A reader writes:
Jimmy – in reflecting on the recent Plenary Indulgence given by the Holy Father this year, and in reading some Catholic source books on Indulgences, there are a few points on which I’m unclear. I’m wondering if you can help me.1. An Indulgence for the living can only be had by the one performing the indulgenced act. In other words, I can’t ask for an Indulgence, Plenary or Partial, for another living person (other than myself). True?
TRUE.
2. An Indulgence, being a species of sacramental, works "ex opere operantis"; in other words, its efficacy is dependent on the subjective disposition of the one performing the indulgenced act(s). Is this true?
TRUE. AS THE CHURCH’S LAW IS PRESENTLY CONFIGURED, INDULGENCES WORK EX OPERE OPERANTIS, THOUGH IT ISN’T 100% CLEAR THAT THEY ARE TO BE CLASSIFIED AS SACRAMENTALS. THEY APPEAR TO FIT THE GENERAL DEFINITION OF SACRAMENTALS, BUT ARE NOT LISTED AS EXAMPLES OF SACRAMENTALS HERE.
2.a Corollary question: do all voluntary acts of satisfaction, as ways of obtaining grace, work "ex opere operantis"? If so, then penance assigned in the Sacrament of Confession (and performed) must work "ex opere operato", i.e., without its efficacy relying on the penitent’s subjective disposition. True?
VOLUNTARY ACTS OF SATISFACTION DO WORK EX OPERE OPERANTIS.
HOWEVER, THE PENANCE ASSIGNED IN CONFESSION IS NOT VOLUNTARY. IT IS REQUIRED BY THE SACRAMENT, WHICH WORKS EX OPERE OPERATO. YOU ARE ABSOLVED EX OPERE OPERATO AS LONG AS YOU INTEND, AT THE TIME OF THE SACRAMENT, TO DO THE PENANCE. YOU ARE THEN GRAVELY OBLIGATED TO PERFORM IT, BUT YOU ARE ALREADY ABSOLVED.
3. An Indulgence is an act of the power of jurisdiction of a prelate (Pope, Bishop), not of the power of orders. But since the Church has no jurisdiction over the dead, we cannot be sure that an Indulgence for the dead is efficacious. Is this true?
TRUE, BUT THIS IS STATED A LITTLE STRONGLY. SINCE THE DEPARTED ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE EARTHLY CHURCH, WE CANNOT HAVE CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE APPLIED TO THEM IN PARTICULAR CASES, BUT WE MAY HAVE REASONABLE CONFIDENCE THAT GOD HEARS AND RESPONDS AFFIRMATIVELY TO THE EARTHLY CHURCH’S REQUESTS IN THIS REGARD.
