Treasury of Merit

 BASIC R.C.BELIEF

(or Treasury of the Church)

The superabundant merits of Christ and the saints from which the Church draws to confer spiritual blessings, as Indulgences. The thought is that some saints had a surplus of merit (more than they needed for Heaven). Rather than lose these, God stored them so others who have need can draw from this superabundance.

Dr. Ludwig Ott, in FUNDAMENTALS OF CATHOLIC DOGMA, paged 441, states, "By an indulgence (indulgentia) is understood the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment of sin remaining after the forgiveness of the guilt of sin. This remission is valid in the sight of God, and it is granted by the Church out of Her treasury of satisfaction.

POST VATICAN II

The encyclical INDULGENTARIUM DOCTRINA, Vatican II reiterated the Roman Catholic belief in the Treasury of Merit.