Choose a topic from Part 3 Suppl:
1. Indulgences are granted by the pope, and by the bishopfor his subjects, and by the official who exercises thebishop's jurisdiction in a diocese. Indulgences cannot begranted by others, such as abbots, or parish priests.
2. Sometimes a person who is not in holy orders can grantan indulgence; for example, a layman who has been designatedbishop, has not yet been ordained or consecrated, but who has takenover the rule of his diocese. The power of granting indulgencesdoes notbelong to the sacrament of holy orders, but tojurisdiction or authoritative rule in the Church.
3. The fullness of power to grant indulgences resides inhim who has the fullness of jurisdiction in the Church, that is,the pope. This power is shared, in the measure of the pope'swishes, to the bishops of the Church.
4. A man in mortal sin cannot gain an indulgence. But aman with jurisdiction, who is himself in mortal sin, can grant anindulgence to be gained by those disposed to gain it. For thisremission of temporal punishment due to sin is not accomplishedthrough the holiness of the person who grants an indulgence, but bythe objective application of merits drawn from the spiritualtreasury of the Church.
"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. "
Thomas á Kempis
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"Let no one wear a mask, otherwise he will do ill; and if he has one, let him burn it."
St Philip Neri
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"Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it, and pray about it also; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."
St Philip Neri
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