# Indulgence Prayers and the Rosary for the Faithful Departed
*2019-06-08*

> Bill Young explains the Catholic teaching on indulgences, how the Rosary carries powerful indulgences for the souls in purgatory, and offers a prayer for those who have died, especially a recent friend, Todd Tundon.

## What Is an Indulgence?

The Catechism defines an indulgence as the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. When a Catholic performs a prescribed act—such as praying the Rosary—under the authority of the Church, the treasury of merit from Christ and the saints is applied to reduce that punishment. An indulgence can be partial (removing part of the temporal punishment) or plenary (removing all of it).

## The Rosary’s Special Power

Father Donald Galloway, in his book *Ten Wonders of the Rosary*, notes that the Rosary is one of the most potent indulgence prayers of the Church. It can obtain partial indulgences for the living and plenary indulgences for the dead, helping souls in purgatory to complete their purification more quickly. The Church has traditionally prayed the Rosary at funerals for this very reason.

## A Prayer for Those in Purgatory

Bill leads a full Rosary, offering each Hail Mary for a specific intention:
• The first for love of neighbor.
• The second for hope for all souls in purgatory, especially those who have died recently, such as Todd Tundon.
• The third for peace for the families left behind.
He then proceeds through the Glorious Mysteries—Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost, Assumption, and Coronation—reciting the Our Father, Hail Mary, and concluding prayers, each time asking God’s mercy for the departed.

## Why This Matters

Most people die without having completed the satisfaction required for their sins. While God’s forgiveness is assured through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the temporal punishment remains. Indulgences, granted through the Church’s treasury of merit, allow the living to assist the dead in fulfilling that justice. Praying the Rosary for a deceased person is a concrete way to apply this grace.

## Community Invitation

Bill invites listeners to join a weekly gathering at St. David’s Catholic Church (Room 207, 12:30 p.m.) for a series based on Father Michael Gelley’s book *You Did It to Me*. Participants are encouraged to bring simple sandwiches and water to share. He also reminds listeners of suicide‑prevention resources and provides contact information for further support.

*Praying the Rosary not only deepens our own faith but also brings the mercy of indulgences to the souls yearning for God’s light in purgatory.*