Praying for our Departed....

The following paragraph was taken from a recent Sunday Mass leaflet.. 'A danger of too much prayer for the dead is that we do not let them go.  As time goes on, we allow them their new life with God.  Not that we don't miss them nor mourn them but we move forward in our own lives with loss and with faith.' 

This is not correct to say there is a danger of too much prayer for the dead.... we can and must pray for our dead, especially for the Holy Souls in Purgatory because not everyone goes to Heaven straight away except those who have been already purged of their sins in this earthly life through their suffering and saintly lives.  Many of the Saints prayed fervently for the Holy Souls and we cannot pray enough for them who need prayers so much.  They cannot help themselves but they depend on our prayers, offerings of Holy Mass and our sacrifices.  Of course we must not hold on to grief for too long but we must pray for our dear departed.  The souls we pray for will in turn help us in this life.  We remember them especially in this month of November. 





St. Faustina and the Holy Souls

Whenever possible, Sr. Faustina would pray for the release of the Holy Souls from purgatory. During her annual retreat on Jan. 10, 1934, she records Jesus’ desire that she use her time in saying “short indulgenced prayers for the souls in purgatory” (Diary, 274). Then, Sr. Faustina records that right before Midnight Mass in 1934, “I offered the indulgences for the souls in purgatory” (Diary, 346).

Further, on the occasion of her perpetual vows as a religious on May 1, 1933, Sr. Faustina begged Jesus “to free all souls from purgatory” (Diary, 240). Also, Jesus Himself asked her to devote the eighth day of The Divine Mercy Novena to praying for the release of the souls in purgatory. (See Diary, 1226.)

Inspired by St. Faustina, we can remember the Holy Souls through indulgenced prayers, The Divine Mercy Novena, and most especially at Holy Mass. Remembering these souls when in Eucharistic Adoration and when praying the Stations of the Cross and the Rosary are also powerful means to aiding them.

In the case of indulgences, they make up for penances omitted or poorly done. Indulgences arise from the mercy of Jesus. With them, we can satisfy our debts to God. Christ has given His Church a treasury of indulgences that we, the faithful, can draw from for the Holy Souls. These include litanies, short aspirations, and reading the Bible. The Holy Mass is our most efficacious means to helping the Holy Souls.

Divine Mercy Inspiration for All Souls Day...

St. Faustina writes, Diary 58

One night, a sister who had died two months previously came to me. I saw her in a terrible condition. I redoubled my prayers for her. ... The next night she came again, but I saw her in an even more horrible state, in the midst of flames which were even more intense, and despair was written all over her face. ... I asked, 'Haven't my prayers helped you?' She answered that my prayers had not helped her and that nothing would help her. I said to her, 'And the prayers which the whole community has offered for you, have they not been any help to you?' She said no, that these prayers have helped some other souls. I replied, 'If my prayers are not helping you, Sister, please stop coming to me.' She disappeared at once. Despite this, I kept on praying.

After some time she came back again to me during the night, but already her appearance had changed. There were no longer any flames, as there had been before, and her face was radiant, her eyes beaming with joy. She told me that I had a true love for my neighbor and that many other souls had profited from my prayers. She urged me not to cease praying for the souls in purgatory, and she added that she herself would not remain there much longer

Indulgence for the Holy Souls

Plenary Indulgence Applicable to Holy Souls

"A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the holy souls, may be gained once in any church either on All Souls' Day, on the preceding or following Sunday, or on the feast of All Saints, on the usual conditions, viz: a visit to a Church where the Our Father and Creed are recited, Sacramental Confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the Holy Father's intention. Those who visit a cemetery between 1st and 8th November and pray for the faithful departed, may obtain a plenary indulgence, applicable to the holy souls (and at other times a partial indulgence)" - extract from Southwark Directory 2009.

"May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, avail for the souls of Thy servants and handmaidens: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be sharers in Thy Redemption. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen."

A Prayer Which Would Release 1,000 Souls From Purgatory

Each Time It Is Said:

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well.

"Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."



Divine Mercy Inspiration for Today - 1st November

Diary No. 20   -  (Vision of Purgatory)

"One day I asked the Lord, ‘Lord, who else should I pray for?’ Jesus said that on the following night He would let me know for whom I should always pray for.

The following night, I saw my Guardian Angel who asked me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in Purgatory. The souls call her ‘The Star of the Sea.’ She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of the prison of suffering. [I heard an interior voice] which said, My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls."

Remember The Holy Souls

Praying for the Holy Souls is important to remember as they cry out for prayer. One prayer that is very powerful is the Prayer of St. Gertrude
'Eternal Father I offer you the most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son Jesus in union with the Masses said throughout the world today for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those within my own home and my own family. Amen'