By The Message staff
Bishop Joseph M. Siegel has received approval from the Vatican for the granting of a Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions, for the faithful who visit the four pilgrimage churches the bishop designated as part of the Diocese of Evansville’s 75th Anniversary.
The churches include St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, the Minor Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes, St. James in Haubstadt and St. Joseph in Jasper.
A plenary indulgence remits all temporal punishment required to cleanse the soul from attachment to anything but God due to sin. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day.
Those seeking a plenary indulgence must be in the state of grace and meet the following, known as the usual conditions:
- Have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin
- Have sacramentally confessed their sins
- Receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required)
- Pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff