A MONTH WITH OUR FRIENDS, THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

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

Eleventh Day

Holiness of the souls in Purgatory

St. Catherine of Genoa told us, Every soul, the moment it is in Purgatory is elevated to a degree of perfection and Divine union which could serve as a model for the most holy person here on earth. There are in Purgatory a multitude of predestined souls who have triumphed over their passions, who have conquered the world and the devil, who have practiced the most heroic virtues and have come out of that place of exile full of merit. They would shine like the brightest stars if their dress of innocence had not been soiled by the smallest of imperfections. The least of these souls is countless times more precious than the whole of our physical universe. They love God completely. That love makes them love their suffering and the Justice, which keeps them in that place of purification. Should we open for them the gates of Heaven, they would chose to remain where they are rather than to enter into eternal glory with the slightest imperfection. They cannot thank their Beloved enough for having prepared for them a place of atonement which allows them to acquire that gleaming purity which is worthy of their Heavenly Spouse. Like Job, amidst terrible affliction, they continually cry out, Blessed be the name of Jesus! Let us therefore be compassionate towards those holy souls, for more than ever they need our assistance. One day, the roles will be reversed: they will become our benefactors in Heaven, our mediators with God. They will then joyfully repay what we had done for them during their affliction.

– They are loved by God –

An author once said, If God loves us poor mortal sinners, so imperfect, so devoid of virtue, how much more will he love the souls in Purgatory, they who are his forever and in whom He sees the glory of his chosen? They are infinitely more dear to him. They are his brides, his dear children and the inheritors of his glory, called to praise him in Heaven for all eternity. All are living stones destined for the eternal Church of the New Jerusalem and which the chisel of the Divine Sculptor prepares and polishes before setting them in the place He has prepared for them, since the beginning of time. He loves them tenderly. He contemplates them lovingly. He desires to be united with them. His paternal Heart suffers because of their sad exile, but his Justice keeps them in their prison until they have acquitted the smallest debt. Also, what a joy it is for that tender and loving Father if a friend, a mediator, intervened between the chastisement and the fault to disarm his severity and to reconcile Him with his love child! How many reasons for loving those blessed souls and to exercise a great deal of charity towards them! They are so worthy of our affection! When we have compassion for the poor of this world, we have no idea if he or she deserves it, if he or she is guilty or ungrateful. But with the souls of the deceased, we can be certain that they deserve it. The soil into which we sow is invariably fertile: for each grain we plant, Heaven will reap a fruit and for us, a blessing

– Example –

In a vision, St. Gertrude saw the soul of a nun she had known who had lived a life of great virtue. She stood before our Lord, dressed in a robe marked by signs of her great charities but unable to gaze at the face of our adorable Saviour. She continued to stare at her feet with the look of a criminal, denoting by such a gesture the need to withdraw from the Divine Master. Stunned, St. Gertrude wished to know the reason for such behaviour, God of mercy, why do you not accept this sister of mine who did so much good in her lifetime? Our Lord stretched out his arms as though to greet this unfortunate soul but the latter went away from Him with deep humility. More and more surprised, St. Gertrude asked the soul of her friend why she was fleeing the embrace of such a tender spouse, Because I am not yet cleansed of every stain left on my soul by my sins. Even were God to allow me as I am to enter his Kingdom, I would not accept because as brilliant as I might seem in his eyes, I know that I am not yet a spouse worthy of my Saviour.

Thus, those holy souls endure their suffering in perfect resignation. They are so transformed in God that they would not want to abstain from the slightest portion of their torment. They accept them with a joy, which grows more and more as they near their liberation. How worthy they are of our love, our sympathy, of all our charity!

Let Us Pray

Oh God, You forgive sinners and You want the salvation of all mankind! Look favourably on the souls in Purgatory. They are your spouses, your children of predilection. They have loved You tenderly and served You courageously. Show them your divine Face. Oh Jesus, be their Conciliator! Lord, call your children, our brothers and sisters, to the eternal Kingdom and may the light that never dies shine upon them forever! 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.