Plenary Indulgence on Fridays of Lent

"Christ on the Cross" by Jacques-Louis David

I would note that we can obtain a plenary indulgences for ourselves. However, we can offer that plenary indulgence for a soul in purgatory instead. This would be a great act of charity and spiritual almsgiving to do during Lent. In my case since I am consecrated to Our Lady under the consecration of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, I try to obtain a plenary indulgence and offer it to Our Lady asking her to apply it to the soul in purgatory most in need. So, I highly encourage all readers to do this and to spread the info with friends and family as well. If we help the souls to be released from purgatory and enter Heaven, they will help us to get to Heaven as well. And nowadays, we can all use all the help we can get.

You can obtain a plenary indulgence every Friday in Lent by saying the following prayer before a Crucifix after receiving Holy Communion. The other usual requirements for a plenary indulgence also apply:
1) Receive communion (ideally on the same day the indulgence act is done)
2) Go to confession (within a week before or after the indugenced act)
3) That one pray for the Pope's intentions (usually by saying an Our Father and a Hail Mary)
4) That one be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin.

Prayer before a Crucifix
(Latin and English versions)

En ego, o bone et dulcíssime Iesu,
ante conspéctum tuum génibus me provólvo,
ac máximo ánimi adóre te oro atque obtéstor,
ut meum in cor vívidos fídei, spei, et caritátis sensus,
atque veram peccatórum meórum pæniténtiam,
eáque emendándi firmíssimam voluntátem velis imprímere;
dum magno ánimi afféctu et dolóre
tua quinque vúlnera mecum ipse consídero
ac mente contémplor,
illud præ óculis habens,
quod iam in ore ponébat tuo David prophéta de te, o bone Iesu:
Fodóderunt manus meas et pedes meos:
dinumeravérunt ómnia ossa mea.

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus,
I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech Thee
that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart lively sentiments of Faith, Hope, and Charity,
with true repentance for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment,
whilst with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself
and mentally contemplate
Thy five most precious Wounds;
having before my eyes the words which David in prophecy spoke concerning Thyself, O good Jesus:
“They have pierced my hands and feet;
they have numbered all my bones.”

The “Technical” Stuff

“1. An indulgence is the remission in the eyes of God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose culpable element has already been taken away. The Christian faithful who are rightly disposed and observe the definite, prescribed conditions gain this remission through the effective assistance of the Church, which, as the minister of redemption, authoritatively distributes and applies the treasury of the expiatory works of Christ and the Saints.”
- Handbook of Indulgences, Norms

“23. 1. Besides the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin, the requirements for gaining a Plenary Indulgence are the performance of the indulgenced work and fulfillment of three conditions: Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions.
2. Several Plenary Indulgences may be gained on the basis of a single Sacramental Confession; only one may be gained, however, on the basis of a single Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the Pope’s intentions.
3. The three conditions may be carried out several days preceding or following performance of the prescribed work. But it is more fitting that the Communion and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place on the day the work is performed.
4. If a person is not fully disposed or if the prescribed work and the three mentioned conditions are not fulfilled, the Indulgence will only be partial ...”
5. The condition requiring prayer for the Pope’s intentions is satisfied by reciting once the Our Father and Hail Mary for his intentions (Pater Noster and Ave Maria); nevertheless all the faithful have the option of reciting any other prayer suited to their own piety and devotion.”
- Handbook of Indulgences, Norms

#22 Prayer before a Crucifix
On any Friday during Lent a plenary indulgence is granted the Christian faithful who, after Communion, devoutly recite the above prayer before an image of Jesus Christ crucified. On other days of the year the indulgence is a partial one.
- Handbook of Indulgences, Grants

(Makes me wonder if this can be obtained before a "resifix?" You know, those ones where Christ is risen, sort of floating before a cross, which are sadly in many churches nowadays? I mean, the indulgence does say "before an image of Jesus Christ crucified" [my emphasis]. I'll let those concerned about it write the apostolic penitentiary on that one. If you are worried about it, get a holy card of the Crucifixion and take that with you and say the prayer looking at that after Holy Communion.)

RS