Sir, – Patsy McGarry (News, May 25th) informs readers, with a straight face, about the indulgences available to Catholic attendees and listeners who participate in the World Meeting of Families in Dublin next August.
However, I suspect he may have had tongue in cheek as he listed the order of indulgence given to sinners and their deceased colleagues in return for attending, having a heart free of sin, and so on.
In a nod to this age of communications, partial indulgence is extended to all those not present, but keeping up via radio and TV.
Surely Mark Zuckerberg might have been given some part to play: 35 per cent off time in purgatory for discussing or posting on Facebook, with 15 per cent for reading posts, and 5 per cent for those who just grumble? – Yours,etc,
JOHN AUSTIN
CONNOLLY,
Booterstown,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – In this year of Our Lord 2018 do some still believe in that claptrap about plenary and partial indulgences? Well done to Fr. Iggy O'Donovan (May 26th) for exposing this nonsense. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET O’NEILL,
New Ross,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – I note that Pope Francis is to grant a plenary indulgence to all of those who attend Mass in Croke Park in August, freeing them of the consequence of sin in the afterlife. I also note a partial indulgence is available to those who watch on TV, fulfilling certain conditions.
I wonder, should one watch the Mass multiple times on RTÉ player, would the pontiff upgrade this partial indulgence to a full indulgence? – Yours, etc,
JOHN RUSSELL,
Sallins,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – I read with interest Fr Iggy O’Donovan’s letter (May 26th) regarding the plenary indulgences available from Pope Francis for attending the World meeting of Families in Dublin next August. I seem to remember a man named Martin Luther back in the early 16th century having some serious issues with such practices.
Five hundred years later the Catholic Church is still giving out indulgences, although in fairness the indulgences are not being purchased directly on this occasion. No, on this occasion it is an attendance certificate or a loyalty card of sorts, one which you can present to the “authorities” at the entrance to purgatory when the time comes.
Whether this large-scale issuing of these remission vouchers will lead to some inflation in the severity of purgatorial sentencing is anyone’s guess but one would hope that any reduction is a genuine one! – Yours, etc,
TOMÁS LALLY,
Gallagh Partry,
Co Mayo.