Offering Up For Souls In Purgatory

Sometimes I'm slow.

You know, the kind of slow that comes with understanding something intellectually, but it still does not register.

My slowness has been brought home again in the last couple of days. I went to Steubenville for the plenary indulgence, hearing repeatedly that you can offer it up for a soul in Purgatory.

Being a selfish sort, I wanted it for my own well-stained soul. (I used laundry references to explain it to one of my daughters - stain remover and bleach!)

Even before I went, I thought of my mother, who died in 2005, and my Nana, who died in 2006. The idea crossed my mind to offer it up for one of them. Then I thought maybe the next time I have such an opportunity I would offer it up for one of them. (You can add in my brother, who died back in 1983.)

Then I was reminded that beyond plenary indulgences there are partial indulgences available that offer partial remission of time in Purgatory. There are various lists of actions one can do to obtain such indulgences - including certain hymns, litanies and prayers, reading Scriptures for at least half an hour, rosary on a blessed rosary, and so on.

I could have been doing these for a long time, but it never occurred to me to do so! (Told you I was slow.)

Sorry Mom, Nana, and John. I will begin to do so.