What is an indulgence and how does it relate to temporal punishment?
An indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven in sacramental Confession. Drawing from the infinite spiritual treasury of Christ's merits and the prayers of the saints, the Church dispenses indulgences as partial or plenary (complete). A plenary indulgence removes all temporal punishment for sin, applicable to oneself or to the holy souls in Purgatory. To gain a plenary indulgence, one must perform the prescribed work, be completely detached from sin, and receive Sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, and pray for the Pope's intentions.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1471-1479
- Matthew 16:19
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.