WHAT IS A PILGRIMAGE?

A pilgrimage is no ordinary journey. It’s a kind of “holy traveling” undertaken with resolve for a particular spiritual purpose. Throughout Church history the faithful have traveled to holy sites—whether it’s a place where a saint lived, where a miracle occurred, or where a saint is especially honored—to obtain a special favor and to do penance for one’s sins.

When a church is named for a saint, it means that particular saint is its special guardian and intercessor in heaven. When you travel to parishes named for St. Joseph and leave your prayer intentions at his altars, it shows him special honor and will increase the blessings and graces you’ll receive through his intercession.

HOW TO HAVE A FRUITFUL PILGRIMAGE

To have a fruitful pilgrimage, simply carry a special prayer intention in your mind and heart. You can have a single intention, or a different one for each destination. Upon arrival kneel near St. Joseph’s altar or statue and pray fervently, asking him to intercede with Jesus Christ for your request. Conclude by offering prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving. This act of faith, made during the Year of St. Joseph, will gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions. Continue reading below for more information.

PLENARY INDULGENCES EXPLAINED

1. This is how an indulgence is defined in the Code of Canon Law (can. 992) and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1471):

“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.”

2. In general, the gaining of indulgences requires certain prescribed conditions (below, nn. 3, 4), and the performance of certain prescribed works.

3. To gain indulgences, whether plenary or partial, it is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed.

4. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day. In order to obtain it, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of grace:

• have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin;
• have sacramentally confessed their sins;
• receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required);
• pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.

5. 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 (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the Pope’s intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an “Our Father” and a “Hail Mary” are suggested. One sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions are required for each plenary indulgence.

6. For the sake of those legitimately impeded, confessors can commute both the work prescribed and the conditions required (except, obviously, detachment from even venial sin).

7. Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth.  

Source: Apostolic Penitentiary, The Gift of the Indulgence