Decree Honoring the 800th Anniversary of the Poor Clare Nuns

Decree Honoring the 800th Anniversary of the Poor Clare Nuns

Apostolic Penitentiary

Apostolic Penitentiary

Prot. N. 503/11/I   D E C R E E

The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, happily reigning, has been informed recently by the Most Reverend Fr José Rodríguez Carballo, Minister General of the whole Order of Friars Minor, of the solemn celebrations that are taking place, between 16th of the present month of April, and 12th August 2012, in the churches attached to the monasteries of the Order of St Clare, to commemorate the eight hundredth anniversary of the moment when the noble virgin Clare, born in Assisi in Umbria, in imitation of her fellow-citizen St Francis, gave away all her goods as alms to the poor, fled from the clamour of the world, received the tonsure from the same Francis, and established the Poor Ladies of the Order of Minors.

And so, the most Holy Father, out of divine favour earnestly desiring to oblige pious members of the faithful, by reason of his loving solicitude for the Universal Church and his special affection for the Poor Clare nuns, grants a Plenary Indulgence which may be gained once a day during the jubilee year and which may be applied  also for the  souls of the faithful in Purgatory, under the usual conditions properly fulfilled (i.e. Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer according to the intention of the Pope), if they participate devoutly in some jubilee celebration or pious exercise, or if they dedicate themselves at least for a certain amount of time to pious meditation, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, any legitimate formula of the Profession of Faith, and invocations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Francis and St Clare of Assisi. This indulgence may be gained:

a. by the nuns themselves: as often as they visit the church or principal chapel of the Monastery;

b. by all the faithful: once in each church on any day freely chosen; on every occasion they take part in devout pilgrimages as a group to the aforesaid holy places;

c. if they devoutly assist at jubilee celebrations: on the Feast of St Clare (11th August 2011 and 2012) as well as on the Feast of the Seraphic Father St Francis (4th October 2011), during the tridua immediately preceding these feasts, and on other days to be properly determined.

Moreover, the faithful may also obtain a Plenary Indulgence, equivalent to that of the Jubilee, under the same conditions, in all the solemn celebrations that will take place in Assisi throughout the jubilee year of St Clare.

The elderly, the infirm and those who cannot leave home for a serious reason can also obtain the Plenary Indulgence if they sincerely repent of all their sins and have the intention of fulfilling at the earliest opportunity the three usual conditions, and if they unite themselves spiritually with the jubilee celebrations, offering their prayers and sufferings to the God of mercy through the intercession of Mary.

Consequently, in order to facilitate easier access to God’s pardon through the ministry of the Church, out of pastoral charity, this Penitentiary earnestly requests that priests having the appropriate faculties to hear confessions make themselves available for the celebration of Penance readily and with generosity of spirit.

All things to the contrary notwithstanding.

Given at Rome, in the office of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on 16th day of April in the year of the Lord’s Incarnation 2011.

Fortunato S.R.E. Card. Baldelli
Major Penitentiary

+ Giovanni Francesco Girotti, O.F.M. Conv.
Titular Bishop of Meta, Regent