Does the Catholic Church sell indulgences?

Question

I've just read the Matin Luther opposed the practice. Do they still do it?

What are they?
Do I need one?
How much are they?

Answer 1

not anymore

Answer 2

First read
http://www.catholic.net/rcc/Periodicals/Faith/0910-96/article9.html

The Roman Catholic Church DID NOT sell indulgences. Certain individuals did but an individual does not make the Church. Indulgences BASICALY are the transfer of grace/merit from one person to another as mediated by the Church. They are obtained typicaly by the performance of a penance.

Indulgences are still used today.

For example
Pope Benedict Pope declared a plenary indulgence for Catholics who honor the Virgin Mary on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8 2005.
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=40979

You can also buy the modern book
The Handbook of Indulgences by Catholic Book Publishing Co

Answer 3

+ To discuss indulgences, first we have to talk about Purgation (or Purgatory).

Are you perfect now? Most people would say no.

Will you be perfect in heaven? Most people believe yes.

Purgatory (or purgation) is the process of God's love changing our imperfect selves into perfect beings. Depending on the amount of change needed by different people this can be an easy or slightly harder process. Everyone in purgatory is on their way to heaven. I don't think Mother Teresa of Calcutta had a very hard time of it.

+ Now indulgences. The concept is that a person can do acts of penance (internally turning one's heart toward God and away from sin in hope in divine mercy and externally by fasting, prayer, and almsgiving) now on earth to make purgation easier.

A corruption grew in the Church many years ago where rich people would give enough alms (money to the Church) to essentially buy an easy way to heaven. This was one of Martin Luther's protests (hence Protestants) and shortly thereafter the Catholic Church cleaned up this practice.

In 1567 Pope Pius V canceled all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

The Church no longer sells indulgences. It was a corrupted practice and Martin Luther was right to protest it. "It" meaning the 'sale of', not the indulgences themselves.

The Catechism of the Catholic says:

1471 The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance.
What is an indulgence?
"An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."
"An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead.

1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity.

Answer 5

They do...but they are not called indulgences. And mind that note above...it is the Roman Catholic Church.

Interesting note, its been stated that the Roman Catholic Church funded St. Peter's Bascillica on the sale of indulgences.

Answer 6

The Catholic (Universal) church never sold indulgences.

BUT,

at one time, the ROMAN Catholic church did. Whether they still do or not I do not know.

Answer 7

Not a Christian, but I don't think you have to be to be able to answer this quesiton. 1) Money. Duh. 2.) Because Martin Luther believed that you only needed faith to achieve salvation, which was/is against their beliefs.. Basically, it was a BIG threat to the RCC's power when Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses.

Answer 8

I'll sell you an indulgence.
Look up my listing on eBay.

Answer 9

Oh wow, no. That's a super old mid-evil practice. You can read a lot more about it here: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/indulgc.php. There's also information here http://www.catholic.org/prayers/indulgb.php. I would copy and paste but trust me, its lengthy.

Answer 10

No, it ended during the reformation.

Answer 11

they sell indulgences.