Gaining the Indulgence of All Souls: The Church’s Gift of Mercy

Fr. Scott Haynes
Oct 29
5 min read

Fr. Scott Haynes

Throughout the month of November, especially during the days from November 1–8, the Church invites the faithful to a powerful act of charity: gaining a plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory. This grace is more than a theological curiosity—it is a concrete way that we, still pilgrims, may assist our sisters and brothers who “died in the charity of God and are being purified” (Catechism of the Catholic Church § 1030) and hasten their entry into the fullness of God’s life.

It is important to say at the outset what an indulgence is not. It is not a second chance for mortal sin, nor simply a “get-out-of-purgatory free” card. Rather, an indulgence is “the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned.” In other words: the person is forgiven, but still needs purification (“temporal punishment”) to enter Heaven fully. A plenary indulgence removes all of that remaining temporal punishment when the prescribed conditions are met.

When we apply a plenary indulgence to a departed soul, we are exercising the Church’s doctrine of the communion of saints: what we do for our brothers and sisters in Christ still on the “other side” matters; our prayers, Masses, works of charity can help them, and they can intercede for us. As one article notes: “our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.”

Let’s walk step-by-step through what this indulgence is, why it matters, and how to obtain it.

Why November 1–8 Matters

On November 1 we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints’ Day; on November 2 we remember the faithful departed with All Souls’ Day. Historically the Church extended the celebration through an octave of eight days (Nov 1–8).

In the Handbook of Indulgences (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum), the grant is made that “every day, from the 1st to the 8th of November,” the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence for the departed by visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead, in addition to fulfilling the normal conditions.

Therefore, for eight days in a row one may each day apply a plenary indulgence to the souls in purgatory, so long as the requirements are met.

As one commentary puts it:

“Each November the Church offers a gift for the faithful to give to the souls in purgatory. From November 1st–8th, the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory by visiting a cemetery and praying there for the dead.”

What You Must Do: The Conditions for a Plenary Indulgence

To gain the plenary indulgence, the Church requires several conditions. These reflect not just external acts, but an interior disposition of complete detachment from sin—even venial sin.

Here are the typical conditions (adapted for application to the deceased):

Be in the state of grace (i.e., not knowingly holding unconfessed mortal sin).
Sacramental confession: one confession suffices for many indulgences, if within about 20 days before or after.
Holy Communion: receive the Eucharist, either on the same day the work is done or soon after.
Prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father: typically at least one Our Father and one Hail Mary, or other pious prayer.
The specific work: for the souls in purgatory. In this case:
- Visit a cemetery on Nov 1–8 and pray for the deceased (even mentally is sufficient).
- Or, on All Souls’ Day (or other specified day) visit a church or oratory and recite the Our Father and the Creed.
Detachment from all sin, even venial: this is the most challenging. If this is missing, the indulgence becomes partial.

Thus, if you visit a cemetery on Nov 3, pray for the dead, have recently gone to confession, receive Communion, pray for the Pope, and have true interior detachment from sin, you can apply the plenary indulgence for a soul in purgatory. You may repeat this each day in the Nov 1–8 window—each day for a different soul if you wish.

Practical Ways to Carry It Out

Here are some suggestions to help turn the theology into a lived act of charity:

Choose a deceased person you want to help—perhaps a family member, friend, or anonymous “poor soul”—and decide intentionally to offer the indulgence for that soul’s benefit.
On one of the days Nov 1–8 (or if extended, through the whole month in special years) go to a cemetery. Pause by a grave, kneel or stand, and pray a short prayer: for example, the Eternal Rest prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
That same day—or within about 20 days—go to confession, then receive Holy Communion, and say a Our Father + Hail Mary for the Pope’s intentions.
Ask the Lord for the grace of detachment from all sin. Even if you find yourself weak, the intention and humble reliance on God’s mercy matter: “Even if it would be impossible for us to be completely detached from sin, it is not impossible for God.”
If you cannot physically visit a cemetery (illness, mobility issues, pandemic restrictions), you may “unite yourself spiritually” to the act, perhaps by praying before an image of Christ or the Blessed Virgin Mary, or offering prayers for the dead from home.

Why This Matters: The Communion of Saints and Our Mission

When we assist the souls in purgatory, we affirm the truth that the Church is “communion”—the living and the dead, bound in Christ. These souls are not forgotten; we can love them by prayer and work, and in turn they pray for us. As one writer observes: “When we pray for them, we also ask them to pray for us.”

Think of it this way: you are extending mercy beyond death. You are handing on the torch of Christian hope that death is not the final word. You are cooperating with God’s justice and mercy. And you are teaching by concrete act that relationships in Christ transcend time and space.

The possibility of doing one plenary indulgence each day in the Nov 1–8 period means you have eight opportunities to apply intense spiritual help for souls hungry for heaven.

In a way, it is an echo of the mission of the saints: to bring souls to God, to hasten the day of fullness. Let us embrace this opportunity generously.

A Final Word of Encouragement

As you prepare your heart, remember two things: first, you’re not doing this to earn merit for yourself; you’re acting out of love for another soul and out of trust in Christ’s redemptive work. Second, the “detachment from all sin” is demanding—but there is no perfect person; it is precisely our weakness that reveals God’s power, just as Jesus said: “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

So go joyfully to the cemetery, surround a grave with your prayer, offer the Eucharist and a clean heart, and entrust that beloved soul into Christ’s hands. Believe that your act of love matters—to them, and to the Church.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

All Souls' Novena