, 1885, in Acta S. Sedis, XVIII, pp. 337-339.

By an oblation of this kind, merits are not ceded, which are altogether personal; nor even impetrations, which can be offered for us and for others, even after an act of this kind has been elicited; but only satisfactions and indulgences. With respect to Mass, nothing else is ceded than the special fruit proper to the priest; consequently the priest who has elicited this act is not prohibited from offering the sacrifice of the Mass for those who have offered the alms. - Such an act, although sometimes designated under the name of a vow, does not oblige under sin and can be revoked.

666. 2° Privileges granted to the heroic act.¹ (a) Priests enjoy the indult of a personal privileged altar on individual days; (b) the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence applicable only to the dead as often as they receive sacred communion, or on Monday hear Mass in suffrage for the dead, provided that they have visited some church, and there prayed according to the mind of the Supreme Pontiff; (c) all and individual indulgences which priests or faithful gain are applicable to the dead.

¹ Rescripta authent., n. 392.

But the principal value of this act is the great increase of charity, and also the acquisition of many merits, since the cession of indulgences and satisfactions made to the dead is especially meritorious. And indeed the least increase of merit must be esteemed more than liberation from the greatest punishment of Purgatory: for this punishment will shortly end, while an increase of merit makes us more blessed through all eternity. - Nor indeed is it to be feared that, on account of this, those eliciting the heroic act will remain for a long time in Purgatory: for those who daily exercise charity toward the dead can, by right and deservedly, trust in divine mercy: "Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down, and shaken together and running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure with which you have measured, it shall be measured back to you."²

² Luke VI, 38.

Thanks, therefore, to Christ, who by His precious blood not only washes away our sins, but has also kindly bestowed the means of expiating the punishments due to sin!