Seldom seest thou a man make haste to be rich, and thrive in religion. Christ’s message to John holds true; the poor are most forward in receiving and following the Gospel. As thou lovest thy zeal, beware of resolving to be rich, lest gain prove thy godliness; take heed of ambitious aspiring, lest courts and great places prove ill airs for zeal, whither it is as easy to go zealous as to return wise. Peter, while he warmed his hands, cooled his heart.
Richard Baker

Quarantines

Quarantines

QUARANTINES

CATHOLIC JOURNALS From THE SIGN, May 1958. “Q: What measure of time is a `quarantine’ in connection with an indulgence? A: According to Church Law, an indulgence is the remission before God of a temporal punishment due for sins, the guilt of which had already been forgivem, granted by ecclesiastical authority from the Treasury of the Church, by way of absolution for the living and by way of suffrage for the departed (Canon 911). This authority of the Church is implicit in the `power of the keys’ which is divinely bestowed. The treasury of the Church also consists of the infinite merits of Christ, the merits of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the saints.

“All partial indulgences are expressed in time periods corresponding to the time periods of penance which were in vogue in the ancient Church. Thus, an indulgence of 300 days represents a remission of the temporal punishment equivalent to 300 days of penance as practiced in the early Church. A quarantine is a 40-day period of Lenten penance – the most rigorous atonement of all. In years gone by, there was attached to many prayers and other good works an indulgence of `seven years and seven quarantines.’ However, use of the term `quarantine’ has been discontinued. Indulgences are now specified in terms of days and years.” (Ed: Since Vatican II, time periods are no longer used for indulgences.)

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