[Translation from Latin by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki]
APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY
Prot. N. 307/22/I
DECREE
The Apostolic Penitentiary, to foster the religious fervor and salvation of souls, by the power of the faculties granted to it in a most special way by the Most Holy Father in Christ Our Lord, Francis, Pope by Divine Providence, attentive to the request recently made by His Excellency Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois, on the one hundredth anniversary by which Pope Pius XI translated the seat of the Diocese of Alton to the capital city of the State of Illinois, namely Springfield, from the heavenly treasures of the Church kindly grants a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayers for the intention of the Supreme Pontiff) by the Christian faithful truly penitent and compelled by love, from the 8th day of December 2022 until the 9th day of December 2023, which indeed they can apply by way of suffrage for the souls of the faithful held in Purgatory, whether they will have visited the Cathedral of Springfield in Illinois or the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul in Alton in the form of a pilgrimage and there will have attended the jubilee rites, or at least for a fitting space of time will have devoted pious considerations for the faithfulness of the Diocese to the Christian vocation, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, the Symbol of Faith [i.e. the Creed] as well as invocations to the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and Ss. Peter and Paul.
The elderly, the sick, and all those who cannot leave their home for a grave reason are equally able to attain a plenary indulgence, having the disposition of detachment from any kind of sin and the intention of fulfilling, as soon as one is able, the three usual conditions, if they will have joined themselves to the jubilee celebrations spiritually, prayers being offered to the merciful God for the sufferings or hardships of their own lives.
Therefore, in order that easier access might go forth out of pastoral charity to attain the divine favor through the keys of the Church, this Penitentiary earnestly asks that the diocesan penitentiary, the cathedral clergy, pastors and priests having been given the appropriate faculties for hearing confessions, with a prompt and generous spirit, make themselves available for the celebration of Penance.
The present decree will be valid for this diocesan Jubilee only. Anything whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given at Rome, from the headquarters of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the 16th day of the month of November, in the Year of Our Lord 2022.
/s/ Mauro Cardinal Piacenza
Major Penitentiary
/s/ Mons. Christopher Nykiel
Regent