ASK FATHER: Intentions of the Holy Father, Indulgences and You

I have friends who say they cannot pray for Francis's intentions. Fr Zed has the answer. Pray for the traditional 'intentions of the Pope'.

From Fr Z's Blog

Today is the 1st Sunday of October and therefore we have the chance to gain the indulgence attached to the Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii.  More on that HERE.

Several people have written to me recently to ask about one of the things we have to do to gain indulgences, namely, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions.    They are, how to say this… hesitant about this aspect of gaining indulgences.

Allow me to remind you of a few things.

First, to pray for the intentions of the Holy Father means to pray for the intentions that he designates.  In modern times, Popes have on a monthly basis designated some intentions for prayer.

That said, there are also traditional intentions designated as the intentions of the Holy Father.

Because we are unreconstructed ossified manualists, we turn an old manual for help.

A synopsis of the Pontiff’s intentions is found in Prümmer’s manual (vol. III, no. 556). Prümmer says that “Intentions of the Holy Father” for which we pray in the course of obtaining an indulgence, are a five-fold set which tradition (and the former Congregations) fixed as such, namely:

1. Exaltatio S. Matris Ecclesiæ (The triumph/growth of holy mother the Church),
2. Extirpatio hæresum (The rooting out of heresy),
3. Propagatione fidei (The propagation of the Faith)
4. Conversio peccatorum (The conversion of sinners),
5. Pax inter principes christianos (Peace among christian rulers).

A Catholic today can use this classic and traditional set of intentions for the purpose of gaining indulgences.