Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead
for November -- Month of the Poor Souls
Lauds for the Dead
"Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me." (Job 19:21)
"When we love, we remember; and this memory, the effect of love, is not a barren thought. It resolves itself into DEEDS for the loved one. Why, when sorrow is united with faith, should not our sad memories resolve themselves into sentiments sweet and precious to the soul? To recall the features, the accents, the manners and the sentiments of the loved one is still to hear him, to see him, to touch him, and to associate him with the joys and sorrows which he formerly shared." (Gergeres)
First Day
Sin is the great evil that holds back the advance of human progress. True progress is man's ascent to God. Only sin blocks his path. Vice and iniquity cast human beings down to the level of animals, when it is our destiny to be mounting toward the Angels.
Death in mortal sin results in the utter and eternal failure that is Hell. It thrusts a soul, who was destined for eternal happiness, into eternal ruin and incomprehensible pain.
Death in venial sin, or with the soul still stained with the punishment due to forgiven mortal sin, places a formidable obstacle in the path of a soul's progress toward Heaven. That poor soul-poor indeed in his privation of God, the Supreme Good-must linger in God's prisonhouse, where the agonizing and painful delay only intensifies his longing for Heaven.
This is the sad land of Purgatory. It is a place of anxious, almost impatient waiting, although the souls there desire nothing more than the expiation of those stains which stand in the way of their possession of God.
Since there are in Purgatory relatives we loved and friends we knew, and untold thousands of others who call to us for help, we fervently pray:
Dear Souls in Purgatory, during this month our foremost thought will be to recall to our minds our beloved dead. We shall think of you and pray for you; we shall give to the poor for the repose of your souls; we shall offer our daily labors as an expiation for your sufferings, and we shall hope thereby to obtain your special friendship and intercession for us.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of the faithful departed, the full remission of all their sins, that through the help of pious supplications, they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired, Who livest and reignest forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
Second Day
The memory of our dear faithful departed is sweet and consoling to our heart. United still in the Mystical Body of Christ, we know that they have gone before us into eternity, and it remains in our power to console and relieve them by our alms, prayers, and sacrifices.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most compassionate Jesus, have mercy upon the souls in Purgatory, for whose Redemption Thou didst take upon Thyself the nature of mankind and die an ignominious Death. Mercifully hear their pleadingsClook with pity on the tears which they now shed before Thee, and by virtue of Thy Passion, alleviate the suffering due to their sins. Most merciful Jesus, let some drops of Thy most Precious Blood flow down into Purgatory and refresh and revive the captive souls suffering there. Stretch out unto them Thy strong right hand, and lead them to a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Amen.
Third Day
The souls of the just do not leave us; they remain our brethren in Christ's Mystical Body. If we would but pray and sacrifice for them, they have the means of affording us a very effective solace through the power of their intercession. Let us recall them frequently by our prayers, by our aspirations, and by our good works, which will console them, and help us to gain Heaven.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most compassionate Jesus! Thou art our salvation, our life, and our resurrection. We implore Thee, therefore, do not forsake us in our needs and afflictions, but by the agony of Thy Most Sacred Heart, and by the Sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, assist Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy most Precious Blood. Amen.
Fourth Day
Death separates us; it breaks the earthly tie which binds us one to another, but it cannot break the spiritual tie which unites one soul to another--one heart to another.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, by the merits of Thy Precious Blood, deign to assist and console the Poor Souls in Purgatory, particularly the soul that is most abandoned. If it be in accord with Thy holy Will, place it today in Heaven, that in union with the Angels and Thy Blessed Mother, it may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.
Fifth Day
Almost nothing else is humanly harder to bear than painful waiting. All of the souls in Purgatory are certain that, one day, they will indeed reach Heaven. They know how wonderful Heaven is, and how infinitely desirable is God. But they are prevented from following the powerful impulse that urges them toward their supreme happiness. They must hunger for God, and yet, still be withheld from the possession of Him.
In Hell, there is only bleak and hopeless despair. In Purgatory there is hope and certainty, and love and eagerness-and long periods of waiting.… waiting…. waiting.
There is suffering too in Purgatory, the excruciating torment which is essential to wash away in flame the stains of guilt, and to cleanse as with fire the soul that will eventually enter into the Presence of the most high and infinitely holy God. But the real pain of Purgatory is that violent yearning for God, Who is just out of reach, and that longing to go home to Heaven, which is almost seen, but as yet unattainable.
Nothing defiled can enter Heaven; that we know by faith. So Purgatory is the place where the defilement of sin is removed, where the souls that are destined for glory are prepared by punishment and tedious delay for their glorious entrance into their eternal Home.
For the love we bear our friends in Purgatory, let us humbly and fervently pray:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O my God, I offer Thee the Precious Blood shed by Thine only-begotten Son on Calvary, and the Sorrows of His Blessed Mother, for the remission of our sins, the deliverance of the souls in Purgatory, for our Holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners. Amen.
Sixth Day
The souls in Purgatory are powerless to help themselves. They cannot do penance, nor offer satisfaction, nor gain indulgences, nor receive the Sacraments. They cannot pray for themselves. We, who are still on earth, can share with them the graces which God so generously and abundantly lavishes upon us.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most beloved Jesus, by the merits of Thy Five Holy Wounds, hear the pleas and hasten the release from the torments of Purgatory the faithful soul that did the most good on earth. If it be in accord with Thy holy Will, place it today at Thy heavenly throne that it may join the Angels in adoration. There may this holy soul intercede for me, that I may faithfully live according to Thy holy Will. Amen.
Seventh Day
The souls in Purgatory are able to appreciate the things of God more fully than we. Enlightened by Divine grace, they understand the respect and obedience which God merited from them on earth, and the ingratitude and baseness of their sins.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Whose adorable Heart sighs for the love and happiness of Thy banished children, we beseech Thee to remember the souls of Thy servants for whom we pray. Allow them, we beseech Thee, to be received by Thy holy Angels, and with them enjoy eternal happiness and glory in Heaven. Amen.
Eighth Day
This life on earth is, as we have heard many times, the only opportunity for gaining grace and merit for Heaven. When through the Church's indulgences we avail ourselves of the merits of Christ and of the Saints, we can wipe away the guilt of forgiven mortal sins, and eliminate the punishment due to venial sins, as we can also do through acts of penance and deeds of charity.
But once the soul enters Purgatory, the time for that soul to gain merit is ended. When we suffer on earth, we can offer our suffering to God, increasing thereby our future happiness in Heaven, and swiftly decreasing the pains we would otherwise have to suffer in Purgatory. But when a soul suffers in Purgatory, the debts of his sins are slowly and tediously expiated; and he gains no further merit for Heaven. Furthermore, there are no indulgences to be gained in Purgatory, nor fresh use of the merits of Christ, of His Mother, and of the Saints.
Thanks, however, to our union in the Mystical Body of Christ, thanks to the Communion of Saints, we can gain merit for the poor, suffering souls in Purgatory. As members of the Church on earth, we can earn indulgences and apply them to the punishments due to these souls, members of the Church Suffering. By whatever good that we offer for them on earth, we can decrease their sufferings and hasten their entry into Heaven.
With great charity for these Poor Souls who depend so fervently upon us, we pray:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O God, Who hast commanded us to honor our father and our mother, in Thy loving kindness have mercy upon the souls of our parents. Forgive them their sins, and grant that we may see them face to face amid the joys of life everlasting; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ninth Day
The just die as members of the Church, and so they continue. They remain united with us as well as with God by faith, hope, and charity. Therefore we should assist them as one member assists another.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, by Thy terrible agony in the Garden, we beseech Thee to have pity upon the souls in Purgatory, particularly the soul who has the most to suffer through our bad example. Vouchsafe to deliver it soon from torments, that it may join the heavenly host in glorifying Thee forever. Amen.
Tenth Day
When we aid a poor soul in its release from Purgatory, that soul is under a particular obligation to us, both because of the singular benefit it receives from entering all the sooner into glory, and also because of the terrible sufferings from which it is delivered. Thus it is bound to obtain for its benefactors singular graces and blessings.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus, by the merits of the Sorrows of Thy Virgin Mother, we implore Thee to release from Purgatory the soul that is dearest to Thee. Vouchsafe to place it today in Heaven, that in union with the Angels and Thy Blessed Mother it may sing Thy praises forever. Amen.
Eleventh Day
St. Francis de Sales tells us: "Devotion to the Poor Souls in Purgatory contains in itself all the works of mercy, which, supernaturalized by a spirit of faith, will assist us mightily in meriting Heaven."
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, deliver the souls of the faithful departed from the flames of Hell, and let Thine Angels bring them into the holy light. We offer Thee, O Lord, our sacrifices of prayer and praise; accept them in behalf of all the Poor Souls in Purgatory, that they may pass from death to life everlasting with Thee in Heaven. Amen.
Twelfth Day
Despite the sorrowful farewells and vows of undying remembrance, the dead are all too soon universally forgotten. "Forgotten is all my life, which never a word recalls; forgotten is my name, which no one utters; forgotten is my tomb, which no one visits; forgotten is my death, which no one mourns." How swiftly the memory of the dead seems to pass from human minds, even those who are most dear to us in life. Like the tears falling upon the coffin, our fond memories swiftly evaporate. The rush of the days fills the minds and hands of the living. The distractions of our life and work, and the encountering of new friends helps to banish to the dusty corners of our minds the friends now hidden in God's Penitentiary.
But these suffering prisoners do not forget us.
In the slow, painful passage of the days they have time to remember. Their longing for God is so intense that they have little heart for new distractions and companions, as we do. They are made sensitive-as pain always makes us sensitive-to memory, to neglect, to hope for deliverance, to the knowledge that those who once cried aloud their love, have so swiftly forgotten them.
With gratitude, they think of those who do remember. With sadness they regard those who have so swiftly deserted them.
They pray to God, Who loves them tenderly, even in their exile, and Who listens attentively to their holy supplications. They pray for all those who alleviate their sufferings through prayer and sacrifice. They beg that those who have forsaken them for the sake of earthly attachments, will relent, and offer for them a thought, a prayer, or a good deed as a ransom for their sins.
Remembering our own dear dead, we humbly pray for them:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, have compassion on Thy Church suffering. Vouchsafe to temper Thy justice with mercy, and open the gates of Heaven for the Poor Souls in Purgatory, that they may praise and glorify Thee forever. Amen.
Thirteenth Day
St. Ambrose tells us: "All that we give through charity toward the Poor Souls in Purgatory is changed into grace for us, and after our death, we shall find the merit of this heavenly coin will have increased a hundredfold."
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, grant soon to the souls of the faithful departed the full remission of their sins. Be mindful, most merciful Savior, of that soul in Purgatory who was most devoted to Thee in the Holy Eucharist. Hasten the moment of his deliverance, that he may glorify Thee in Heaven, and intercede for me in my journey toward eternity. Amen.
Fourteenth Day
Prayers for the faithful departed are greatly acceptable to God, for the suffering souls are in the most dire need of relief, and yet cannot help themselves.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, we implore Thee to shower down upon us Thy Divine graces and blessings. Unite our wills to Thine, that our prayers may be more acceptable to Thee, and thus more beneficial to the Poor Souls in Purgatory, who cry out, "Have pity on me, have pity on me, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me." Amen.
Fifteenth Day
They are not strangers who implore our help--they are our own; our parents, brothers, and friends. They are the devoted hearts who loved us so tenderly, and for us so earnestly toiled and suffered. Now that they are gone from our midst, does not our heart reproach us for not having sufficiently shown our affection in the past?
Yet, the Poor Souls in Purgatory are the friends of God. These are the souls who will be, in a short time, glorious and powerful Saints in Heaven. They have saved their immortal souls; their crowns await them. Their thrones are prepared, and their mansions are ready. The good God loves them tenderly, as He loves all those faithful sons and daughters who fought the good fight, who have finished the course, who have kept the Faith.
The prayers offered for others by these cherished souls go directly to His Eternal Throne. They can no longer pray for themselves; their time to merit is over. But they can and do pray for their friends and loved ones on earth.
There is a loving mother in Purgatory, who is interceding for her children, some of whom, perhaps, have forgotten her.... There is a devoted father who is now even more devoted to his family, and pleads for their spiritual and temporal welfare.… There are relatives in Purgatory, now bound to us with ties much closer than blood.... There are friends who have not forgotten the value of friendship, and seek to obtain the mercy of God for those they love. Death cannot destroy the affection our loved ones bore for us in life; that affection is now sweeter, purer, and more constant. United with God in Heaven, or offering atonement to Him in Purgatory, they love us with a deeper, everlasting love.
But most of all, the Poor Souls pray for their benefactors, those few who do not desert them in their exile. The slightest remembrance which we offer for them, wins for us a great measure of intercession from their ardent charity. Our prayers are perhaps thoughtlessly said, but our friends in Purgatory pray with the burning intensity of souls who are advancing ever closer to the possession of God. For every time we ask their deliverance and relief, they beseech God for a thousand blessings for us. In sheer spiritual wisdom, and to our own eternal advantage, let us humbly pray:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, mercifully hearken to the voice of the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Vouchsafe in Thy goodness to grant unto them remission of their sins because of the burning love which they bear to Thee, and deign to bring them with Thee to Heaven, that they may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.
Sixteenth Day
St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:13-15), tells us: "Every man's work shall be manifest, for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If a man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he shall be saved, yet so as by fire."
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus, have mercy upon the souls in Purgatory who suffer because of some slight human frailty. Vouchsafe to deliver them from their agonies, that they may forevermore praise and glorify Thee in Heaven. Amen.
Seventeenth Day
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." When we stand before God in the hour of judgment, if we have shown ourselves merciful and compassionate toward the Poor Souls in their hour of need, we will then rejoice in the presence of those Holy Souls, who will gather about His throne to plead our cause.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus Christ, mercifully relieve the sufferings of Thy departed servants, that they may not languish in Purgatory because of our neglect and thoughtlessness. Vouchsafe to hasten their deliverance from their pains, that they may praise Thee forever in Heaven, and intercede for us when the hour of death draws near. Amen.
Eighteenth Day
Our souls yearn for God with far greater intensity than ever a starving body hungers for food. Yet, here in this world, we are often distracted from that Divine invitation by the pressures of daily life.
But in Purgatory there are no distractions.
Their eyes fixed on the closed gates of Heaven, the Poor Souls long for God, yearn for God, hunger and thirst for God.
The terms of their sentence still ring in their ears: "Thus and thus long shall you remain separated from your joy, until these sins, and these misdeeds, and these blemishes and these stains have been atoned for."
Balanced against their consuming hunger for God is their certainty that they would not dare enter into His Presence with the slightest stain upon them. They almost wish that the fires burned more fiercely, so that the pain could be more intense and more cleansing. Thus do they aspire to don the wedding garment of Heaven.
Imagine, then, their gratitude for every prayer or good deed by which we help them to cleanse their souls and hasten their pilgrimage to their eternal Home.
Imagine the leaping joy with which they welcome any and every prayer and sacrifice by which we curtail their sufferings, shorten their sentence in Purgatory, and hasten their entrance into Heaven.
At this very moment, we can give unutterable joy to these Poor Souls as we humbly pray:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Mother of Mercy, thy power is so great that thy Divine Son can refuse thee nothing. Implore Him, therefore, to soon release from the pains of Purgatory, our parents, friends, and benefactors, that they may join the heavenly chorus in praising Him, and in interceding for us. Amen.
Nineteenth Day
"We have loved her during life, let us not abandon her until we have conducted her by our prayers into the House of the Lord." --St. Ambrose
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O Lord Jesus, graciously hear the pleas of the Poor Souls. By the merits of Thy Passion and Death, hasten to release them from their expiatory pains in Purgatory, particularly the soul most devoted to Thy Virgin Mother, that he may evermore praise Thee in Heaven, and intercede for me. Amen.
Twentieth Day
What food would be to the man starving of hunger.
What drink would be to the parched sailor, drifting the seas on a raft.
What light would be to the man long blind.
What restored health would be to the bed-ridden patient.
What freedom would be to the prisoner of many years.
All this, and far, far more is release from Purgatory to a poor soul. And when food, the quenching of terrible thirst, light, health, and freedom come suddenly, unexpectedly, the human heart leaps and bounds, and the soul knows the sharp ecstasy of joy.
So it is with each prayer that we say for our suffering brethren in Purgatory. Our prayer for them is like food and water, light and health; it is a consoling reprieve and release. It is the cutting of bonds, the lessening of weary waiting, the hastening of the end of exile. It is a sudden and glorious liberation that raises them up, and impels them even more urgently toward the center of their joy, God Himself.
For us, that prayer may almost seem to be an insignificant gesture, a routine act of charity... a silent prayer, an alms, a bit of fasting, a good deed done... almost forgotten in the doing. But for our dearly departed friends, it is something beyond price and measure, a gift for which they can repay us only in the immortal coin of eternity.
Such a gift we offer them now as we humbly pray:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, by the merits of Thy five holy wounds, hear our prayers in behalf of the faithful departed, now awaiting Thy word in Purgatory. Grant, O Lord, to show particular mercy to the soul that did most to propagate the devotion to Thy Sacred Heart while on earth. Vouchsafe to hasten his journey to Heaven, that he may join Thy Angels in praising Thee forever. Amen.
Twenty-first Day
To find ourselves forgotten on earth by those whom we love, and who have loved us, is a cruel trial--but to find ourselves in Purgatory--forgotten by all whom we loved and helped on earth, must be a far more painful sorrow.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
O my God, infinitely just, hear our prayers in reparation for the souls suffering in Purgatory for want of charity. Mercifully deign to alleviate their pains that they may evermore praise Thee, and intercede at Thy Judgment Seat for us at the hour of our death. Amen.
Twenty-second Day
Let us never cease our prayers for the faithful departed. St. Francis de Sales often said: "I fear the good opinion which my friends have formed of me: they will believe me in Heaven, and leave me to suffer in Purgatory."
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, have mercy upon the souls in Purgatory. For us, Thou didst become Man, and suffer Thy bitter Passion and ignominious Death. By the merits of Thy Agony and Crucifixion, mercifully release the faithful departed from their pains, that they may enjoy everlasting bliss in Heaven. Amen.
Twenty-third Day
When, by our prayers, we assist in the release of a soul from Purgatory, we have not only won his gratitude, but the gratitude of his Guardian Angel, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom his soul was consecrated, and of God Himself, Who is enabled, through our act of charity, to sooner shower His blessings upon it.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most beloved Jesus, if I could but say, "There is a soul in Heaven at this time that owes to me its release from Purgatory, a soul that speaks to God of me, that glorifies God for me, that loves Thy Blessed Mother for me. If it were thus, how happy I should be." Mercifully deign to release from the pains of Purgatory that soul who was careless and hurried in prayer. Take him to the joys of Heaven, that he may evermore praise Thee, and intercede for me in my hour of need. Amen.
Twenty-fourth Day
If we help to deliver a soul from Purgatory by our prayers and sacrifices, what a joy it is to be able to say to oneself: "There is a Holy Soul who truly loves God for me, and in my name." We create protectors in all the souls for whom we pray, even though we have not yet obtained their deliverance.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, Whose loving Heart was ever burdened with the sorrows of others, look down with pity on the souls of our beloved ones in Purgatory. Hear their cries, and grant that they may soon enjoy everlasting rest with Thee in Heaven. Amen.
Twenty-fifth Day
One of the saddest facts of life is that the living so soon forget the dead. We forget when we live: we are forgotten when we die. St. Monica, on her deathbed, pleaded with her son, St. Augustine: "Lay my body anywhere, only this I beg of you: remember me at the Altar of God."
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, Lover of souls, we pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, cleanse with Thy Blood the souls in Purgatory. Graciously deign to deliver them from their pains, that they may join the heavenly chorus in praising Thee, and interceding for us in the hour of need. Amen.
Twenty-sixth Day
It costs us very little to help the faithful departed. We are obliged to pray, to assist at Mass, to receive the Sacraments, to give alms, and to fast on the days appointed. If we are in the state of grace and offer these works for the Poor Souls, they are acceptable to God and will hasten the end of their painful exile.
Finally, the inexpressibly joyful day of their deliverance comes. Perhaps for souls whose friends on earth forgot about them, and for whom, because of valid reasons, God showed no special consideration, that release comes only at the end of long and bitter centuries. But perhaps it comes far sooner than they have dared to hope. Their friends have remembered them. Prayers have poured in upon them. God has accepted these in part--or in full--payment of their debt.
But sooner or later, their liberation is at hand, the sentence is finished, and the grim gates of Purgatory swing open. Ahead are the white and shining portals of the Eternal City.
More swiftly than a beam of light, the blessed soul sweeps upward toward God. No power on earth can equal the vehement intensity of this final flight of a soul from exile to the happiness for which God destined it from all eternity.
Then, in the awesome Presence of God, there is the moment of triumph, the embrace of the Eternal Father, the entrance into the heavenly mansion... the enthronement of another Saint. At that moment, there shall begin for that Holy Soul, an eternity of bliss and incomparable happiness that shall be without flaw, never to be marred by uncertainty or disillusionment. Then, the soul shall possess God for all eternity.
We can have a truly enviable part in that wonderful moment, if only we would more fervently pray:
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, deign to hasten the release of the Poor Souls in Purgatory from the punishments due to their sins, especially the soul suffering there through my bad example. If it is in accord with Thy holy Will, take him today to Thy Heavenly Throne, that he may join the Saints in praise of Thee, and to intercede for me in my hour of need. Amen.
Twenty-seventh Day
Every morning let us commend the faithful departed to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Poor Souls in Purgatory. As her slaves of love, let us then strive to accept without a murmur of complaint whatever crosses and contradictions that God sends to us. We must also faithfully offer through her all of our prayers and good works. Thus, we will enable this gracious Queen to magnify the effect of our humble offerings in behalf of the Poor Souls suffering in Purgatory.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, by the merits of Thy Holy Childhood, hasten to deliver from the pains of Purgatory the souls suffering there, particularly the soul longest in paying the debt exacted for his earthly transgressions. Graciously take him today to Paradise that he may join the heavenly choir in praising Thee, and will intercede for me in the hour of need. Amen.
Twenty-eighth Day
In Purgatory, the just and loving soul loses sight of everything but the purity of God, which it loves, and the necessity of making itself worthy of this purity. This suffering is so intense because it is uncertain of the length of its exile from the sight of the most high God.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, hear our prayers in behalf of the souls suffering in Purgatory, particularly those paying the debt exacted for pride. We humbly implore Thee to hasten their release from pain, that they may evermore glorify Thee in Heaven, and intercede for us in the hour of need. Amen.
Twenty-ninth Day
We must never cease to interest ourselves in the welfare of the Poor Souls in Purgatory. The honor and glory of God and our own salvation is bound up in this important work of mercy. Let us remember that prayers offered for the intentions of the Poor Souls in Purgatory, are the petitions of a child beseeching the Heavenly Father to be merciful to those whom He loves. Could such a prayer, humbly offered from our heart, fail to touch the Heart of the good God?
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most merciful Jesus, by Thy Nativity and Holy Childhood, hasten to deliver from Purgatory the Poor Souls confined there, particularly the soul of the youngest to incur Thy displeasure, because of youthful carelessness. Graciously take him today to Thy Heavenly Throne, that he may evermore praise and glorify Thee, and will intercede for me in the hour of need. Amen.
Thirtieth Day
The unspeakable joy of the souls in Heaven does not cause them to forget. On the contrary, their supreme happiness makes them more alive to the memories of those they have left on earth.
The soul that has entered into bliss does not, even for a second, forget the generous friends who have succored him in his exile, and have aided him to attain to the possession of God and celestial glory.
Now a Saint in Heaven, he uses to the full his power of intercession. He prays God to be merciful and generous to those who were merciful and generous to him. By name he mentions to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to Mary, the Immaculate Queen of the Universe, those who mentioned his name when he was helpless to help himself. He lays the supplications of his friends before the Throne of the Most High God.
He becomes, in effect, a mighty benefactor, persuasively beseeching God to extend mercy, and to grant special graces and favors to those who remembered him in Purgatory.
The blessed soul prays with the fervor of new-found joy that their passage through life will be safe, their stay in Purgatory brief, and their entrance into Heaven swift and triumphant. He prays that those whom he has left on earth, may one day also behold the Beatific Vision, and see God face to face throughout the endlessness of Eternity. Let us fervently join with them in that prayer, that we may be happily reunited with them, in the unending bliss of our heavenly fatherland.
Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
Most gentle Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor, captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed. Be not severe in Thy judgments, but let some drops of Thy Most Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames, and do Thou, O merciful Savior, send Thy Angels to conduct them into a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.
Crucified Lord Jesus, have mercy on us! And help the suffering souls in Purgatory.
De Profundis -- Psalm 129
Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
For there is forgiveness with Thee: because of Thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
O Lord, grant them eternal rest,
And let the everlasting light shine upon them.
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Prayer for Mercy for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
Daily throughout November
Have mercy, O gentle Jesus! on the souls detained in Purgatory. Thou Who for their ransom didst take upon Thyself our human nature and suffer the most cruel death, pity their sighs and the tears shed when they raise their longing eyes toward Thee; and by virtue of Thy Passion, alleviate the penalty due to their sins. May Thy Blood, O tender Jesus, Thy Precious Blood, descend into Purgatory to solace and refresh those who there languish in captivity. Reach forth Thy hand to them, and lead them into the realms of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.
Divine Heart of Jesus, convert sinners, save the dying,
set free the Poor Souls in Purgatory.
Prayer to Our Lady of Heede,
Queen of the Poor Souls in Purgatory
Daily throughout November
Dear Lady of Heede, Queen of the Poor Souls in Purgatory, hear thou our fervent pleas for the relief of those suffering souls. As thou art truly the loving Mother of Mercy, let the graces of thy Immaculate Heart pierce that dark prison of purification and fall as a refreshing dew upon those languishing there. And do thou, dearest Advocate, implore thy Divine Son to allow the infinite merits of His Precious Blood to penetrate the darkness as a ray of hope and light upon the Poor Souls, especially those enrolled in the Purgatorian League, and the souls of (insert names), through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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