Expert Answer Forum
The Raccolta QUESTION from Mickey Staudt July 12, 1999 I am searching for this book. I only recently became aware of it's exsistance. In my small home town we are waging a war against the Freemasons and I am serching for a particular prayer included in the 8th edition of this book. Is there a way to find things like this on the internet.
My other question is in regards to the indulgences attached to all of the prayers and novenas included in it's pages. A Catholic friend recently remarked that she thought that after Vatican II, these kind of indulgences no longer applied. This doesn't sound correct to me, but I am very interested in knowing.
Thank you very sincerely,
Mickey Staudt
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius on July 13, 1999 Dear Mrs. Staudt:
Raccolta is an Italian word meaning a collection. It can be a collection of anything.
But it sounds like you are referring to a collection of prayer that have been granted an Indulgence.
The Specific book that contains these prayers is called the Enchiridion of Indulgences. The current Enchiridion in effect is from 1968. One URL where you can find this document is:
http://abbey.apana.org.au/Official/Indulgences/~Index.Htm
I don't know if earlier versions are online.
But in terms of research I copied for you the article from the 1917 Catholic Encylopedia for under the term Raccolta which might give you some clues as to where to look for older versions of the Indulgences:
Raccolta: A book containing prayers and pious exercises to which the popes have attached indulgences. The full title of the last official edition is: Raccolta di orazioni e pie opere, per le quali sono state concesse dai Sommi Pontefici le SS. Indulgenze (Rome, 1898). The Raccolta was first published at Rome in 1807 by Telesforo Galli, one of the consultors of the Congregation of Indulgences. In the sixth edition there is printed a Decree, dated 30 Nov., 1825, which recognizes the indulgences as authentic, and in the eleventh -- the last published by Canon Galli -- there is a Decree, dated 13 Nov., 1843, which approves the Raccolta as praelaudatum opus omnibus Christifidelibus vivis atque defunctis maxime perutile. The new editions were published by Aloysius Prinzivalli, substitute secretary of the congregation, and were specially approved by a Decree of 15 Dec., 1854. The editions of 1877, 1886, and 1898 are the official publications of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Holy Relics. The Raccolta contains, arranged in convenient order, the prayers, novenas, pious practices, etc. to which general indulgences have been attached, as well as the decrees and rescripts granting the indulgences, and the conditions requisite for gaining them. All the indulgences contained the Raccolta are applicable to the souls in purgatory. It is forbidden to publish a translation of the entire Raccolta without the approval of the Roman congregation (Decret. auth., nn. 351, 415). There is an approved edition of the Raccolta in English, especially adapted for the use of the faithful. God Bless
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