This is Worth Your Time

Trust me, it is. (reading time: 3 minutes)


Answer me this: what if I told you that you can be guaranteed of seeing your loved ones in heaven?

What if I told you that such a question is, in fact, a reality?

Want to know more? Read on.



The nature of the Catholic Church is missionary; that is, it's purpose is to bring everyone (and I mean everyone) into the presence and love of God. The Church is not here to bring condemnation or to tell you how bad you are (we can do that on our own). Rather, the Church is here to bring us fullest joy and eternal life. Not a bad mission statement, I'd say.

Well, in keeping with this mission, the Church has it within Her power to "bind and loose" (Mt 16:19)-- that is, through God's grace, She can forgive sins. Even more though, She has the power to "remove temporal punishment due to sin." Namely, as possessor of the keys of heaven, She has the power to grant a soul a direct ticket into heaven.

One way She does this is through the Apostolic Pardon. Another way is through indulgences. It is this second way that I tell you about now. (But, if you don't know about the Apostolic Pardon, find out about it immediately--or email me and I'll tell you all about it!).


Ok, so... indulgences.

Admittedly, indulgences have gotten a bad rap. They were at one time bought or sold; the cornerstone of corruption in a few bad priests and bishops scheme. Always, though, they have been a guaranteed power of the Church to grant to souls-- a power removing punishment for forgived sins. Indulgences are awesome. They have never been bad-- rather, it was the ways that they were implemented that were so often abused.

With the abuse gone today, indulgences offer their same effective purpose: to bring everyone into heaven. Ok, so, what exactly do they do? Well, when we sin, we commit an injustice. And we must pay for that injustice. Through God's mercy and Christ's sacrfice on the cross, we don't have to pay for our injustices with our eternal soul. Our injustices can be forgiven. Therefore, we only have to pay back something temporal for our sins. We equate this with Purgatory.

In Purgatory, we undergo a "refinement"-- a paying back of sorts-- for our sins, for the harm we have caused. It is a punishment for our bad works; but it is a just punishment that has hope attached: we know that we are bound for heaven. Purgatory is temporal... it doesn't last forever. But nevertheless, the punishment still sucks.

The Church has the power to remove such punishment.

The Church perscribes ways that the faithful here on earth can participate in Her power and, in so doing, forego any punishment. By granting indulgences to the faithful, the faithful on earth can be given partial or complete (plenary) remission of temporal punishment (ie, Purgatory). Reading your bible prayerfully for 30 or more minutes will give you a partial indulgence-- boom! some punishment relieved! (don't you feel better?)


Now, being that this is the Year of the Eucharist, Pope John Paul II has provided an opportunity for a plenary indulgence-- that is, an opportunity for complete remission of temporal punishment (Purgatory). Get one of these and you're bound for heaven (granted, that is if you don't sin again before you die.... the plenary indulgence won't cover future sins, sorry).


But, here's the even better thing: these indulgences can be given to those who have died and may still be suffering in Purgatory. So, let's say that your great uncle died last year... suppose he committed a lot of sins, but he was forgiven them... so, he's in Purgatory because he still has to pay for those sins. Now, if you get a plenary indulgence and, in receiving it, give it to your great uncle, he will no longer be in Purgatory. He's in heaven.

Now, remember: Christ granted this power to His Church: "All that you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. All that you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Christ has given His Church the power to open the gates of heaven.

(Note though: an indulgence only works for those sins which have been forgiven. All other sins (and punishment) must be accounted for in another manner. If you aren't forgiven of your sins in this life, the earthly church cannot help you in attaining that forgiveness in the next-- that's up to God then).


So, why do I tell you this? Well, good friends and family, I am in a situation to get plenary indulgences every day. One way to receive a plenary indulgence in this Year of the Eucharist is to receive the Eucharist at one of Rome's four major basilicas (and have gone to confession 20 days recently, and say an Our Father for the intentions of the Pope). I do this every day.

Now that I'm personally glowing from plenary indulgences, I would like to get everyone I know into heaven. Here's where you come in.


Tell me the names of everyone to whom you want me to give the plenary indulgence I receive. These names must be of people who have died. I cannot apply a plenary indulgence to you or your sister or your dog. Email me at big70mcgwire@hotmail.com and I'll apply my plenary indulgence to your deceased loved one. Let me do this for you!

I have about 80 days left in Rome. That's 80 souls....