Myths about Indulgences

Myth 1. By acquiring indulgences, you can redeem yourself from hell.

     This common misconception, often used by anti-Catholic commentators, relies on the ignorance of both Catholics and non-Catholics. But this accusation is unfounded. Because indulgences only release temporary punishments, they cannot save a person from eternal punishment - hell. Once in hell, no amount of indulgences will save you. The only way to avoid hell is to turn to God's mercy while one is still alive. After a person dies, his eternal destiny is decided (Heb. 9:27).

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Myth 2. It is possible to acquire indulgences for uncommitted sins.

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The church has always taught that indulgences do not apply to sins that have not yet been committed. The American Catholic Encyclopedia notes: "[Indulgence] is not a solution to sin and is not a forgiveness of future sin; neither can be given by any authority.

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Myth 3. By buying an indulgence you can "buy forgiveness".

The definition of indulgence assumes that forgiveness has already been obtained: "Indulgence is the redemption before God of temporary punishment for sins for which guilt has already been forgiven" (Indulgentarium Doctrina, p. 1). Indulgences have nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins. They apply only to penalties that continue after the pardon.

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Myth 4. Indulgences are invented to improve the financial condition of the Church.

Indulgences arise as a result of reflection on the mystery of reconciliation. This is a way of shortening repentance, prescribed by the discipline of the sacrament and used for hundreds of years before money problems arose.

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Myth 5. Indulgence shortens the stay in purgatory by a certain number of days.

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The number of days that are simultaneously attributed to indulgences means the length of the period of repentance that one must go through on earth. The Catholic Church does not claim to know anything about the length of stay in purgatory, especially in the case of each individual.

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Myth 6. Indulgence can be bought

The Council of Trent carried out a remarkable reform of the practice of granting indulgences and, in connection with previous abuses, "in 1567 Pope Pius V forbade any granting of indulgences, including the payment of any price or other financial transactions" (American " Catholic Encyclopedia "). This act proved the seriousness of the Church's attitude to the elimination of abuses of indulgences.

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Myth 7. Early indulgences could be bought.

It has never been possible to "buy" an indulgence. The money scandal surrounding indulgences, which apologizes to Martin Luther for his heresy, concerns charitable indulgences, the acquisition of which had to be donated to a charity or organization. There has never been a direct sale of indulgences. The American Catholic Encyclopedia says: "It is not difficult to understand exactly how the abuses came about. Of course, among the good deeds that are a condition for acquiring indulgences, charity cannot fail to occupy a prominent place. Money for God or for the poor are a commendable deed, and if done with the right intentions, then, of course, they will not be left without a reward. "

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POPE THE LION X

Cum postquam decree

November 27, 1518

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After Luther presented his theses on the indulgences at Wittenberg, Pope Leo X, addressing Cardinal Caetano, his legate in Germany, clarified the true doctrine. He admits that mistakes have been made in practice and that some preachers are spreading inaccurate opinions. But he affirms that indulgences are based on the Church's authority to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Penance and separate guilt or sin from the temporary punishment for that sin. The message of April 30, 1519, states that in Cum postquam he wanted to give a "true definition" of the authority of the Roman pontiff on the issue of indulgences.

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So that in the future no one can justify that he does not know the teachings of the Roman Church about indulgences and their effectiveness, nor justify himself under the pretext of ignorance, nor resort to unfounded protests, but to convince these people that they are guilty in obvious lies, and to judge them justly, we considered it our duty to communicate with these messages what the Roman Church teaches, which others must follow as their Mother.

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The Roman pontiff, the heir of Peter, the keeper of the keys and the vicar of Jesus Christ on earth thanks to his possession of the keys that open the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven, freeing the believers from obstacles, ie. guilt and punishment for committing sins; from guilt - through the Sacrament of Confession, from temporary punishment, deserved by God's justice, through indulgences, which is given to the Church - the Roman pontiff, for reasonable reasons, can give to the faithful, united by the bonds of mercy with the members of the Body of Christ live in this life or are in purgatory, indulgences derived from the abundance of the merits of Christ and the saints. When, by virtue of his Apostolic authority, he gives indulgence to both the living and the dead, he, as usual, teaches the treasure of the merits of Jesus Christ and the saints, giving indulgence through forgiveness or intercession. Therefore, all those, living or dead, who have indeed received indulgence, are released from the punishment deserved by Divine justice, depending on the indulgence given and acquired.

With this decree we declare that in this way everyone must think and preach, otherwise he will be excommunicated from the Church latae sententiae (without judgment).

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From the book: "Christian doctrine": dogmatic texts of the Magisterium of the Church (III - XX centuries).

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