Lent is just around the corner. In fact, Ash Wednesday is one week from today. Lent is chosen by many parishes as the ideal time to offer retreats, parish missions, and workshops. If you are planning such an event, I have a suggestion: Invite a Catholic Answers speaker to give talks on Vatican II and the Catechism. Doing so could have the added bonus of a plenary indulgence for attendees.
The Apostolic Penitentiary, which issues indulgences, recently announced:
Throughout the Year of Faith—established from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013—all individual members of the faithful who are truly repentant, have duly received the Sacrament of Penance and Holy Communion and who pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff may receive the Plenary Indulgence in remission of the temporal punishment for their sins, imparted through God’s mercy and applicable in suffrage to the souls of the deceased . . . every time they . . . attend at least three lectures on the Proceedings of the Second Vatican Council and on the Articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in any church or suitable place . . .
I sometimes imagine that attending a talk of mine must be a penitential act of itself. This might be true for other speakers, too, so I’m quite happy that, for a limited time, attendees may actually gain an indulgence in the process! To schedule an event at your parish, contact our Catholic Answers Seminar Coordinators at 619-387-7200 or email moc.cilohtac@sranimes.