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Show , , , . I Catholic Doctrine on Indulgence The Confraternities and Devotions to Which Indulgences I Are Attached. H ART. VII. Owing to the deep interest I find Catholic and non-Catholic readers alike taking on the subject of Indulgences at present, I shall add one or two more articles on the subject before I finish. It would be impossible to give a detailed de-tailed reply to the many questions asked by Catholics as to what indulgences indul-gences can be gained by those who belong be-long to the various confraternities and pious societies throughout the church. It would be out of the question, too, to give a full, minute list of the various, and, I may say, numberless prayers and acts of piety to which indulgences are attached. All this would take a good-sized volume, if added to all that has been so far said on the subject. The whole list should be of much interest in-terest to all Kood Catholics, but. as a whole, would be of practical use to only very few, as, on the average, even the best of Catholics content themselves them-selves with Joining, not more than two or three, confraternities or pious societies, socie-ties, and that, too, for many laudable and obvious reasons. I shall, therefore, there-fore, confine myself to giving a brief list of the indulgences attached to those confraternities, pious societies, prayers, devotions, the knowledge of which concerns and is of practical benefit ben-efit to by far the majority of good Catholics everywhere. Amongst these the confraternities of the various scapulars may be mentioned men-tioned first, more especially the brown scapular, to which latter almost all good Catholics belong. A Scapular, in the original meaning of the word, is a garment which covers the shoulders, and it still forms a regular reg-ular part of the religious dress in the old orders. The Scapular commonly-spoken commonly-spoken of at present is a modification of this to suit the convenience of lay persons. j It has a special color suitable to the religious order to which it originally belonged, or to the special devotion it is intended to signify. The strings may be of any color, except, ex-cept, the red, which must be of red wool. Several scapulars may be sewn together, to-gether, but if the red be amongst them the strings must be as above. I The first Scapular of any kind used is the only one of that kind that need be blessed. WThen worn out a new one can be put on without further enrolling or blessing. A scasular must be worn day and night. If left off for a whole day all the indulgences of that day are lost, but not when left off for a short time, such as whilst bathing. A person once enrolled in any scapular, scap-ular, and neglecting to wear it for a Tone- timf nfrl not hp pnrnllert as-ain on resuming it. Persons can be duly enrolled in any of the scapulars only by priests who have the special faculties to do so. THE RED SCAPULAR. The origin of the red scapular is said to have been a vision, in wrhich our Lord himself gave it to a Sister of Charity in 1846, adding certain promises prom-ises to those who should wear it. The pieces of elothas well as the strings, must be of rd wool. It is not nepessary to register one's name in order to gain the indulgences attached. Those enrolled in the red scapular can gain a plenary indulgence: 1. On the day of its reception, by fulfilling the conditions, confession, communion, visit to a church and prayers for the pope's intentions. 2. On every Friday, under the same conditions, to which is added at least a quarter hour's devotion or meditation medita-tion on the Passion. 3. At the hour of death, by devoutly pronouncing the holy name. The White Scapular of the Blessed Trinity. The above mentioned indulgences indul-gences of the red, except the second, can also be gained by those who wear the white. A Plenary indulgence can be gained any one day each month under the usual conditions, to which must be added three our Fathers, and Hail Mao's, in honor of the Blessed Trinity. A fourth plenary indulgence is mentioned men-tioned in connection with this scapular for those who assist at parochial processions pro-cessions on Sundays. Blue Scapular. Plenary indulgences. 1. On the day of reception. 2. On first Sunday of every month. 3. On all the leading feasts of our Lord and our Lady; and, 4, at the hour of death. Black of the Seven Dolors. Plenary indulgence. 1. On day of reception: 2. on the third Sunday of every month; 3. on F. of seven dolors. 8. The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. This Scapular is more in use than any other. The indulgences are numerous and it is important to know them. They are: 1. A plenary indulgence on the day of reception. 2. On the feast, the 16th of July. 3. On any one Sunday once a month. These three require the "usual conditions." 4. At the hour of death, which also requires re-quires the further condition of invoking invok-ing the Holy Name verbally, or if unable un-able to, mentally. It should be noted that the above "third" P. indulgence of "any one Sunday once a month," it is necessary, in order to gain it, to attend at-tend a procession held by the confraternity, confra-ternity, when it is possible. When it is not, a visit to a Carmelite church, if within easy reach, and if not, to some other church, is necessary, when possible. possi-ble. , By a decree of Pius the Ninth, loth of June, 1855, the indulgences that j could be gained up to then in the Churches of the Order of Mt. Carmel, only can now be gained by visiting any other local church where a Carmelite church does not exist. Hence, all the faithful who are enrolled in the Brown Scapular, can, under "the usual conditions, con-ditions, gain a plenary indulgence on these days which are as follows: Second Sec-ond and 4th of February, 19th and 25th ' : I of March, on Feast of the Fatronage of 1 St. Joseph or Avithin the Octave; Feast I of the Ascension. 5th. 16th and -5th of May. 2d. 16th. 22d and 26th of July; 7th i of August, 15th and Sunday within the i I . Octave of the Assumption, bein also 1 the Feast of St. Joachim; and 2Sth oe August, 8th of September, 15th of Oc- I tober and within the Octave of St, The- resa; 15th. 21st and 24th of November. . j and within the Octave of St. John of ' J the Cross; the 8th and 25th of Decern- ' ; ber. and, lastly, once during the forty ! I hours' exposition and adoration. The I sick, etc., can gain all these indul- 'I gences by fulfilling other suitable piou.s 1 works enjoyed by their confessor. I The principal "partial" indulgences 'I to be gained by those wearing the I Brown Scapular are, 300 days for ab- ! staining from meat on a Saturday in if honor of our Lady; forty days by saying say-ing seven our Fathers and Hail Marys in honor of the seven joys of the Blessed Virgin; 100 days for saying the j office of our Lady: five years and five ' ' quarantines to those wearing the scapular, scap-ular, once a month by fulfilling the . ! usual conditions: five years and five t quarantines to those who accompany j the Blessed Sacrament when carried to j the sick and pray for the sick at the same time: 100 days for those who at- j tend the funeral of a Catholic; three ; years and three quarantines on all Feasts of our Lady, which are cele- brated by the entire church. ! One hundred days for every pious : work. All these partial indulgencies were granted by Pope Paul V, Oct. 30, 1606. "They can all be offered in behalf of the souls in Purgatory." (Clem. X, Jan. 2. 1602.) We see from the above list that there is scarcely any other confraternity or devotion to which so many plenary and partial indulgencies are attached as to , that of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Those who belong to it participate also in all the prayers, masses and suf- '. i frages of the Carmelite order. j In addition to these indulgences and privileges, it is related that the B. ' Virgin promised St. Simon Stock that I an those wearing this scapular should V be under her special protection during dur-ing life, and that in death she would shield them from eternal perdition that none of them should be lost. This, of course, is not a matter of "faith," but it is, nevertheless, the pious belief of popes, bishops and priests, as well as of the laity. It is this promise, too, that has made I this confraternity the leading one in honor of Our Lady throughout the i woria. ; In conclusion, it should be noted that , I the names of those enrolled must, at I the present day, be registered in the j books of the confraternity. This is generally seen to by the priest who if enrolls, and who, too, must have the if "faculties" required for enrolling. j The above two conditions are re- f quired to gain all the indulgences and ! privileges. I Catholics who wear the Brown Scap- ular should be well posted in all that relates to it. j As has been said, it would be difTi- I cult to give a minute list of the al- I most numberless indulgences that ara I granted by the church. if Every Catholic should, at least, know the indulgences attached to the con- fraternity to which he belongs, as also to the various prayers he is accus- tomed to say. I It may be mentioned here that a little 1 book containing a minute list of all indulgences, etc., attached to the va- rious confraternities and pious socie- ' ties can be secured from the respect- I ive presidents of each, in the parishes J in which they exist, or from any Cath- olic repository. Having gone into detail regarding the I leading confraternity in the Catholic church, I shall add a brief list of the j indulgences attachedto the prayers and I devotions that are universally prac- ' ticed by nearly all good Catholics f throughout the world. The Rosary. For all the faithful, mo I days for each Our Father and Hail . 1 Mary. To gain this the five decades I must be said without any long inter- ruption, and it is necessary to medi- tate on the mysteries and to have the rosary in the hand. Ten years and ten Quarantines is offered once a day to I those who say . it in common with I others. 1 Thnoo TiVn T,,lnnr in tti (.nnrpitom. i 'I ity of the rosary can gain 100 years and 100 Quarantines if they carry the ro- J sary along with them. 1 They can also gain five years and I five Quarantines for each bead on I which they say an Our Father or a 1 Hail Mary. The third extraordinary 1 indulgence that those who belong to I . this confraternity can gain is five I years once a day, in a church or chapel of the rosary, or in any church where f there is not one of the confraternity. i A rosary blessed by the crosier can- I ons a father of the holy cross 500 ' f days for each bead, on which they say an Our Father or a Hail Mary. Five I years and five Quarantines for reciting J the rosary on Sundays and holidays; I seven years and seven Quarantines for I saying it on the feasts of our Lord and ! the Blessed Virgin. The above list shows us the import- ' ance of this beautiful devotion and the : : I additional indulgences for those who ; 1 belong to the confraternity of the ro- f : sary. . . ! The Stations of the Cross. A plen- ; I ary indulgence on, 1, Holy Thursday; f 2. on Easter Sunday; 3, on Ascension 1 day. and 4,. on Christmas day. Thirty years and thirty Quarantines I on. 1, each of the three days after Christmas: (2) on Feast of the Circum- ; cision; 3, on the Epiphany; 4. on each j of the three Sundays Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagessima. and, 5, on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Tw-enty-five years and twenty-five Quarantines on Palm Sunday; fifteen fif-teen years and fifteen Quarantines on Ash Wednesday, and, 2, on the third J 1 j ; Sunday of Advent. Ten years and ten i ' Quarantines on the 1st, 2nd and 4th 3 Sundays of Advent, and 2, on all days I of L,ont. This is a correct list of the indul- I genees of the Stations of the Cross, and I which Catholics should be familiar I with. I Fifty days indulgence are attached I to each of the following prayers: I 1. The Sign of the Cross (100 days I when holv vater is used). 2. "My God J and My All." I 3. "Jesus, My God, 1 love thee above all things. 4. "My sweet Jesus, be not j my judge, but my savior," etc., etc. I One hundred days for each of the fol- I : lowing: i 1. "May the sacred heart of Jesus I be everywhere loved." , I 2. "Glory be to the Father," etc. I 3. "My Jesus, mercy.!' I ' 1 ' 4. '"Savior of the "World, have pity on I us." (Once a day). i u. "Josus, son of David, have mercy j I , on us," (Once a day) etc. ij Three hundred days for Litany of the Holy Name. (Once a day.) 2. Litany of the Blessed Virgin, etc. These are only a few examples of the very many indulgences that a good Catholic can gain, and all go to show how easy it is for a fervent member !of the church to blot out all punishment punish-ment due to his own sins, as also the I unspeakable facility by -which he can I relieve the poor souls in purgatory by ' means of indulgences. 1 ; In conclusion, let me ask you, dear j reader, to take to heart all that has I been so carefully explained on this sub- I jert and resolve by it to benefit yourself I ' every day of your life, as also the suf- I fering souls who are continually ap- I pealing to you for aid. C. 12. B. |