While the Mass for the Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of La Leche, on Sunday, October 10, is by invitation (due to limited seating), the once-in-a-lifetime event will be live-streamed from the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. That means Catholics will be able to view the Mass and the crowning at home, on their smartphone and at church with fellow parishioners.

Another way to participate on October 10 is to travel to the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine. At 1:30 that afternoon, pilgrims will begin gathering to watch the ceremony on a Jumbotron screen outdoors. The Santa Fe Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in High Springs will also have a live-stream feed available for the momentous occasion.

But, the most important aspect of this gift from the Holy Father is preparing our hearts to be worthy of receiving Our Lady as our Queen. This can easily be done through prayer, through the Eucharist, going to confession, or by performing works of mercy.

Making a Plenary Indulgence

The Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See, by mandate of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has granted a Plenary Indulgence to all the Catholic faithful, who are not impeded by any penalty or censure and who participate at the celebration for the Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of La Leche in person or virtually via live-stream.

The Indulgence is granted under the following conditions:

• That you have an interior disposition of complete detachment from sin (even venial sin);
• You go to sacramental confession within 20 days of this celebration;
• You worthily receive Holy Communion;
• And you pray for the Intentions of the Holy Father, Pope Francis (including The Lord’s Prayer and either the Apostles Creed or Nicene Creed) before the Most Blessed Sacrament solemnly exposed for worship by the faithful.

For the Catholic faithful who are unable to be physically or virtually present for the Mass of the Canonical Coronation on Sunday, October 10, 2021, the Plenary Indulgence may be obtained by doing the following:

• Having a sincere, interior disposition of all detachment from sin (even venial sin);
• Prayerful devotion before an image of Jesus Christ;
• And, with humility, offering their own sufferings and inconveniences of life for the member of their family or another person.

The faithful may obtain only one plenary indulgence per day. The indulgence may be applied to oneself or for the deceased.

What is an indulgence?

The word indulgence comes from the Latin phrase indulgentia, to be kind or tender. It originally meant kindness or favor and later came to mean the remission of a tax or debt. As used in the teachings of the church, the word reflects the kindness and mercy of God and the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin” (Catechism, §1471). What is the temporal punishment due to sin? It is the human condition whereby we prefer this life to eternal life, the material world to the spiritual realm, our own will to God’s will. The trials and tribulations that accompany this condition, because we are immersed in “temporal” or non-eternal things, are the temporal punishment of our sinful condition.

In the sacrament of penance, sins are forgiven and the eternal punishment associated with those sins is remitted, but the temporal punishment of sin remains. However, throughout our lives, we must atone for this temporal punishment through prayer, penance and works of charity. To the extent possible, we must “put away the old self and put on the new self, created in God’s way” (Ephesians 4:22, 24).

If at the end of our lives we remain attached to temporal things, purifying grace is still extended to us in the state called “purgatory” so that we can prefer God to all else and enter eternal life with an undivided heart. Whether in this life or the next, our destiny is an eternal union with God. The church assists us in this effort through the granting of indulgences.

Each opportunity to obtain an indulgence is a wonderful opportunity to grow in holiness. By following the prescribed requirements, the faithful gain the full or partial remission of temporal punishment in this life – a great blessing on the spiritual journey toward union with God. There are two types of indulgences. A partial indulgence is just what it says – it removes “part” of the punishment owed for sin. A plenary indulgence accounts for all of the liability for punishment owed by one for forgiven sins up to that time.