SCCR Parish Blog

  I am posting this a bit late.  Sorry - can file this information away for next year. There are two indulgences associated with the new year. Catholics can gain a Plenary Indulgence on New Year’s EVE, 31 December ( EnchInd. 26) by the recitation or the singing of the  Te Deum prayer (the prayer on which is based the hymn, Holy God We Praise Thy Name). Catholics can gain a Plenary Indulgence on New Year’s DAY, 1 January ( EnchInd.  26) be the recitation or the singing of the  Veni Creator Spiritus prayer (Come, Holy Ghost). Indulgences can be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth. Conditions to obtain an indulgence are as follows: 1. Sacramental confession and Communion must be made within a brief time before or after the indulgenced act (about 20 days) 2. The work specified by the Pope must be completed 3. Prayers must be offered for the Pope’s designated inte...

Each Holy Father has the authority to declare special holy years, where the faithful around the world can focus on some special spiritual gift to the Church.  Many have been declared over the centuries.  This year, Pope Francis has declared the current year (from the Immaculate Conception on December 8th, 2020 to the same time in 2021) as the Year of St. Joseph .  The link provides information from the always-newsworthy pieces in the Catholic weekly newspaper, the National Catholic Register. Typically, the Pope also attaches some indulgences* to the year -- special opportunities for ourselves or a deceased love one to be freed from the punishment due to our sins so that the need for purification from our sins in purgatory is erased or shortened.  I'll try to say more about that soon.  I'll be working on some special activities to observe that in our parishes, especially on the Solemn Feast of St. Joseph on March 19, 2021.  Stay tuned! * Here are some more r...

For you and your loved ones, I recommend reading about what Pope Francis has done for the faithful in this sad time when people are deprived of the sacraments. It includes information for both those who want to pray for those suffering from the coronavirus and those afflicted with it. It is a reminder that the Lord can grant His grace and forgiveness in special ways even when the ordinary means of forgiveness (confession, the anointing of the sick) are not possible. I encourage all parishioners to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet for those who are sick, as the note indicates.  (The instructions are also included in a link at the website above). The short version of what is meant by a plenary indulgence is that the Lord entrusts to the Pope the ability to not only forgive sins, but the punishment for them we would ordinarily have to receive in purgatory, for those who follow the actions he indicates (like praying Divine Mercy).  But for those who can't get to confess...