I just received this from one of our priests in the Fraternity. Please spread this to everyone you know.
Here is the decree from the Sacred Penitentiary in the original Italian: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2020/03/20/0170/00378.html
Here is a rough translation using Google Translate (emphasis mine). I have edited the text slightly to emphasize the indulgenced works: (Update 3/25: official English translation here)
Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary on the granting of special Indulgences to the faithful in the current pandemic situation, 20.03.2020
APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY DECREE The gift of special Indulgences is granted to the faithful affected by the Covid-19 disease, commonly called Coronavirus, as well as to health workers, family members and all those who, for whatever reason, even with prayer, take care of them."
Be glad in hope, constant in tribulation, persevering in prayer" ( Rom 12,12). The words written by Saint Paul to the Church of Rome resonate throughout the history of the Church and guide the judgment of the faithful in the face of every suffering, disease and calamity.The present moment in which the whole of humanity is under threat, threatened by an invisible and insidious disease, which has long since entered strongly into everyone's life, is marked day after day by anguished fears, new uncertainties and above all widespread physical suffering and moral.The Church, following the example of her Divine Master, has always had care for the sick at heart. As indicated by Saint John Paul II, the value of human suffering is twofold: «It is supernatural, because it is rooted in the divine mystery of the redemption of the world, and it is also deeply human, because in it man finds himself, the one's humanity, one's dignity, one's mission "(Apostolic Letter Salvifici doloris, 31).Even Pope Francis, in recent days, has shown his paternal closeness and renewed the invitation to pray incessantly for the Coronavirus patients. So that all those who suffer because of Covid-19, precisely in the mystery of this suffering, can rediscover "the same redemptive suffering of Christ" ( ibid., 30), this Apostolic Penitentiary, ex auctoritate Summi Pontificis, trusting in the word of Christ the Lord and considering with spirit of faith the epidemic currently underway, to be lived in terms of personal conversion, grants the gift of Indulgences under the following device.
Plenary Indulgence is granted to the faithful affected by Coronavirus, subjected to quarantine for the disposition of the health authority in hospitals or in their own homes if, with a soul detached from any sin,
they spiritually unite through the media to the celebration of the Holy Mass,
the recitation of the Holy Rosary,
the pious practice of the Via Crucis or other forms of devotion,
or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Our Father and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this proof in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards our brothers and sisters,
with the will to fulfill the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the intentions of the Holy Father), as soon as it is possible for them. Health workers, family members and those who, following the example of the Good Samaritan, exposing themselves to the risk of contagion, assist Coronavirus patients according to the words of the divine Redeemer: «Nobody has a love greater than this: giving life for their own friends "( Jn 15:13), will obtain the same gift of plenary indulgence on the same conditions.
Furthermore, this Apostolic Penitentiary willingly grants Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions on the occasion of the current world epidemic, even to those faithful who:
offer a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic adoration,
or the reading of the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour,
either the recitation of the Holy Rosary,
or the pious exercise of the Via Crucis,
or the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, to implore from Almighty God the cessation of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted and eternal salvation of how many the Lord has called to himself.The Church prays for those who find it impossible to receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum, entrusting each and every one to divine Mercy by virtue of the communion of saints and grants the faithful
Plenary Indulgence at the point of death, provided that is duly disposed and has habitually recited some prayers during his life (in this case the Church makes up for the three usual conditions required). For the attainment of this indulgence the use of the crucifix or the cross is recommended (cf. Enchiridion indulgentiarum , n.12).The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, Health of the Sick and Help of Christians, our advocate, would like to help suffering humanity, rejecting from us the evil of this pandemic and obtaining all the good necessary for our salvation and sanctification.
This Decree is valid despite any contrary provision. Given in Rome, from the seat of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on March 19, 2020.Mauro Card. PiacenzaMajor PenitentiaryKrzysztof NykielRegent[00378-IT.01] [Original text: Italian]
