by the Brief of HH Benedict XIV 12 March 1742
I. Those who devoutly carry about their persons the medal of St. Benedict, may gain a plenary indulgence on the following festivals:
Christmas Day - Epiphany - Easter Sunday - Ascension Day - Whit Sunday - Trinity Sunday - Corpus Christi The Immaculate Conception - The Nativity of Our Lady The Annunciation - The Purification - The Assumption - All Saints' Day St. Benedict's (21 March)
Besides the usual conditions of confession and Holy Communion, and praying, according to the intentions of the Pontiff, it is requisite, in order to gain the above mentioned indulgences, that one should perform habitually, that is to say, once at least in the week, one of the following pious practices:
Recite the Chaplet of our Lord or the Rosary - Or a third part of the Rosary - Or the Divine Office - Or the Little Office of Our Lady - Or the Office of the Dead - Or the Seven Penitential Psalms - Or the Gradual Psalms - Or Teach the rudiments of faith to children or the poor - Or Visit those who are in prison - Or Visit those who are sick in hospitals - Or Give relief to the poor - Hear Mass
II. A plenary
indulgence to him who, being at the point of death, after having made his confession
and received Holy Communion, if he be able, or, if not, after having made from his heart
an act of contrition, shall devoutly recommend his soul to God, and shall invoke with his
lips, or, if he cannot do more, at least in his heart, the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.
III. A plenary indulgence, the same as that which is given by the Sovereign
Pontiff by the Papal benediction at St. Peter's of the Vatican on Maundy Thursday and
Easter Sunday, is granted him who, being truly penitent, having confessed his sins and
received Holy Communion on those same two days, shall pray for the exaltation of Holy
Mother Church and for the preservation of the Supreme Pontiff.
IV. The indulgence and remission of a third part of the punishment due to his
sins to him who, by his good example and advice, shall lead a sinner to repentance.
V. An indulgence of 20 years, once each week, to him who shall daily pray
for the extirpation of heresies.
VI. An indulgence of seven
years and seven quarantines to him who shall perform the several pious works
specified in No. I. on the lesser feasts of our Lord and of our Lady; for example, the
Circumcision, the Holy Name of Jesus, the Transfiguration, &c.; the Visitation of the
most Blessed Virgin, her Presentation, her Seven Dolours, the Holy Rosary, &c. The
same indulgence, on the same conditions, for the feast of St. Joseph, spouse of the most
holy Virgin, of St. Maurus, St. Placid, St. Scholastica, and St. Gertrude.
VII. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to him who shall hear,
or, if he be a priest, shall celebrate Mass, and pray for the prosperity of Christian
princes and for the tranquillity of their states.
VIII. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines each time, to him who,
out of devotion to the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall fast on Fridays, or in
honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturdays. He who shall have performed either of
these two fasts during a whole year, shall gain a plenary indulgence on a day of
his choice, when, having made his confession, he shall receive Holy Communion. Should he
happen to die during the course of the year, during which he had the intention of keeping
up this pious practice, he shall obtain the same indulgence.
IX. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to him who shall say the
Rosary or Chaplet in honour of the Immaculate Conception of the most Holy Virgin Mary,
beseeching her to intercede with her Divine Son, to obtain for him the grace of living and
dying without committing a mortal sin.
X. An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to him who shall accompany
the most Holy Sacrament when carried to the sick. This indulgence is in addition to those
already granted by the Supreme Pontiffs to the faithful who practise those devotion.
XI. An indulgence of one year to him who, having examined his conscience, and
being truly penitent for his sins, shall be resolved to avoid them for the future and to
confess them, and shall say five Paters and five Aves. If he go to confession and receive
Holy Communion, he shall on that day gain an indulgence of ten years.
XII. An indulgence of two hundred days to him who shall visit those who are in
prison, or those who are sick in hospitals, rendering to them some service of charity; the
same is granted to him who shall teach Christian doctrine, or as it is called, catechism,
either in the church or at home, to his children, neighbours, or servants.
XIII. An indulgence of one hundred days to him who, on Fridays, shall devoutly
meditate on the Passion and Death of our Lord, and say three times the Lord's Prayer and
the Angelical Salutation.
XIV. An indulgence of one hundred days to him who, out of devotion to St. Joseph,
St. Benedict, St. Maurus, St. Scholastica, or St. Gertrude, shall say the psalm Miserere,
or five Paters and five Aves, begging of God that He will, by the intercession of these
His Saints, preserve the Holy Catholic Church, and grant him a happy death.
XV. An indulgence of one hundred days to him who has the habit of saying, at
least once in the week, the holy Rosary or Chaplet, or the Office of our Lady, or that of
the Dead, or only the Vespers and one Nocturn and Lauds of the same Office, or the seven
Penitential Psalms, with the Litany of the Saints and the prayers which follow it; or five
Paters and five Aves, in honour of the most Holy Name of Jesus or of His five Wounds; or
five Aves, or the Antiphon, We fly to thy Patronage, &c., with one of the approved
collects, in honour of the most Holy Name of Mary.
XVI. An indulgence of fifty days to him who, before saying Mass, going to Holy
Communion, reciting the Divine Office or the Little Office of our Lady, shall say some
devout prayer.
XVII. An indulgence of fifty days to him who shall pray for those who are in
their agony, and shall say for their intention three Paters and three Aves.
XVIII. An indulgence of forty days to him who shall say, once or oftener during
the day, this ejaculatory prayers, "Blessed be the most pure and Immaculate
Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
XIX. He who shall pray to God to spread the Order of St. Benedict shall enter into a
participation of all and each of the good works, of what kind soever, which are done by
the Order.
XX. He who through sickness, or any other lawful impediment, cannot hear, or being a
priest, cannot say, Mass, nor recite either the Divine Office or the Office of our Lady,
nor, in fine. perform the other acts of virtue enjoined for the gaining the above
indulgences, may supply them by reciting three Paters and three Aves, followed by the
anthem, Salve Regina, &c., adding to these prayers the following aspiration, "
Blessed be the most Holy Trinity! and praised be the most Holy Sacrament, and the
Conception of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin!" If the indulgence
intended to be gained be a plenary one, it is necessary to confess one's sins and receive
Holy Communion. But should one not have it in his power to do this, he must at least be
contrite in his heart, and be firmly resolved to confess his sins when opportunity serves.
All the indulgences here mentioned are applicable to the souls in Purgatory. (1)
The Decree expressly forbids the selling of the medals after the indulgences have been
attached to them; as also the lending of them to other persons, for the purposes of
communicating the indulgences. It also reminds the faithful, that in case a person loses
an Indulgenced medal, and procures another in its place without having had the indulgence
attached to it by a priest who has the power, such a person does not enjoy the same
favours as those who have had their medal properly blessed.
(1) Many new indulgence besides these, are attached to the medal struck at Monte Cassino
to commemorate the fourteenth centenary of St. Benedict.
(For additional indulgences & favors granted to Oblates please go to FAVORS)
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