Gaining Indulgences

[FutureSoror]

I read that to gain an indulgence on a prayer you have to speak it with your lips. I've never heard this before. Is it true?

[cappie]

This is from the most recent Code of Canon Law:

CHAPTER IV : INDULGENCES

Can. 992 An indulgence is the remission in the sight of God of the temporal punishment due for sins, the guilt of which has already been forgiven. A member of Christ's faithful who is properly disposed and who fulfils certain specific conditions, may gain an indulgence by the help of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the merits of Christ and the Saints.

Can. 993 An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it partially or wholly frees a person from the temporal punishment due for sins.

Can. 994 All members of the faithful can gain indulgences, partial or plenary, for themselves, or they can apply them by way of suffrage to the dead.

Can. 995 §1 Apart from the supreme authority in the Church, only those can grant indulgences to whom this power is either acknowledged in the law, or given by the Roman Pontiff.

§2 No authority below the Roman Pontiff can give to others the faculty of granting indulgences, unless this authority has been expressly given to the person by the Apostolic See.

Can. 996 §1 To be capable of gaining indulgences a person must be baptised, not excommunicated, and in the state of grace at least on the completion of the prescribed work.

§2 To gain them, however, the person who is capable must have at least the intention of gaining them, and must fulfil the prescribed works at the time and in the manner determined by the terms of the grant.

Can. 997 As far as the granting and the use of indulgences is concerned, the other provisions contained in the special laws of the Church must also be observed.

In the old Code Canon 934 stated that the prayers must be said orally, at least in part; meditation alone is not sufficient.

This does not form part of the new Code, but I would thing it is a good practice to say the prayers orally as it keeps the mind on the task so to speak.