Apostolic Pardon

Giao and I continue to pray and offer masses for Cau Nam, which will benefit other souls in case Cau Nam is already in heaven. So please continue to pray for him. But I do take confidence in the mercy of God and believe Cau Nam is in heaven.

In case you have not heard, on a Monday before Di Bay came to Houston and right after Dad was released from the hospital, Fr. Phi Nguyen came to minister to Cau Nam in the presence of Mom, Co Lisa, Anh An and me. He prayed over Cau Nam, gave him the sacraments, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick. He also gave him an Apostolic Pardon. Prior to doing so, he explained what an Apostolic Pardon is in both English and Vietnamese. Basically,

... souls who need cleansing at the time of death can receive a beautiful gift from the Lord given to the apostles. It is called the Apostolic Pardon. Any priest can bestow it at the time of death. It is separate from the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The Apostolic Pardon removes all purgatory punishment and the soul goes directly to Heaven.

Here's another more technical explanation: The Apostolic Pardon (or blessing) is an indulgence given in situations of danger of death, usually after the absolution of the sacrament of penance. The focus is on the remission of temporal punishment due to sin. The words of the prayer explain the meaning of the act: "Through the holy mysteries of our redemption may almighty God release you from all punishments in this life and in the life to come. May he open to you the gates of paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy." Or "By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a full pardon and the remission of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The Handbook of Indulgences #28 states: "Priests who minister the sacraments to the Christian faithful who are in a life-and-death situation should not neglect to impart to them the apostolic blessing, with its attached indulgence. "An indulgence is the remission in the eyes of God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose culpable element has been taken away." Translation, you sin ie. break someone's window, go to confession, sins are forgiven. But you still need to repair the window, that's temporal punishment. An indulgence is a pardon. That's it. You are free to go... straight to heaven. An indulgence can be either plenary or partial. It can free a person from total or partial punishment. Furthermore, anyone can gain a plenary indulgence for a deceased person. "The requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence are:the performance of the indulgenced work and the fulfillment of three conditions 1) sacramental confession, 2) eucharistic communion, 3) prayer for the pope's intentions. A further requirement is the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin." The indulgenced work can be found in the Handbook of Indulgences Norms and Grants. It is very simple, such as prayers, stations of the cross, or my favorite, visitation to the Blessed Sacrament. This handbook can be found in Catholic bookstores like Veritas in Houston. Or you can borrow mine. Or better yet, talk to a priest!

Ti