Dear parishioners and friends of Saint James,

As some of you know, I have not yet fully digested the events surrounding our magnificent Triduum and Easter Sunday Mass. They were at least the best of my time here at the Cathedral and rival any in my entire priesthood. Bishop Brennan was with us on Good Friday and Easter Sunday and we are so appreciative of his presence and leadership as our good shepherd. A special thanks to our ushers, lectors, Extraordinary Minsters of Holy Communion, Nick Martelacci, our organist and the remarkable singers he organized, our little army of altar servers, Deacon Ron Rizzuto and the bishop’s deacon Jaime Varela, the church decoration led by Edgar Ochoa and Tim Dietrichs, Beeyean Santos for the bulletins, and a super thanks to Michał Petka who came all the way from Poland to vigorously organize and guide our liturgies.

Since the year 2000, the universal Church has concluded the Octave of Easter by celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday. There are many ways in which a person may participate in celebrating the Divine Mercy. Attached to its celebration is a plenary indulgence. To me, ‘indulgence’ sounds a bit old-fashioned and even a tad controversial. However, I thought it might serve well to give a story to help explain why, after receiving the forgiveness of our sins in confession we would still need more, including indulgences. Confession forgives the guilt of sin but more is needed to remove the temporal effects of sin. Temporal effects?

You are studying at college away from home and you have returned for the holidays. Your parents are away themselves buying a one-dollar house in a small town in Italy. They will be home tomorrow. Although they didn’t say you could but didn’t say you couldn’t, you borrow the car and go hang out with your friends. You forgot to say your customary prayer before driving and on the way back, you total the car. You were only slightly injured. Out of fear and embarrassment, you return back to college.

Your parents learn from your friend’s parents what happened, so they know you aren’t hurt. But you don’t message them or return their calls. For a while they are frantic and hurt. In time, they leave you alone. Your friends abandon you, your grades plummet and you come down with aches and pains not related to the accident. You can’t bear to spend the money your parents had deposited in your account. No friends, poor health and no money, you’ve hit bottom. You decide to go back home.

You receive a frosty reception, especially from your father. Your parents just stare at you in unbelief. Unable to contain yourself, you burst out into tears and beg for forgiveness. You try to explain what happened but your parents are in tears as well, embracing you tightly, affirming their love and forgiveness for you. You are reconciled and all is well.

However, the car is still totaled. After a little pushback from your parents, you convince them that you will get a job to buy a new car and that your grades will rebound. In time your friends return, your health and grades rebound. Strangely enough, after your reconciliation and restitution, your life is actually better than it was before.

Reconciliation with the parents represents forgiveness of the guilt and volunteering to replace the car, the temporal effects of the sin. This is why the Church offers indulgences. Wouldn’t you rather work it off now than spend a second in Purgatory?

Peace,
Fr. Bryan Patterson