On Partial and Plenary Indulgence - What we need to know and how to obtain it
Whenever we heard the term "plenary indulgence", we might wonder what is it and it's purpose. We do hear it a lot when a Holy Year was announced by the Pope or by a bishop, you might encounter the term on several prayer books and holy sites. I do think it is time to know what it is and what does it do in our salvation. An indulgence is defined as "the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned." The first thing to note is that forgiveness of a sin is separate from punishment for the sin. Through sacramental confession we obtain forgiveness, but we aren't let off the hook as far as punishment goes. Indulgences are two kinds: partial and plenary. A partial indulgence removes part of the temporal punishment due for sins. A plenary indulgence removes all of it. This punishment may come either in this life, in the form of various sufferings, or in the next life, in purgatory. Plenary Indulgen