From time to time, I hear people assert that the Church had done away with something. Friday penance
or Sunday Mass obligation, confession, or indulgences. Usually, it’s accompanied by an appeal to an event (like
Vatican II) or a person (like the Pope). “Didn’t Vatican II  get rid of that?” “Didn’t Pope Francis change that?”

Truth: none of the aforementioned items have been changed. Not by a Council, not by the pope, not even by
the synodal process. Check out how often Pope Francis has invited us back to confession. Take note of how this
Holy Year includes the promise of a plenary indulgence. We didn’t create Holy Years to give people the excuse to
go on pilgrimage. This was never meant to be a boon to the tour companies! Holy Years focus on our journey to
find God’s mercy. Indulgences are part of that.

Most of us have only heard of indulgences as part of the story of the Reformation—Martin Luther’s protest over
abuses, the apparent “sale” of spiritual goods. But, since they’re still part of the Catholic faith, let’s take another look.

An indulgence—which can be partial or plenary (i.e., complete)—furthers the reconciliation and growth in
grace that begins with sacramental confession. When we leave the confessional, the slates been wiped clean. But,
we still have work to do—to grow in virtue, to resist temptation, to make amends. The indulgence makes that
amends with God, it takes away what we would God for our sins.

With that in mind, how do we receive the Holy Year indulgence? A number of ways, but let’s concentrate on
the most immediate—visiting a pilgrimage church (and St. Boniface is one of those sites this year). We visit the
church and say a few prayers—the creed and the Our Father are recommended. We pray for the Holy Father. We
make sure we’ve received communion recently. As well, we’re asked to go to confession in a reasonable time
frame—usually 10 days before or after. (The confession and communion can cover multiple visits to a pilgrimage
church.) And—I warn you, this is sometimes the hard part—we’re to be detached from all sin, mortal or venial; and that boils down to a sincere examination of conscience and contrition.

Like all our prayers, we offer them as best we can, trusting God’s grace to supply whatever weakness we bring to this
our Holy Year pilgrimage.