Pope Francis will grant a plenary indulgence – a remission of all
temporal punishment due to sin – to World Youth Day Catholic
participants, the Vatican announced July 9.
The head of the Church’s Apostolic Penitentiary, Cardinal Manuel
Monteiro de Castro, and its secretary, Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, released
a decree on July 9 that says the Pope will grant it during the July
22-29 event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“The young people and the faithful who are adequately prepared will
obtain the Plenary Indulgence, once a day and under the usual conditions
(sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in accordance
with the intentions of the Holy Father), applicable also to the souls
of deceased faithful,” states the decree published July 9.
The document adds that people who cannot attend World Youth Day can
receive it “under the usual spiritual, sacramental and prayer
conditions, in a spirit of filial submission to the Roman Pontiff.”
But this means they must participate “in the sacred functions on the
days indicated, following the same rites and spiritual exercises as they
occur via television or radio or, with due devotion, via the new means
of social communication.”
Cardinal Monteiro de Castro and Bishop Nykiel added that the faithful
can also obtain a partial indulgence – a remission of some temporal
punishment due to sin.
This will be for Catholics who “in any place and between the indicated
days, with a contrite heart raise devout prayers to God, concluding with
the official prayer of the World Youth Day.”
They will also need to invoke “the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Brazil
(with the title Nossa Senhora da Conceicao Aparecida) as well as other
patrons and intercessors of the same meeting, that they may encourage
the young to reinforce their faith and lead a holy life.”
The granting of indulgences by the Pope comes from Jesus’ response to
Peter, the first Pope, when he proclaimed that Jesus is “the Christ, the
Son of the living God” in Matthew 16.
Jesus replied to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”