Much has been written about the spiritual power of the Holy Rosary, but perhaps something little known is the grace of indulgence that can be obtained with this Marian prayer, the favorite of Saint John Paul II.
In his Apostolic Letter Rosary of the Virgin Mary (Rosary of the Virgin Mary, 37), the pilgrim Pope wrote that “to encourage this ecclesial projection of the Rosariothe Church has wanted to enrich it with holy indulgences for those who recite it with the proper dispositions”.
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In this regard, Concession 17 of the Handbook of Indulgences (Manual of Indulgences) of the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Vatican, indicates that a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who “devoutly recites the Marian Rosary in a church or oratory, or in a family, in a religious community, in a meeting of the faithful and in general, when several come together for an honest purpose“.
Likewise, the plenary indulgence is obtained when the faithful “devoutly joins in the recitation of that same devotion, when it is made by the Supreme Pontiff and is disseminated through a television or radio instrument. In other circumstances the indulgence will be partial.”
In the case of the vocal sentence “must be added the devout meditation of the mysteries” and that in public prayer, “the mysteries must be enunciated according to the custom approved in the place; but in private recitation, it is enough for the faithful to add to the vocal prayer the meditation of the mysteries“.
Plenary indulgence can be gained once a day (except in danger of death). It is possible to obtain it by fulfilling the general requirements established by the Church: sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Pope.
Indulgence can also be obtained for a deceased person.
About rosaries blessed by priests or bishops
On the other hand, Blessed Pope Paul VI established in the Apostolic Constitution Doctrine of Indulgences (Doctrine of Indulgences, Norm 17), that “the faithful who uses devotedly an object of piety (crucifix, cross, Rosarioscapular or medal), duly blessed by any priest, gains a partial indulgence”.
“And if it had been blessed by the Supreme Pontiff or by any Bishopthe faithful, devotedly using said objectcan also gain a plenary indulgence in the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Pauladding some legitimate formula of profession of faith”.
In this regard, Father Jhon Phalen Csc, a great propagator of the devotion of the Holy Rosary in the Family, warned that using an object of piety with devotion means praying.
“I say that it is like a profession of faith to carry a cross or even the Rosary. But the Rosary itself, more than the concrete thing, is the prayer. So you have to pray it,” the priest clarified. “Otherwise it lends itself to having too much faith in the object and not in God… The object helps us communicate, relate to God,” he added.
Therefore, it is not enough to carry the Rosary on your neck, pocket or purse to gain partial indulgence, but it must be used for prayer, to get closer to God in your own life.
Translation from the Latin of the ‘Enchiridion Indulgentiarum’ by P. Pablo Corante, SDB.
Abel Camasca
Journalist graduated from the Communication Sciences degree at the University of Lima. Part of the ACI Prensa journalistic team since 2014. Between 2016 and 2022 I was in charge of the production of the television program EWTN Noticias and Más que Noticias, a World Catholic Radio program. I usually write articles about the lives of saints.