Hi, everyone!
Something very, very wonderful is right around the corner for us. On Consecration Day we will have the opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence for practicing this holy devotion. According to the Manual of Indulgences, a plenary indulgence is defined as, "... a remission before God of the temporal punishment for sins, whose guilt is forgiven...." What an indescribably merciful gift from God!
So in order to gain a plenary indulgence (assuming we have already gone to confession), these are the three things we need to do on Consecration Day: (1) receive Holy Communion, (2) pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary for the Holy Father's intentions, and (3) complete our "indulgenced work" by praying our Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary.
In addition, we should try to be free from all attachment to sin, or as St. Francis de Sales describes it, we should try to be free from all affection for sin. The following prayer helps me to stay focused on doing this (you're welcome to use it if you find it helpful):
In order to find the prayers, as well as the links to magnificent sacred art, please do the following items:
1. Click the following link to go to my website:
http://www.josephpeteranthony.com/total-consecration
2. Scroll down a little farther and click the link entitled "Total Consecration: Day 28" (this will take you to the prayers and the sacred art)
God bless you, and may Our Lady, the Queen of All Hearts, sweetly shower God's graces upon you!
Joe
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