PORTIUNCULA INDULGENCE

August 1st & 2nd

From noon of August 1st until midnight of August 2nd, the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence applicable to themselves or the souls in purgatory at the usual conditions:

Be in the state of grace.
Confession (8 days before or after).
Holy Communion.
Payers for the intention of the Pope (usually Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be - 6 times each).
And by visiting a cathedral, parochial, quasi-parochial or Franciscan church and there praying at least one Our Father and one Creed.

In addition, it is necessary to have the intention of gaining the indulgence and to be detached from all affection to sin, even venial, otherwise the indulgence is gained partially.

The intentions of the Pope are:

The exaltation of the Church.
The propagation of the faith.
The extirpation of heresy.
The conversion of sinners.
Concord between Christian princes.
All other goods of the Christian people.

The Portiuncula is a little known town situated about three quarters of a mile from Assisi and is officially known as Santa Maria degli Angeli, which has grown around the basilica of Our Lady of the Angels and the adjoining Franciscan monastery. It was here that on February 24, 1208, St. Francis of Assisi recognized his vocation; here was for the most part his permanent abode, after the Benedictines had presented it to him with the little chapel Portiuncula (i.e. a little portion of land) erected at the time of Pope Liberius (352-366); here also he died on Saturday, October 3, 1226.

The Portiuncula indulgence could at first be gained only in the Portiuncula between the afternoon of August 1st and sunset on August 2nd. It was gradually extended to all Franciscan churches and finally to the present discipline.

YEAR OF HOLY FATHER SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI — PLENARY INDULGENCE

We joyfully welcomed the Year of our Holy Father Saint Francis! Until January 10, 2027, our Monastery is an eligible place to gain a plenary indulgence. Pope Leo XIV proclaimed the year in honor of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s passing into heaven.

Requirements for the Indulgence

According to the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions: Sacramental Confession within 20 days, reception of the Holy Eucharist, prayer according to the intentions of the Holy Father, and detachment from sin. The plenary indulgence is applicable to the souls in Purgatory. We have daily Mass here at 7am where one may receive the Holy Eucharist.

The decree further declares the following requirements:

All the faithful may “participate in the Year of Saint Francis by visiting, in the form of a pilgrimage, any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship anywhere in the world dedicated to Saint Francis or connected to him for any reason….”

According to the Baltimore Catechism, “A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place made in a religious manner and for a religious purpose.” We recommend that any conversation or entertainment used on the way here be entirely centered on God.

In addition, the decree requires one to “follow the Jubilee rites or spend at least a reasonable period of time in pious meditation and raise prayers to God so that, following the example of Saint Francis, feelings of Christian charity towards their neighbors and authentic vows of harmony and peace among peoples may spring forth in their hearts, concluding with the Our Father, the Creed and invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Clare and all the Saints of the Franciscan Family.”

Special consideration is given to the infirm and those who take care of them: “The elderly, the sick and those who take care of them, and all those who are unable to leave their homes for serious reasons may also obtain a Plenary Indulgence, provided they detach themselves from any sin and intend to fulfil the three usual conditions as soon as possible, if they unite themselves spiritually to the jubilee celebrations of the Year of Saint Francis, offering to the Merciful God their prayers, the pains or sufferings of their lives.”

Meditation Points

“spend at least a reasonable period of time in pious meditation and raise prayers to God so that, following the example of Saint Francis, feelings of Christian charity towards their neighbors and authentic vows of harmony and peace among peoples may spring forth in their hearts....”

We recommend the following verses from Holy Scripture for meditation:

Matthew 5:21-26, 5:38-48, 7:1-5, 7:12, 22:35-40 & John ch.13

We recommend the following prayer and words from St. Francis:

“We adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all your churches in the whole world, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.” Testament of St. Francis

“The friars are bound to love one another because our Lord says, ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you’ (Jn 15:12). And they must prove their love by deeds, as St. John says: ‘Let us not love in word, neither with tongue, but in deed and in truth’ (1 Jn 3:18)...They are to speak ‘evil of none’ (Tit. 3:2); there must be no complaining, no slander; it is written, ‘Whisperers and detractors are people hateful to God’ (cf. Rom 1:29). And let them be ‘moderate, showing all mildness to all men (Tit. 3:2), without a word of criticism or condemnation; as our Lord says, they must give no thought even to the slightest fault of others (cf. Mt.7:3; Lk 6:41), but rather count over their own in the bitterness of their soul (cf. Is. 38:15).” Rule of St. Francis 1221, Ch. 11

“Our Lord says in the Gospel, ‘Love your enemies’ (Mt. 5:44). A man really loves his enemies when he is not offended by the injury done to himself, but for love of God feels burning sorrow for the sin his enemy has brought on his own soul, and proves his love in a practical way.” The Admonitions of St. Francis, IX Charity

“We can never tell how patient or humble a person is when everything is going well with him. But when those who should co-operate with him do the exact opposite, then we can tell. A man has as much patience and humility as he has then, and no more.” The Admonitions of St. Francis, XIII Patience

“There are many people who spend all their time at their prayers and other religious exercises and mortify themselves by long fasts and so on. But if anyone says as much as a word that implies a reflection on their self esteem or takes something from them, they are immediately up in arms and annoyed. These people are not really poor in spirit. A person is really poor in spirit when he hates himself and loves those who strike him in the face (cf Mt 5:39).” The Admonitions of St. Francis, XIV Poverty of Spirit

“They are truly peacemakers who are able to preserve their peace of mind and heart for love of our Lord Jesus Christ, despite all that they suffer in this world.” The Admonitions of St. Francis, XV The peacemakers

Our Father, Creed, Hail Mary

Saint Francis, Saint Clare and all the Saints of the Franciscan Family, pray for us.