Pope Offers 'Indulgences'

[UncleVanya]

Pope Offers 'Indulgences'

Trips to Lourdes to cut time spent in purgatory
'Telegraph' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....ope106.xml

"Pope Benedict XVI is offering relief from purgatory to Roman Catholics who travel to Lourdes over the next year, the Vatican said yesterday.

Pilgrims to the shrine in south-west France will receive "plenary indulgences" from the Pontiff, which the Church says reduce the time spent being "washed" of sin after death. The indulgences will be available from this weekend until Dec 8, 2008.

The Church teaches that people who do not go directly to heaven must spend time in purgatory, where they can be purified of residual sin.

It is the latest initiative to get more pilgrims to the shrine, famous for the reported healing properties of its water. In August the Vatican opened an airline service offering pilgrims direct flights from Rome to Lourdes.

For those who cannot make the journey to France, the Pope will also grant indulgences to Catholics who pray at places of worship dedicated to the Madonna of Lourdes from Feb 2 to Feb 11. Indulgences may also be granted under special circumstances to people too sick to visit the shrine, the Vatican said".

Sounds like Pope Benedict is trying to turn the clock back on Roman Catholism. He has already authorised the Latin Mass to be said, and now with 'Indulgences' to "Cut the Time the Faithful are in Purgatory before going to Heaven!" smacks of the Medieval Church.

What next -- these 'Indulgences' will be 'sold' to raise money for the Vatican, then maybe 'the selling of 'Holy Relics', Saints Bones to the Faithful. All sounds a bit dodgy to me. I joked about something like this to a friend of mine some years ago... That maybe the Vatican will institute the sale of Indulgences again to raise cash like they did in Medieval Times!!

Many a true word is spoken in jest!