Chapter XIII. List of the indulgences attached to the medal of St. Benedict by the brief of Benedict XIV

We have thought it would be well, for the convenience of our readers, to give a list of all the indulgences granted by the Holy See to those who make use of the medal of St. Benedict. It is not easy to distinguish them as they are given in the Brief of Benedict XIV. We will classify them into the two ordinary divisions, plenary and partial .

I. Those who devoutly carry about their persons the medal of St. Benedict, may gain a plenary indulgence on the following festivals : —

Christmas Day.

Epiphany.

Easter Sunday.

Ascension Day.

Whit Sunday.

Trinity Sunday.

Corpus Christi.

The Immaculate Conception.

The Nativity of Our Lady.

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The Annunciation.

The Purification.

The Assumption.

All Saints* Day.

St. Benedict’s (21st of March).

Besides the usual conditions of confession and Holy Communion, and praying, according to the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff, it is requisite, in order to gain the above-mentioned indulgences, that one should perform habitually, that is to say, once at least in the week, one of the following pious practices : —

Recite the Chaplet of our Lord or the Rosary,

Or a third part of the Rosary,

Or the Divine Office,

Or the Little Office of Our Lady,

Or the Office of the Dead,

Or the Seven Penitential Psalms,

Or the Gradual Psalms ;

Teach the rudiments of faith to children or the poor ;

Visit those who are in prison,

Or those who are sick in hospitals ;

Give relief to the poor ;

Hear Mass, or, if a priest, say it.

II. A plenary indulgence to him who, being at the point of death, after having made his confession and received Holy Communion, if he be able, or, if not, after having made from his heart an act of contrition, shall devoutly recommend his soul to God, and shall invoke with his lips, or, if he cannot do more, at least in his heart, the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

III. A plenary indulgence , the same as that which is given by the Sovereign Pontiff by the Papal benediction at St. Peter’s of the Vatican on Maunday Thursday and Easter Sunday, is granted to him who, being truly penitent, having confessed his sins and received Holy Communion on those two same days, shall pray devoutly for the exaltation of Holy Church, and for the preservation of the Supreme Pontiff.

IV. The indulgence and remission of a third part of the punishment due to his sins to him who, by his good example and advice, shall lead a sinner to repentance.

V. An indulgence of twenty years, once each week, to him who shall daily pray for the extirpation of heresies.

VI. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to him who shall perform the several pious works specified in No. I. on the lesser feasts of our Lord and of our Lady ; for example, thel Circumcision, the Holy Name of Jesus, the Transfiguration, &c. ; the Visitation of the most Blessed Virgin, her Presentation, her Seven Dolours, the Holy Rosary, &c. The same indulgence, on the same conditions, for the feasts of St. Joseph, spouse of the most Holy Virgin, of St. Maurus, St. Placid, St. Scholastica, and St. Gertrude.

VII. An indulgence of sev^n years and seven qua -

/ no rantines to him who shall hear, or, if he be a priest, shall celebrate Mass, and pray for the prosperity of Christian princes and for the tranquillity of their states.

VIII. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines each time, to him who, out of devotion to the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall fast on Fridays, or in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturdays. He who shall have performed either of these two fasts during a whole year, shall gain a plenary indulgence on a day of his choice, when, having made his confession, he shall receive Holy Communion. Should he happen to die during the course of the year, during which he had the intention of keeping up this pious practice, he shall obtain the same indulgence.

IX. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to him who shall say the Rosary or Chaplet, in honour of the Imiriaculate Conception of the most Holy Virgin Mary, beseeching her to intercede with her Divine Son, to obtain for him the grace of living and dying without committing a mortal sin.

X. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to him who shall accompany the most Holy Sacrament when carried to the sick. This indulgence is in addition to those already granted by the Supreme Pontiffs to the faithful who practise this devotion.

XI. An indulgence of one year to him who, having examined his conscience, and being truly penitent for his sins, shall be resolved to avoid them for the

INDULGENCES ATTACHED TO THE MEDAL. Ill future and to confess them, and shall say five Paters and five Aves. If he go to confession and receive Holy Communion, he shall on that day gain an indulgence of ten years.

XII. An indulgence of two hundred days to him who shall visit those who are in prison, or those who are sick in hospitals, rendering to them some service of charity; the same is granted to him who shall teach Christian doctrine, or, as it is called, catechism, either in the church or at home, to his children, neighbours, or servants.

XIII. An indulgence of one hundred days to him who, on Fridays, shall devoutly meditate on the Passion and Death of our Lord, and say three times the Lord's Prayer and the Angelical Salutation.

XIV. An indulgence of one hundred days to him who, out of devotion to St. Joseph, St. Benedict, St. Maurus, St. Scholastica, or St. Gertrude, shall say the psalm Miserere y or five Paters and five Aves, begging of God that He will, by the intercession of these His Saints, preserve the Holy Catholic Church, and grant him a happy death.

XV. An indulgence of one hundred days to him who has the habit of saying, at least once in the week, the holy Rosary or Chaplet, or the Office of our Lady, or that of the Dead, or only the Vespers and one Nocturn and Lauds of the same Office, or the seven Penitential Psalms, with the Litany of the Saints and the prayers which follow it; or five Paters and five Aves, in honour of the most Holy Name of Jesus or of his five Wounds; or five Aves, or the Antiphon, We fly to thy Patronage , &c., with one of the approved collects, in honour of the most Holy Name of Mary.

XVI. An indulgence of fifty days to him who, before saying Mass, going to Holy Communion, reciting the Divine Office or the Little Office of our Lady, shall say some devout prayer.

XVII. An indulgence of fifty days to him who shall pray for those who are in their last agony, and shall say for their intention three Paters and three Aves.

XVIII. An indulgence of forty days to him who shall say, once or oftener during the day, this ejaculatory prayer, “ Blessed be the most pure and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary l 9

XIX. He who shall pray God to spread the Order of St. Benedict shall enter into a participation of all and each of the good works, of what kind soever, which are done by that Order.

XX. He who through sickness, or any other lawful impediment, cannot hear, or, being a priest, cannot say, Mass, nor recite either the Divine Office orthe Office of our Lady, nor, in fine, perform the other acts of virtue enjoined for* the gaining the above indulgences, may supply them by reciting three Paters and three Aves, followed by the anthem, Salve Regina, &c ., adding to these prayers the following aspiration, “ Blessed be the most Holy Trinity ! and praised be the most Holy Sacrament, and the Conception of the most

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Blessed Virgin Mary> conceived without sin !” If the indulgence intended to be gained be a plenary one, it is necessary to confess one's sins and receive Holy Communion. But should one not have it in his power to do this, he must at least be contrite in his heart, and be firmly resolved to confess his sins when opportunity serves.

All the indulgences here mentioned are applicable to the souls in Purgatory . 1

The Decree expressly forbids the selling of the medals after the indulgences have been attached to them ; as also the lending of them to other persons, for the purpose of communicating the indulgences. It also reminds the faithful, that in case a person loses an indulgenced medal, and procures another in its place without having had the indulgences attached to it by a priest who has the power, such a person does not enjoy the same favours as those who have had their medal properly blessed.

1 Many new indulgences besides these, are attached to the medal struck at Monte Cassino to commemorate the fourteenth centenary of St. Benedict (See Appendix.) — E d.

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