Q: A parishioner inquired about this. My understanding is that the Church offers an apostolic pardon automatically for a dying person if a priest is not available. However, I am unfamiliar with lay people being authorized to do this. Can you clarify this?
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A: Here’s a previous post: https://paulturner.org/plenary-indulgence/
I mistakenly put “Norm 18” there—It should be Norm 28, which says this:
“To the faithful in danger of death, who cannot be assisted by a priest to bring them the sacraments and impart the Apostolic Blessing with its plenary indulgence (see can. 468, Sec.2 of Code of Canon Law), Holy Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime.”
I read this to mean that no one recites the apostolic pardon. The Church just gives it in the absence of a priest.