Introductory Prayer

Let us pray.

Lord, hear the prayers we will offer up to you every day of this month for the consolation of our deceased brothers and sisters and grant them a place of refreshing light and peace! Hear also the prayers which those souls will offer up to you for our intention that we might ultimately obtain, through their intercession, the graces for which we pray.

Daily Readings and Meditations

  • Sixteenth Day

    First reason for bringing relief to the Souls in Purgatory

    – This devotion glorifies God –

    Our first motivation for hastening by every possible means the relief of those holy souls is the glory, which it gives God. Truly, nothing glorifies the Almighty, praises His holy Name, dilates his paternal Heart or contributes to the compliance of his adorable Will than the relief of the dead. Understand that by opening the gates of Heaven for those souls, we are giving God voices that will sing his praise, hearts that will love him and bless him. We are giving him souls that will consume themselves at the foot of his eternal throne in an ardour of love so pure, so perfect and so grand that it is beyond the possibility of our comprehension in our place of exile. St. Augustine tells us that There is nothing more agreeable to God than the relief and deliverance of the faithful departed. Doudaloue would add, It is a more beautiful and greater apostolic action than the very conversion of sinners and pagans.

    Let us hasten to satisfy the right of the Divine Justice to procure that glorification. Those souls will do everything for us once they are in Heaven and will do it much more intensely than we could ever do. They will be pure angelic voices who will sing our anthem, which we cannot sing in a strange land. It is by their songs of triumph that we will glorify our God of all glory and Majesty. Remember that God, who has promised not to forget even a glass of water given in his name will pour his graces on those who strive to grant him souls who love him so tenderly.

    – The joy of the saints –

    Let us remember that by liberating those souls through our acts of love, not only do we glorify God, but we also bring great joy to all of Heaven. The entry of a new saint into his beautiful homeland is cause for a family celebration which includes all the heavenly inhabitants, each greeting and congratulating him or her with fraternal joy. Mary, Mother of Mercy, Comforter of the suffering Church, moved with holy joy, joins Jesus in laying a crown of glory and immortality on the head of the victor. His Guardian Angel and his patron Saint greet him or her with ineffable joy and praise him for his deliverance and happiness. The whole Celestial Court, which rejoices over the conversion of a single soul, rejoices even more at the elevation of an elected soul. It sings new hymns of praise to the glory of the Divine Lamb whose grace, victorious over human weakness, elevates the sons of Adam on the thrones of the fallen angels. Let us give priority to the devotion so agreeable to God and all his friends.

    Let us heed not the cries of the souls in Purgatory but rather the pressing invitations of Jesus Christ, the Holy Virgin and all the Saints who beg us to liberate our brethren to the City of Eternal Joy. Let us give those orphans to their Father who is in Heaven. One day soon, we will join them and share in their felicity.

    – Example –

    In the Book of Daniel, we read that Darius, King of Persia, had proclaimed a law that if broken would lead to the accused being thrown to the lions. The Prophet Daniel, unable to abide by that pagan law was accused of violating the royal will. The king, who loved Daniel, was devastated to learn of his arrest but rather than circumvent his own law, he allowed Daniel to be cast into the lion’s den. Yet as he was being led away, Darius told Daniel, Servant of God, go in peace! What I cannot do without offending my justice, I sincerely believe that the God whom you love will grant and He will deliver you through his Mercy.

    God did, in fact, deliver Daniel miraculously. He sealed the mouths of the lions and these became his guardians rather than his executioners. He then sent Angels to feed him. In this we can understand what happens to souls in Purgatory. Seeing them stained with sin and indebted to his Divine Justice, God cannot admit them into His Kingdom. He must leave them in the prison of Purgatory where He tells them, Go in faith, for what I cannot do because of my Justice, you Christian soul, ministers of my Mercy will become the liberators of Purgatory as Moses was the liberator of my people in Egypt. It is up to you to bring solace and to deliver these poor prisoners; it is you who must bring them the spiritual nourishment they await with impatience. What a noble and holy mission!

    Let Us Pray

    Oh God of infinite love, I beg you to forget the right of your Justice and to remember only your Mercy; extend it to those suffering souls who are so dear to you. Open your paternal arms to them and allow them to glorify you through thanksgiving and eternal praise. Holy Mary and all Saints in Heaven, intercede for them. Oh Jesus, be their Conciliator! Show them your Face in the celestial Jerusalem! May they rest in peace!

    Let Us Pray

    Lord, hear the prayers we will offer up to you every day of this month for the consolation of our deceased brothers and sisters and grant them a place of refreshing light and peace! Hear also the prayers which those souls will offer up to you for our intention that we might ultimately obtain, through their intercession, the graces for which we pray for. 

Prayers

Decade of the Rosary for the Deceased

– The Our Father

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

– x10 Hail Marys

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

– Glory Be

Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Litany for the Faithful Departed

Lord have mercy.
Jesus Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Jesus Christ, hear us.
Father in Heaven, God Almighty,
have mercy on the faithful departed.
Son of God, Redeemer of the world, Almighty,
have mercy on the faithful departed.
Holy Spirit, Bread of life, Almighty God,
have mercy on the faithful departed.
Holy Trinity, the One True God,
have mercy on the faithful departed.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for the faithful departed.
St. Michael the Archangel,
pray for the faithful departed.
My Holy Angel and Angels of the faithful departed,
pray for the faithful departed.
Community of Blessed Spirits,
pray for the faithful departed.
St. Joseph and St. John the Baptist,
pray for the faithful departed.
Holy Patriarchs and Prophets,
pray for the faithful departed.
Holy Apostles and Evangelists,
pray for the faithful departed.
St. Stephen and St. Lawrence,
pray for the faithful departed.
Holy Martyrs,
pray for the faithful departed.
St. Gregory and St. Augustine,
pray for the faithful departed.
Holy Doctors, Popes, and Confessors,
pray for the faithful departed.
St. Ann and St. Mary Magdalene,
pray for the faithful departed.
St. Catherine, St. Ursula, and her companions,
pray for the faithful departed.
Holy Virgins and Widows,
pray for the faithful departed.
Holy Saints of God,
pray for the faithful departed.
Be their Conciliator
Lord, and forgive them.
Be their Conciliator
Lord, and save us.
By your holy and tender Name Lord,
have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
By Your great Mercy Lord,
have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
By Your bitter Passion and Your Sacred Wounds Lord,
have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
By Your Precious Blood and by Your Death Lord,
have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
We are poor sinners Lord,
hear our prayer.
Have mercy on all the faithful departed Lord,
hear our prayer.
Remit the sentence incurred by their sins Lord,
hear our prayer.
Take them to Your peace and eternal rest Lord,
hear our prayer.
Grant them Your paternal inheritance Lord,
hear our prayer.
Invite them to come and contemplate Your Divine Beauty Lord,
hear our prayer.
Fill them with Your unlimited bounty Lord,
hear our prayer.
Fulfill their total desire for salvation Lord,
hear our prayer.
Give eternal rest, especially to the souls of our relatives, friends and benefactors Lord,
hear our prayer.
Have mercy on the soul for whom no one prays Lord,
hear our prayer.
May the offering of the Holy Mass and Holy Communion be beneficial to them Lord,
hear our prayer.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,
forgive them.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, Sweet Jesus, 
hear them.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, 
grant them eternal rest.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Salve Regina

Hail holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, hail our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry poor banished children of Eve. To thee we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate thine eyes of mercy towards us, and, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory

Lord Jesus, have mercy on the souls detained in Purgatory. It was for their salvation that you took on our human nature and suffered a most painful death. Have mercy on their burning desire to see you, have mercy on their tears of repentance. Through the merits of your Passion remit the sentence they incurred by their sins. Dear, loving Jesus, may your Blood descend on those dear souls! May it shorten their time of atonement and may they soon be called to eternal happiness in your presence! Amen.

De Profundis

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord hear my voice! O Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading. If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness: For this I revere you. My soul is waiting for the Lord more than a watchman for daybreak. Let the watchman count on daybreak and Israel on the Lord. Israel indeed will he redeem from all its iniquity. Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.