Brothers and Sisters,

Joyful greetings on the Saturday before the Feast of Divine Mercy! Tomorrow is a very powerful Feast, which all of us ought to be prepared for. It was a feast re-instituted by Christ Himself, and has been granted indulgences by Holy Mother Church.

The Feast of Divine Mercy is an ancient feast that fell out of use for centuries. In a series of visions Our Lord Jesus Christ instructed one Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska, now known as St. Faustina, in how to venerate Him in His Divine Mercy. These instructions were recorded in the diary of St. Faustina, which is available at all Catholic bookstores, or even online here: https://liturgicalyear.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/divine-mercy-in-my-soul.pdf

Among these instructions was to revive the Feast of Divine Mercy, which is one week after Easter Sunday. It is of great importance, Brothers and Sisters, that you know that you have an amazing opportunity tomorrow. Our Lord Christ told Faustina that whosoever, in a State of Grace, trusting in the Divine Mercy for the remission of all sins and punishments, takes Holy Communion. We must not miss this chance. If you have not been to confession in some time, if you have Mortal Sin on the soul, GO. Make reparation, and participate in the Divine Mercy feast. You shall have all your sins and punishments forgiven you. Do not miss this chance.

The above is private revelation to St. Faustina, and so does not constitute 'official' Church teaching. The faithful are allowed, and many saints did, to believe it. The official teaching of the Church is that, whatever Christ has promised that day, you may be granted a Plenary Indulgence.

Gasp! An indulgence you say? Wasn't that a medieval abuse of some sort? Am I trying to cause another 'Reformation'?

Not at all. Indulgences are part of Catholic Doctrine, given to us by Holy Mother Church for our good and the good of the whole of Mankind.

Indulgences, which are kindnesses given by the Holy Trinity through the Church, are established prayers and actions determined by the Church using her Authority to Bind and Loose (Matthew 16:19, 18:18) in order to lessen or exterminate any suffering or punishment, on Earth or in Purgatory, we may merit for sins.

Sin, it must be said, is of two kinds: mortal and venial. All sin, due to the justice of God, requires repentance, confession, and satisfaction. With venial sin confession may come through prayer and satisfaction through either penitential acts or purgation, which is to say suffering on Earth or in Purgatory. Mortal sins merit eternal punishment as they kill the divine life in the soul, and thus put you in danger of Hellfire. The normal means of confession is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which eliminates the Eternal punishment, yet satisfaction is still required for the temporal punishment of Mortal Sin.

Indulgences, likewise, come in two forms: Plenary and Partial. A Plenary Indulgence is the total forgiveness of all punishment due for sin. In otherwise, the total satisfaction of God's justice on the temporal level. Partial indulgences are only partial satisfactions, as the name suggests.

In order to gain a partial indulgence, which can be done as often as one wishes, one must (1) be in a state of grace, (2) will to gain the indulgence, and (3) carry out the act of the indulgence.

In order to gain a plenary indulgence, which is more difficult, one must (1) be in a state of grace, (2) go to confession, (3) receive Communion within three days of your Confession, (4) be free from attachment to all sin, (5) will to receive the indulgence, (6) perform the indulgenced action, and (7) pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, and 1 Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father. (Note: If you attempt to gain a plenary indulgence but you are not free from attachment to all sin, you still get a partial indulgence.)

So what, then, must we do to receive a plenary indulgence for Divine Mercy Sunday? The indulgence is granted (per St. John-Paul II's Proclamation), to the faithful who "on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!")[.]"

I highly suggest you all go for this indulgence tomorrow. God bless you all, and have a blessed feast!