Plenary Indulgence (and Prayer Request)

A reckless early morning car crash took the lives of two nineteen-year olds and a twenty-year old here in Boston.

I've been thinking about (and praying for) these kids (and their families) since we went by the wreck on the commuter rail this morning. What their struggles may have been at home, school, in life.. to bring them to be houliganing at 4:30 in the AM and to this end.

Lives cut too short to even have the maturity to overcome their challenges, convert. The spiritual battles. How hard their guardian angels must have worked to nurture, counsel and guide them from this tragic end. The demons who walked away from the wreck satisfied. Victorious. Prowling Morrissey Boulevard to find other souls to seek their ruin.

I was sitting in line for confession, to comply with and obtain for meself the Divine Mercy Plenary Indulgence and once again took up prayer for these children. I've been looking forward to restoring my soul to the day of Baptism for weeks. Minutes away...and out of nowhere came the thought that I should offer up the plenary indulgence for the salvation of one of the souls.

I felt like someone just stole my pocketbook. The chase was on!

I glanced towards the Divine Mercy image of Christ a few feet away thought to myself "I don't think so. Can't do that. I need it. I need the cleansing of the intellect. The graces. But I'll continue to keep these kids in prayer".

I was content again for a nanosecond. Contemplating the fruit of the indulgence within my grasp. But, the swiftness and intensity of the squeezola that followed, I knew that it wasn't just my own rambling thoughts to offer the plenary indulgence - the request was Christ's and so I laid the indulgence at His Precious Feet. Asked the Blessed Mother to use it for one of these children - John, Paul, Samantha - or whomever she sees fit.

If you have obtained or are in the process of obtaining the indulgence, may I humbly ask you to pray over offering it for the salvation of one of the others?

I used to be in the habit of making plenary indulgences and offering it up. It's where the rubber meets the road. A great substantive explanation of plenary indulgence is HERE. They are applicable to souls in Purgatory. The section on indulgences in the Catechism is HERE. Here's some instructions on how to comply and a list of qualifying events. Info on partial indulgences HERE.

There are several in June. I'll remind you.

On Sunday at 3pm, on the final day of the Novena, praying with other Catholics in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I couldn't help but be moved to tears at this great hour where so many of us in communion all over the world were being immersed and immersing ourselves. I felt the tremendous power in the freedom of millions souls.

Catholic religion and the Catholic Church - what a treasure chest of precious gifts.