QUEZON City, Nov. 18, 2012—For some Catholics who may not have had the time or opportunity to go on a pilgrimage, the experience is now made more accessible with the declaration of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine Parish in New Manila as a pilgrimage church for the Year of Faith.
Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco designated the already-famous Mt. Carmel Shrine last week as a pilgrimage church during the Year of Faith; as such, pilgrims may gain a plenary indulgence by visiting the church and going on a ‘spiritual journey’ on their own.
Assistant parish priest Fr. Ransom Rapirap, OCD’s personal suggestion for those wanting to go on a pilgrimage to the shrine was to “take part in some sacred function or at least pause for an apt time of recollection with pious meditations, concluding with the recitation of the ‘Our Father’, the profession of Faith, invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary and, according to the case, to Holy Apostles or Patrons.”
Rapirap also explained, a plenary indulgence requires the person to be in the state of grace, have complete detachment from sin, and pray for the Holy Father’s intentions. The individual must also receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) and receive Communion up to about 20 days before or after completing the other acts.
According to catholic.org, a plenary indulgence “removes all temporal punishment due for sins. This punishment may come either in this life, in the form of various sufferings, or in the next life, in purgatory.”
For those who are still unable to come to the church due to physical illness, for example, may still obtain the indulgence by praying an ‘Our Father’, the Profession of Faith and other prayers that are more along the lines of the Year of Faith objectives. [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]
