A web site on the Roman Catholic Church selling indulgences to help build their cathedrals/the vatican?

Question

I might not have worded this right. Does anyone KNOW of a website that endorses the above statement?
thanks

Answer 1

Pastor Billy says: here is a website for ya http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9411fea1sb2.asp

Myth 7: A person used to be able to buy indulgences.

One never could "buy" indulgences. The financial scandal around indulgences, the scandal that gave Martin Luther an excuse for his heterodoxy, involved alms-indulgences in which the giving of alms to some charitable fund or foundation was used as the occasion to grant the indulgence. There was no outright selling of indulgences. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: "[I]t is easy to see how abuses crept in. Among the good works which might be encouraged by being made the condition of an indulgence, almsgiving would naturally hold a conspicuous place. . . It is well to observe that in these purposes there is nothing essentially evil. To give money to God or to the poor is a praiseworthy act, and, when it is done from right motives, it will surely not go unrewarded."

Answer 2

Are you talking about today or pre-Protestant reformation? Way back when, the popes got into a lot of debt (because they lived in splendor, threw parties, and generally wasted money) so they sold indulgences to get them out of debt. That's why Luther wrote the 95 theses. Then after the counter (catholic) reformation, the selling of Indulgences was done away with, but you could still grant them.

Answer 3

Sorry to disappont you but in 1567, Pope Pius V canceled all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions.

+ Purgatory +

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.

+ Indulgences +

The concept is that a person can do acts of penance now on earth to make purgation easier.

Penance is internally turning one's heart toward God and away from sin in hope in divine mercy and externally by fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.

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.

As previously mentioned, in 1567, Pope Pius V canceled all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions.

But remember because everyone in purgatory is already on their way to heaven, indulgences do not get you into heaven. They just make purgation easier.

I guess if you did not believe in purgatory then there would be no reason to worry about indulgences.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

Indulgences were never sold (that would be simony). Alms-giving (which God loves - Acts 10) used to be an indulgenced work, but that is not the same, even though people get the two concepts confused.

Answer 5

Well, the Vatican was built in the 1500's....yes it happened. SOME clergymen were excessive about it....but not many of the them. It's one of the main reasons Martin Luther left the church and started his own church.

Answer 6

Where is your question and the link to the site?

Answer 7

not currently but, hey every religion has had people in them that have sinned. If we weren't sinners we wouldn't need religion.

Answer 8

What kind of Indulgences ????

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