The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-26
THE PoRTluNcuLA INDULGENCE.
Obtained by st. Francis in 1223-Story
of Our Lords Favor to the Saint
Extension of the Indulgence to Other
Churches-Peculiar Privileges.

In all the churches of the three or
ders instituted by st. Francis, there
is a great festival celebrated every
year, on the I'd of August, to which
pious Christians are wont to hasten
from far and near, to perform their
devotion. This festival is called
Portiuncula from the name of the little
chapel for which ST. Francis first OBJ
tanned the peculiar privilege of this
day. The beautiful history of this
favor is given in the little Portiuncula
pamphlet by a Franciscan priest and
from it we extract the following ac-
count.
ST. Francis Vision.
OF all the churches ST. Francis loved
and venerated in particular the little
chapel of Santa Maria of the Angels,
commonly called Portiuncula This ap-
parently insignificant church, situated
on the plains of the beautiful valley of
Spoleto a short distance from Assist,
in northern Italy, where Francis lived,
the saint made the first church of his
order,-after having repaired it from
it's dilapidated condition and sancti-
fed it by his prayers, tears, and works
of penance. One night, in the month
of September, 1921, st. Francis had
vision in this holy place. Christ, ac-
companied by His holy Mother and
multitude of angels, appeared on the
altar and encouraged him to ask
favor for the salvation of souls The
saint, trusting in the intercession of
the Blessed Virgin, addressed the Lord
with great confidence, saying: Il, a
poor sinner, ask of Thy divine Ma
jesty this favor for the Christian peo-
pie: That all, who, having sincerely
confessed, will devoutly visit this
church, may obtain plenary indul-
gence" AS the Lord remained silent
to indicate, it seems, that the saint
had asked for something extraordi-
nary,-St. Francis had recourse to the
intercession of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, through whose powerful assist
ance he obtained his petition, with the
Injunction, however, to repair to the
Vicar of Christ, Honorius III, and, in
the name of the Lord, to ask this in
diligence.
Early the next morning the saint
with his disciple, Brother Masseo,
went to Perugia, where Pope Hon
orius III was then residing, and in the
most simple terms related the mission
he had received from Christ. The
Pope, surprised at this unusual petit
ton, and despite his great venera-
ton for the saint, hesitated to con-
sent, especially since the Cardinals
present opposed the grant of the in
diligence At that time the practice
of the Church regarding penitential
discipline was very severe, especially
as to plenary indulgences. But the
Lord, who had granted this favor for
the salvation of sinners, so directed
the heart of His Vicegerent, that he
finally consented to this indulgence
and declared it valid for all future
times, without enjoining any other
conditions than a sincere confession
and a devout visit to the church OF
Portiuncula This favor he limited,
however, to only one day of the year.
The saint, not yet knowing what day
of the year was to be chosen for the
gaining of this Indulgence, prayed
fifteen months longer to obtain the
necessary light from God. 1t was only
in the year 1928 that Christ again APP
peared to him, declaring it to be His
divine Will that the said indulgence
was to last from the Vespers of the
LIST of August until sunset of the fol-
lowing day.
Indulgence Proclaimed.
At a Consistory of Cardinals the
Pope confirmed this extraordinary in
diligence and at the same time COM
missioned seven Bishops to repair, on
the 1st day of August, 1928, to the
little Church of ST. Mary of the An
gels, and there solemnly to proclaim
the said indulgence. On the appointed
day an immense multitude assembled
around the little church; st. Francis
preached a wonderful sermon; the
seven Bishops, in the name of the
Pope, proclaimed the indulgence and
consecrated the church. Hence the
Dedication of Portiuncula on this day
For more than two hundred years
this indulgence could not be gained
even by the children of ST. Francis, IN
any church save the chapel of Por
tiuncula. In $780, however, Pope Six
tus ", granted all clustered nuns
following a rule of St. Francis, the
privilege of gaining this indulgence in
their own respective chapels. The
same privilege was soon after granted
to the Brothers of the First Order ant
also to the Tertiaries. Finally, Pope
Gregory XIV, on July 4, 1922, EXTENDED
the indulgence to all the churches
the three orders of st. Francis. Hence
all the faithful of the secular as wei
as of the religious state may gain th
indulgence in said churches, as tnougl
in the chapel of Portiuncula, provides
they make a good confession, and re
ceive Holy Communion, which latte
condition is not prescribed for thos
who visit the chapel of Port1unculs
The same indulgence has also pee
conferred by the Sovereign Pontln
upon the churches of the Order G
Capuchins, Conventuals, Clares, an
the religious women of the Third VI
der of st. Francis. In some countries
especially in Bavaria and the Unite
States. this same privilege is granite
oo~oohial churches /