Do you practice gaining Indulgences?

An all too often forgotten immemorial Catholic practice is that of gaining or ʻwinningʻ indulgences. 

In order to do what we can (while in this earthly life) to engage in reparation for the temporal punishment due to our sins we ought to know what indulgences are and the necessary conditions for gaining them.

What is an indulgence?

"can. 992† An indulgence is the remission before God of temporal punishment for sins whose guilt is already forgiven, which a properly disposed member of the Christian faithful gains under certain and defined conditions by the assistance of the Church which as minister of redemption dispenses and applies authoritatively the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."

How do we gain indulgences? (Notes in Red our mine)

"The conditions for the winning of Indulgences are, in addition to the reception of Baptism and communion with the Church;

α) The state of Sanctifying Grace at least at the close of the prescribed works; (You need to NOT be in mortal sin)

β) Subordination to the one granting the Indulgence;

γ) The habitual intention at least of gaining the Indulgence; (You have to INTEND to receive the specific indulgence)

δ) The exact performance of the prescribed works. Cf. CIC 925, 927; Suppl. 25, 2." (Ott, L. (1957). Fundamentals of Catholic dogma )

What types of indulgences are there?

* There are two types of indulgences. Partial and Plenary:

Partial - Partially remits from the temporal punishment due to sins

Plenary - Fully remits from the temporal punishment due to sins

* To acquire a plenary indulgence the following conditions are required:

1.  Sacramental confession

2.  Reception of the Blessed Sacrament

3. Prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff

4. Total detachment from sin, even venial sin. 

Where can we look to see approved indulgences?

There is a manual of indulgences put out by the Supreme Tribunal Apostolic Penitentiary (Tribunal of the Roman Curia in charge the governance of indulgences)  The manual is known as the ʻEnchiridion Indulgentiarumʻ.

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons. St Peter in Penitence by El Greco