The Role of Indulgences in the Catholic Church

The word indulgence (Latin indulgentia, from indulgeo, to be kind or tender) originally meant kindness or favor; In theological language also the word is sometimes employed in its primary sense to signify the kindness and mercy of God.But in the special sense in which it is here considered, an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven. The pope, as supreme head of the Church on earth, can grant all kinds of indulgences to any and all of the faithful; and he alone can grant plenary indulgences.

To facilitate explanation, it may be well to state what an indulgence is not. It is not a permission to commit sin, nor a pardon of future sin; neither could be granted by any power. It is not the forgiveness of the guilt of sin; it supposes that the sin has already been forgiven.t does not confer immunity from temptation or remove the possibility of subsequent lapses into sin. 

An indulgence is the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment due, in God's justice, to sin that has been forgiven, which remission is granted by the Church in the exercise of the power of the keys, through the application of the superabundant merits of Christ and of the saints, and for some just and reasonable motive.

The mere fact that the Church proclaims an indulgence does not imply that it can be gained without effort on the part of the faithful. From the nature of the case, it is obvious that one must perform the good works — prayers, alms deeds, visits to a church, etc. — which are prescribed in the granting of an indulgence