The Church, in her mercy, from time to time offers opportunities for pilgrims to obtain indulgences under specific conditions. We have compiled a list of opportunities for indulgences that are currently available that we are aware of. Indulgences can be applied to yourself or you can offer them up for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
If you are interested in how to obtain indulgences in other ways, the Manual of Indulgences by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an excellent resource.
The topic of indulgences invariably raises questions such as what is an indulgence, what is temporal punishment, why would I want/need an indulgence, who can I give an indulgence to, etc. We recommend visiting New Advent to learn more about indulgences.
AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME
Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes or Experiencing a Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of the Indulgence: through July 15, 2020
Conditions of Indulgence: Make a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes, France or experience a Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage with the North American Lourdes Volunteers. The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence also apply (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father)
Additional Information: You can find the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage schedule on the North American Lourdes Volunteer website and on our Relics & Events page.
AVAILABLE ANNUALLY
Portiuncula Indulgence
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of the Indulgence: August 2nd of each year
Conditions of Indulgence: Receive a sacramental confessions within 8 days before of after the day the indulgence is sought, receive Holy Communion at Mass on August 2nd, enter a Parish church and with a contrite heart pray the Our Father, Apostles Creed, and a prayer of your choosing for the intentions of the Pope, be free of attachment to sin
Additional Information: The Portiuncula indulgence was the first plenary indulgency ever granted in the Church. There is a scaled replica of the Portiuncula at the the National Shrine of St. Assisi in San Francisco, CA.
The Portiuncula is a small church that is located with the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels located a couple of miles from Assisi, Italy. It was an old church dedicated to the Mother of God that was abandoned and St. Francis lived there are repaired it. One night St. Francis was praying and Jesus appeared to him and asked him what he wanted for the salvation of souls and St. Francis replied, “Lord, I a miserable sinner beg You to concede an indulgence to all those who enter this church, who are truly contrite and have confessed their sins. And I beg Blessed Mary, Your Mother, intercessor of man, that she intercede on behalf of this grace.” Jesus replied, “It is a very great thing that which you ask Me; but you are worthy of even greater things, Friar Francis, and greater things you will have. So I accept your request, but I want you to go to my Vicar, to whom I have given the power to bind and loose in Heaven and on earth, to ask him on my behalf for this indulgence. St. Francis petitioned Pope Honorius for the confirmation of this indulgence and it was granted. Up until that point only partial indulgences had been grated.
AVAILABLE ON AN ONGOING BASIS
National Shrine for the Holy Souls in Purgatory (St. Odilo Parish)
Type of Indulgence: 200 days
Availability of the Indulgence: Ongoing
Conditions of Indulgence: Make a visit to the Shrine and fulfill the normal conditions for an indulgence (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father).
Additional Information: The Shrine is located at St. Odilo Parish in Berwyn, Illinois
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of the Indulgence: Ongoing
Conditions of Indulgence: Make a visit to the Shrine on one of the following days and fulfill the normal conditions for an indulgence (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father).
- On the patronal feast day of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome on August 5th
- On the patronal feast day of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin on December 12
- On all solemnities of the Virgin Mother of God: January 1, March 25, August 15, December 8
- On any day chosen by a pilgrim once a year
- As many times during the year as the faithful are part of an organized pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse for the purposes of devotion, reform of life, growth in holiness and greater communion with the Holy Father and all members of the Church through the intercession of the Virgin Mother of God and Mother of the Church, each of the participants in the pilgrimage may gain a plenary indulgence
Additional Information: The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse has been affiliated to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, Italy. With this affiliation comes the opportunity for pilgrims visiting the Shrine of Our lady of Guadalupe to gain plenary indulgences under the usual conditions. This information is from the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe website – please visit their website for additional information
NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Jubilee Year for the 100th Anniversary of the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to 3 Shepherd Children in Fatima Portugal
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of Indulgence: Through November 26, 2017
Conditions of the Indulgence: 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to 3 shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. In honor of this important centennial, Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year from the 27th of November 2016 till the 26th of November 2017. As part of the Jubilee Year, the Holy Father has granted the opportunity for the Catholic faithful to obtain a plenary indulgence under the normal conditions (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father) and meeting ONE of the following sets of conditions
- Make a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Fatima in Portugal, “devotedly participate” in prayer or celebration in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray the “Our Father” and the “Creed” and invoke Our Lady of Fatima;
- Make a visit to an image or statue of Our Lady of Fatima that is on display for public veneration in any Church, Oratory, or “adequate place” on the anniversary days of the apparitions (the 13th of each month from May – October 2017) and “devotedly participate” in prayer or celebration in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray the “Our Father” and the “Creed” and invoke Our Lady of Fatima;
- If due to age, illness, or other serious reason are unable to meet either of the above sets of conditions should offer on the days of the apparitions (the 13th of each month from May – October 2017) join “spiritually the jubilee celebrations, offering with confidence to the merciful God through Mary their prayers and pains, or the sacrifices of their own life” in front of an image of Our Lady of Fatima while having repented of all of their sins with the firm intention of carrying our the normal conditions for an indulgence including confession and communion.
Jubilee Year for the 150th Anniversary of the Mission of the Redemptorists to “make Our Mother of Perpetual Help known throughout the world.”
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of Indulgence: Through June 27, 2016
Conditions of the Indulgence: Make a pilgrimage to the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome or any Redemptorist Church in the world to venerate the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Pilgrims should spend time in prayer before the icon and recite the Our Father, the Creed, and prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary as conditions of the indulgence. The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence also apply (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father)
Additional Information: You can find a Redemptorist Church near you here. They are listed by regions or provinces so for example the Baltimore Province includes Delaware, Washington D.C., Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the Virgin Islands.
Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of the Indulgence: through November 20, 2016
Conditions of Indulgence: Pass through a designated Holy Door during the Year of Mercy, or perform one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy. Once inside, pray the Creed and reflect on God’s infinite mercy. The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence also apply (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father)
Additional Information: A plenary indulgence can be obtained once a day by fulfilling the conditions outlined above each day. You can find a list of Holy Door pilgrimage sites here. There is a wealth of additional information available on the Vatican Jubilee Year of Mercy website.
800th Anniversary of the Founding of the Order of Preachers by St. Dominic
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of the Indulgence: through January 1, 2017
Conditions of Indulgence: Make a pilgrimage to a church or place of worship of the Dominican order anywhere in the world, spend some time in meditation before the Blessed Sacrament in a Dominican Order church and at the end of that time say the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, the Dominican Jubilee prayer, the invocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Most Holy Rosary. The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence also apply (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father)
Additional Information: You can invoke her by saying “Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us” or by praying the rosary itself. You can find additional information about the Jubilee here.
Dominican Jubilee Prayer
Veneration of the Heart Relic of St. John Berchmans during the Heart of Love Relic Tour
Type of Indulgence: Plenary
Availability of the Indulgence: December 6-20
Conditions of Indulgence: Make a pilgrimage to the venerate the heart relic of St. John Berchmans during it’s limited time visit to Shreveport, LA, Heart of Love Relic Tour. The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence also apply (detachment from sin, confession, communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father)
Additional Information:
© Catholic Pilgrimage Sites 2010-2019 All Rights Reserved
No content or images are to be used in whole or in part without the author’s express written permission.
Catholic Pilgrimage Sites 