INDULGENCES IN GENERAL
An indulgence is the cancellation of temporal punishment due for sin, when the sin's guilt has already been pardoned.
An indulgence is partial if it frees the Christian partially from the temporal punishment due for his sins, plenary if it frees him wholly.
Both partial and plenary indulgences can always be applied to the dead, but only by way of suffrage.
Since the Apostolic Constitution of Pope Paul VI on Indulgences, a partial indulgence is no longer expressed in reference to time, i.e. days or years.
A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day, except by those on the threshold of death.
To gain a plenary indulgence the person must perform the indulgenced act, and satisfy these conditions: Sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, prayer for the Pope's intention, and freedom from all attachment to sin, even venial sin. If this detachment is not present, or if any of the above conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence is partial.
ROSARY INDULGENCES
For members of the Confraternity, a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, is granted:
On the day of enrollment. (When application is made, a certificate of membership is sent, indicating the day of the enrollment.)
On the following feast days: Christmas, Easter, Annunciation, Purification, Assumption, Our Lady of the Rosary, and Immaculate Conception.
For those who pray the Rosary, a plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions, when the Rosary is prayed in Church, or in a Public Oratory, in a family (family Rosary), Religious Community, or Pious Association. Otherwise a partial indulgence is granted.
The Sabbatine Privilege
The Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel has promised to save those who wear the scapular from the fires of hell; She will also shorten their stay in purgatory if they should pass from this world still owing some debt of punishment.
This promise was delivered to Pope John XXII. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him and, speaking of those who wear the Brown Scapular, said, “I, the Mother of Grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in purgatory I shall free so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting.”
Our Lady assigned certain conditions which must be fulfilled:
1) Wear the Brown Scapular continuously.
2) Observe chastity according to one's state in life.
3) Recite daily the "Little Office of the Blessed Virgin;"or,
3a) Observe the required fast of the Church as well as abstaining for meat on Wednesday and Saturday; or,
3b) Recite the Rosary daily; or,
3c) With permission, substitute some other good work.
Pope Benedict XV, the celebrated World War I Pontiff, granted 500 days indulgence for devoutly kissing your scapular.
