To increase the holiness of the faithful and for the salvation of souls, by virtue of the faculty granted to it in a special way by the Most Reverend Father in Christ and Our Master, the Lord Francis, by Divine Providence, Pope, having taken note of the requests made by Mary Murphy, President of the Association called the Legion of Mary, on the occasion of its one hundredth anniversary, the Apostolic Penitentiary graciously concedes from the heavenly treasures of the Church a plenary indulgence properly fulfilled under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the intention of the Holy Pontiff) to the members of the association and to other members of the faithful who are truly penitent, to be gained from 7 September 2021 until 7 September 2022, which can be applied for the souls of the faithful detained in Purgatory by way of suffrage, if they visit any church of the said Association or wherever on pilgrimage and are present devoutly at the joyful celebrations, or at least recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed devoutly, with added pious appeals to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The aged, the sick, and all who cannot leave home for a grave reason, can gain equally the Plenary Indulgence, having evinced a detestation of sin and a purpose of amendment, where first permitted, under the three usual conditions, if they join themselves spiritually to the joyful celebrations, offering the prayers, sorrows or misfortunes of their own lives to the mercy of God.
In order to facilitate out of pastoral charity such visits for the reception of the divine forgiveness through the keys of the Church, this Penitentiary especially requests priests who have the faculties to hear the confessions of the said people, to make themselves available with prompt and generous heart for the celebration of Confession.
This letter is only valid for this purpose. All other things to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given at Rome, from the seat of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on 7 of September, in the Year of Our Lord’s Incarnation 2021.
For the Centenary Indulgence, each curia or praesidium can make their own visit to a church – one dedicated to Our Lady, or with a shrine to her. The visit should include devout recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed, with added appeals to Our Lady. This plenary indulgence can only be gained once and can be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased.
To obtain the full indulgence, legionaries and other members of the faithful must also fulfil the three usual conditions, i.e. within several days either side, go to Confession and Holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (e.g. 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary). They must also be in a state of grace, and be free from any attachment to sin.
A plenary indulgence, we recall, remits all debt of punishment in purgatory remaining for one’s past sins, the guilt of which has already been forgiven. But even if all its conditions are not fulfilled, a partial indulgence can still be gained.
The elderly, the sick and all who cannot leave home for a grave reason can also gain the Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions, and with a detestation of sin and purpose of amendment – if they join themselves spiritually to the joyful celebrations, offering the prayers, sorrows or misfortunes of their own lives to the mercy of God.
