Year of St. Joseph

As I noted in the bulletin on January 10, 2021, Pope Francis has instituted a Year of St. Joseph to run from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021. It celebrates the 150^th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church by Blessed Pope Pius IX.

Pope Francis has extended the opportunity to the Christian faithful the opportunity to receive certain plenary indulgences during this year.

What is a plenary indulgence?

An indulgence is an application of the merits of Christ from the spiritual treasury of the Church. This falls under the pontifical power of the keys (“to bind and to loose”) entrusted to St. Peter, the first pope (see Matthew 16:19). When we sin, we commit an offense against God; justice requires that we suffer some punishment for the sin. Serious sin may have both temporal and eternal punishment attached. Eternal punishment means we go to hell — well, eternally. The Sacrament of Confession removes the guilt and eternal punishment.

In the confessional, usually we are instructed to offer some additional penance. We do this penance to reduce the burden of temporal punishment, and to grow in virtue. (We may also need to make restitution to anyone whom our sins may have harmed.) We can always do more penance than we are assigned in the confessional. Left to penance alone, most of us will not be able to eliminate our temporal punishment this side of our death, and finish that work in Purgatory — provided, of course, no eternal punishment remains.

Generally, an indulgence is a reduction in the temporal punishment due for sin. A plenary indulgence is a complete satisfaction of that temporal punishment. Indulgences can be obtained for ourselves or applied to the dead. Indulgences are governed by the Holy Father, under the authority of the keys. In an indulgence, the church applies satisfaction from its spiritual treasury to a proscribed spiritual work for the removal of temporal punishment. If the circumstances are not all satisfied for a plenary indulgence, the indulgence is called partial and some temporal punishment remains.

How to Gain an Indulgence

Indulgences can be gained by any baptized person who intends to receive it, is not excommunicated and who is in the state of grace by the end of the proscribed works. This intention can direct the benefits of the indulgence to yourself or to someone who has died.

The individual particular works through which we can receive a plenary indulgence are attached to the “usual conditions” for plenary indulgences:

• sacramental confession,

• receipt of Holy Communion,

• prayer for the intentions of the pope (one Our Father and one Hail Mary fully satisfies this requirement), and

• the absence of all attachment to sin.

The sacraments may be received within several days before or after the work to which the indulgence is attached. A single confession may apply to several indulgences, but Holy Communion and prayer for the Holy Father are required for each indulgence. One cannot obtain more than one plenary indulgence per day, except at the point of death.

Special Rules for Indulgences in the Year of St Joseph

Given the circumstances of the pandemic, there is a further relaxation of the “usual conditions” for the elderly, the sick, the dying and all those who, for legitimate reasons, are not able to leave their house. They can obtain a plenary indulgence provided they have the intention of satisfying the lacking usual conditions as soon as possible.

Indulgence Opportunities in the Year of St. Joseph

There are several new opportunities to gain plenary indulgences during this year. (See Vatican Decree.) The following proscribed works were granted plenary indulgences. See information above about the “usual conditions” under which these indulgences are granted.

• On the Feast of the Holy Family (which was Dec 20, 2020), on Wednesdays, on the 19^th of every month, an on the liturgical celebrations of St. Joseph on March 19 and May 1: there is a plenary indulgence available to the faithful who recite any legitimately approved prayer or act of piety in honor of St. Joseph. Particularly commended to us is the prayer, “To you, O blessed Joseph.” This prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII, who asked that it follow the recitation of the Rosary. Perhaps this Year of St. Joseph can inspire us to reintroduce this custom. You can find the prayer To You, O Blessed Joseph on the USCCB Web Site.

• Prayerfully contemplate the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father) for at least 30 minutes.

• Participate in a spiritual retreat of at least one day that includes a meditation on St. Joseph

• Those who perform a spiritual or corporal work of mercy after the example of St. Joseph.

• A family, or an engaged couple, may recite the Rosary together.

• Those who daily entrust their life to the protection of St. Joseph, or those who invoke the intercession of St. Joseph, so that those in search of work may find it, and that the work of all may be more dignified.

• Recite the Litany of St. Joseph for the church persecuted ad intra and ad extra, and for the relief of all Christians who suffer any form of persecution. You can find the Litany of St. Joseph on the USCCB Web Site.

St. Joseph, Pray for us!

-Deacon Steve