2nd, A partial or limited Indulgence, as of ten years or a hundred days, &c., remits as much of the temporal punishment as would have been remitted by ten years, or a hundred days, &c., of the canonical penances formerly imposed on public penitents.

II. What is required for obtaining an Indulgence.

1. A Plenary Indulgence; to approach to the sacraments of penance and the Holy Eucharist; to perform the special work to which the Indulgence is attached. Most plenary Indulgences have attached to them as a condition that we are to pray for the intention of the Holy Father. For this purpose, we may say a litany, a portion of the rosary, Jesus psalter, or five Paters and five Aves. One communion suffices for several Indulgences, if they can be gained on the same day.

2. Partial Indulgence: To be in a state of grace: to perform the work to which the Indulgence is attached.

N.B.-Power is generally given to confessors to change the works for some others, in the case of the sick, or persons who are confined, and who cannot therefore fulfil some of the conditions, such as fasting, or visiting certain churches.

III. The disposal of our Indulgences.

We may apply our Indulgences to ourselves, or we may in many cases apply them to the relief of the holy souls in purgatory. Those who embrace "The Heroic Act of Charity," by which they renounce for themselves and apply to the relief of the holy souls the merits of all their good works, have the privilege of likewise being able to apply to them all the Indulgences they gain. Even if our devotion does not lead us to follow this, we must be most careful never to forget the holy suffering souls.

DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK.

IF you are attacked by any serious illness, let your first care be to send for your spiritual physician, and settle the state of your soul. This is much better done in the beginning of sickness than afterwards, when the strength of fever, or the nature of the remedies, may render a person absolutely unfit for so great a work. Sickness is often sent for a punishment of sin, and therefore a sincere repentance and confession of sin are often a more effectual means of recovery than any other.

2. If you have not already made your Will, as in prudence you ought, let this also be done in the beginning of your sickness; that so, having settled your temporal affairs,

you may apply your soul without disturbance to the spiritual.

3. Engage your best friends to give you timely notice if your illness be dangerous; and not to flatter you with hopes of life, when there are little or no grounds for hope. Make the best you can of that time which, perhaps, is to be your last. Admit but of few visits, nor of any discourse but such as may be for your soul's profit.

4. Take proper care for the discharge of your debts, and all other obligations incumbent upon you; and this as much as may be in the beginning also of your sickness. Forgive all those who have in any way injured you, and ask pardon of those whom you have injured.

5. Receive your sickness from the hand of God, with a perfect resignation to his holy will, as a just pun

ishment of your offences; frequently offer yourself up to him, and beg that he will give you patience, and sanctify your sufferings, and that he will accept of all your pains and uneasiness, in union with the sufferings of your Saviour Jesus Christ, in reduction of the punishment due to your sins.

6. Often procure some friends to read to you such prayers as are most affecting and proper for your present condition, especially the Penitential Psalms, the Litanies, Acts of the Love of God, of Patience and Resignation, &c.

7. Have the crucifix, or a picture of Christ crucified, always before your eyes think often upon his Passion, hide yourself in spirit in his wounds, and embrace his feet with all the affection of your soul.

8. Aim, as much as you can, at a

penitential spirit during your sickness; often cry to God for mercy, and make frequent Acts of Contrition for your sins. sins. St. Augustine used to say, that no Christian, however innocent his life might have been, ought to venture to die in any other state than that of a penitent.

A Prayer proper to be daily repeated in time of Sickness.

O Lord Jesus Christ, behold I receive this sickness, with which thou art pleased to visit me, as coming from thy fatherly hand. It is thy will it should be thus with me, and therefore I submit: thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. May this sickness be to the honour of thy holy name, and for the good of my soul. For this end, I here offer myself with an entire submission to all thine appointments, to suffer what