From: [D]@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011
9:14 PM
To: Eric
Subject: Article of interest...
Vatican announces indulgences for World Youth Day
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To help encourage prayers for a spiritually
fruitful World Youth Day in Madrid, the Vatican announced Aug. 11 that Pope
Benedict XVI had authorized a special indulgence for anyone who, "with a
contrite spirit," raises a "prayer to God, the Holy Spirit, so that
young people are drawn to charity and given the strength to proclaim the Gospel
with their life," a Vatican decree said.
The decree included the offer of a plenary, or full, indulgence to
all the young people who will gather with the pope in Madrid. World Youth Day
runs Aug. 16-21 in the Spanish capital; the pope arrives Aug. 18.
An indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment a person is
due for sins that have been forgiven. The conditions necessary for receiving a
plenary indulgence include having recently gone to confession, receiving the
Eucharist and offering prayers for the intentions of the pope.
Pope Benedict decreed that World Youth Day participants can receive
a plenary indulgence if they participate with prayerful devotion in any sacred
event or "pious exercise" as well as attend the closing Mass, receive
the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist and offer prayers for the
pope's intentions.
The decree, signed by Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, head of the Vatican office that deals with
indulgences, said a partial indulgence also is available to all Catholics who
are contrite for their sins and offer their prayers with the pope for young
Catholics.
The cardinal also asked priests around the world to make themselves
available to hear the confessions of those who want the indulgence and to
encourage public prayers for the success of World Youth Day.
In central Madrid's Buen Retiro Park, 200 portable confessionals will be set up for
confessions that begin Aug. 14. The pope will hear confessions at the park Aug.
20.
END
Pasted from <http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1103187.htm>