The dogmatic constitution from the Second Vatican Council, entitled “Lumen Gentium,” promulgated 60 years ago on Nov. 21, 1964, sets forth the nature and mission of the church.
Explainer: What are indulgences?
Indulgences, however, are a way that the church “as minister of the Redemption” intervenes on behalf of a penitent by using its God-given authority to dispense all the temporal punishments of sin (a plenary indulgence), or a portion of them (a partial indulgence), by the application of the satisfaction won by Christ and the saints.