How Often Do You Attempt To Gain Indulgences?

[chrysostom]

I guess my answer to the topic question would be "not nearly often enough"!

 

Since becoming Catholic I have still not yet made gaining (or attempting to gain) indulgences a habit.  I don't think of them often and I make the effort less.  Even when I do things that could gain me a partial or plenary indulgence AND I even receive communion, go to confession, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (the "detached from sin" bit - haha that'll take a while...), I still completely forget the intention to gain the indulgence.  :doh:

 

 

Similar experiences? Thoughts? Kick-in-the-pants go-get-em exhortations?

Edited June 15, 2014 by chrysostom

[Not The Philosopher]

I have only done it once so far.

 

Granted, I have only been in full communion with the Church for a little over two years now.

[Spem in alium]

My response: rarely. Perhaps only once or twice.

[Basilisa Marie]

It's not something I think about a lot, unless there's a particular feast day with an indulgence attached (like making a novena, etc).  I focus more on getting to confession on a scheduled basis, that's something I've gotta work on first. :) 

 

A good thing to do is plan ahead and find out when some are, and stick them on your calendar! 

[Perigrina]

Something that I have done is to add a request 'to receive all the indulgences that I may this day' to my morning offering prayer.  That means that I have the intention to gain the indulgence even when I am not aware of one or forget.  If one also goes to Confession every two weeks, one could be in a state to receive indulgences virtually all of the time.

[superblue]

I don't bother with indulgences, I don' like the idea of having to do things that we / I (am / are) already expected to be doing in order to receive a brownie point or whatever.  Plus considering God bestows these graces and " indulgences at his whim / time, there is no telling when one would receive it , if ever, so why hold ones breath. I don't practice my faith expecting to be rewarded for it.

[Basilisa Marie]

I don't bother with indulgences, I don' like the idea of having to do things that we / I (am / are) already expected to be doing in order to receive a brownie point or whatever.  Plus considering God bestows these graces and " indulgences at his whim / time, there is no telling when one would receive it , if ever, so why hold ones breath. I don't practice my faith expecting to be rewarded for it.

 

Actually, that's not entirely accurate. We do know that indulgences are a "thing" that "happens" when they're done piously. The pope, for example, has the ability to "make" (serious lack of better words on my part here) an indulgence for good reasons. You receive an indulgence when you fulfill the requirements to get said indulgence. It's not held over your head like some mystery. :) 

[beatitude]

I visit a church and a cemetery to pray on All Souls Day, every year. These actions have indulgences attached. But while I'm aware of the indulgences, seeking them isn't my purpose for going - I go to pray for the dead, give thanks for my family, etc. Indulgences aren't really on my radar that much.

[OnlySunshine]

I don't bother with indulgences, I don' like the idea of having to do things that we / I (am / are) already expected to be doing in order to receive a brownie point or whatever.  Plus considering God bestows these graces and " indulgences at his whim / time, there is no telling when one would receive it , if ever, so why hold ones breath. I don't practice my faith expecting to be rewarded for it.

 

Even if you don't do it for yourself, it's a grace to be able to pray for the souls of the faithful departed who may be in purgatory.  Doing it in honor of the dead releases souls to heaven.  That's why, in the Mass, we pray for the faithful who have died so they don't have to wait any longer.  It's not a reward - it's great way to grow in both devotion and faith.  A priest once explained it to me that those who are released through the graces of prayer will pray for you in heaven.  :)

Edited June 15, 2014 by MaterMisericordiae

[OnlySunshine]

As for me, I don't do it nearly as often as I should.  My favorite Solemnity is the Feast of Divine Mercy and I pray the Chaplet with my mom.  I try to get in to Confession within a week and receive the Eucharist. I also am trying to develop a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart but I haven't been able to attend First Friday Mass for 9 months in a row like you should.  I am, however, going to try to pray the novena for the Sacred Heart this upcoming week since the Solemnity is June 27th with the Immaculate Heart following.  Hopefully, I'll remember.  I have a bad habit of forgetting to pray each day. 

[freedomreigns]

The great thing about indulgences is that you can offer them, as others have pointed out, for those souls in Purgatory who are being prepared to see the Lord!  It is a way to show our love for those among us who have passed from this life.

[chrysostom]

Something that I have done is to add a request 'to receive all the indulgences that I may this day' to my morning offering prayer.  That means that I have the intention to gain the indulgence even when I am not aware of one or forget.  If one also goes to Confession every two weeks, one could be in a state to receive indulgences virtually all of the time.

 

That's a great idea!

 

I don't bother with indulgences, I don' like the idea of having to do things that we / I (am / are) already expected to be doing in order to receive a brownie point or whatever.  Plus considering God bestows these graces and " indulgences at his whim / time, there is no telling when one would receive it , if ever, so why hold ones breath. I don't practice my faith expecting to be rewarded for it.

 

But they aren't about brownie points, they're great graces, and the Church has encouraged obtaining indulgences for a very, very long time.  We practice our faith hoping to be rewarded with God Himself - i.e. the Beatific Vision.  Indulgences help us to gain that reward.  (:

[brandelynmarie]

I aim for plenary indulgences on Feasts like the Divine Mercy & I know I'm getting partial ones :saint2: With chaplets & prayers, i like to obtain indulgences & tell God to do what He wants with the graces. I believe that myself & others can only benefit from them...& if I forget, that's ok too. ;)

[mortify ii]

In the past ten years how many indulgences have been issued by a Pope?

[Perigrina]

In the past ten years how many indulgences have been issued by a Pope?

 

There was an indulgence associated with the Urbi et Orbi blessings at Christmas, Easter and the papal inaugurations within that time.  Recent popes have made it possible to gain this indulgence by "attending" the blessing by means of electronic media.  I think the inauguration of Pope Francis was the first time that the internet was specifically mentioned.