Bishop Alfred Schlert has announced that anyone in the Diocese of Allentown who attends the “March for Life” in Washington, D.C. on January 24 will receive a partial indulgence.
A partial indulgence also will be granted to people who are aged, sick or unable to leave their home for the March, but who spiritually unite themselves with those participating in the event.
The March for Life is an annual prayerful demonstration against abortion. It has taken place for the past 44 years. Several parishes are running buses. Click HERE to see more information.
What is an indulgence? After we go to Confession, temporal punishment still remains – not to be thought of as vengeance from God, but rather as a wound from the nature of sin itself. Think of temporal punishment as the time needed to heal the wound of sin. This healing can occur while we are still alive – through works of mercy and charity, prayer, and penance – or after death, in Purgatory. An indulgence helps heal the wound while we are still alive, reducing or eliminating the need for time in Purgatory before we go to Heaven.
To receive the partial indulgence for the March, those eligible also must go to Confession, receive Communion, and pray for the intentions of Pope Francis, all within a reasonable time before or after the event. The partial indulgence can be used by the person receiving it, or it can be applied to a deceased loved one.
Click HERE to read the DECREE.
