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What is an indulgence?
An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. There are two kinds of indulgences, partial and plenary.

What is a partial indulgence?
Partial indulgences can be acquired as often as one desires. To gain a partial indulgence, one must do the following. These are "the usual conditions" for receiving a partial indulgence: - be in a state of grace (free of mortal sin). A good Confession isn't otherwise necessary, but a contrite heart for even venial sin is. - intend to receive the indulgence - perform the prescribed action of the indulgence.

What is a plenary indulgence?
Plenary Indulgences can be acquired only once each day for the same work (unless one is at the moment before death, in which case he may acquire another. Another exception is on All Souls Day -- November 2 -- when the faithful may gain a plenary indulgence, only for the souls in Purgatory, as often as they want). Plenary indulgences are much more demanding than partial indulgences

What are the required conditions for a plenary indulgence?
- Sacramental confession.
- Eucharistic Communion.
- It is further required that all attachment to sin, even venial sin, be absent. If the latter disposition is in any way less than perfect or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be partial only.
- It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (8) before or after the indulgenced act.

Why do you only have charts for a few countries?
Father Mateo was promoting the holy hour in the home back in the 1930' and it had become quite popular. But regrettably things have gone backwards in matters of faith and we have to restart afresh. If enough people from the same county/state pledge hours, a special chart will be made for it. If anyone else from another country were interested, we would be delighted to add more charts/send more reminders. Just send us an email.

What reminders?
If you have a busy life, like most of us do, you could forget to pray your Holy Hour. To make it easier, we could send you a reminder the day before. Just make sure you give us a valid email address. Let us also know which country and time zone you live in, so we can tick for you the apropriate box in the charts.

What happens if I choose to make a holy hour on the 31st of the month? Do I just do it every two months?
No, you just say it either on the 30th of the due month or the 1st of the next month. The same applies to the end of the month of February.

Aren't the twelve promises only related to the devotion of the First Fridays?
No, the twelve promises are for those who practice any devotions to the Sacred Heart and not exclusively for those who do the nine First Fridays. The 12th promise is the only one directly related to the First Fridays were it says: "I promise you, in the excessive mercy of my Heart, that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance; they shall not die in my disgrace nor without receiving the sacrements; my Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in that last moment."
For more information on this topic you could visit those websites:

  http://www.sacredheart.com/PromisesOfTheSacredHeart.htm

  http://www.dailycatholic.org/promises.htm

  http://spiritualite-chretienne.com/s_coeur/priere_p.html

Who is the promoter of this website?
A private individual who would like to help promote the devotion to the Sacred Heart to all Catholics.

If you have any questions or queries, please contact us at sacredheartholyhour@gmail.com