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

  • Tenth Day

    The two paths that lead to Purgatory

    –  The path of mortal sin –

    By its nature, mortal sin leads much further than Purgatory: it casts one into the pits of Hell. Souls, which are permeated with sin plunge into the depths of Hell. They cannot stand the light of God, which appears to them at the time of their death. But if the sinner repents and confesses, the grace of God descends upon him through sacramental grace. What happens then? The sins are forgiven, the friendship with God restored and all that remains is the hurt we have inflicted on God, which we must expiate: either in this world through penance, prayers, holy Mass, or in the next through the torments of Purgatory. After many years of separation, what a terrible and long purification awaits that soul! What enormous debt will have to be expiated! It is true that sacramental penance reduces our debt but it is so seldom done and with so little fervour!

    It is true that mortification and indulgences can preserve us and deliver us from Purgatory, but so few Christians make mortifications and fast! Those who are the guiltiest are the ones who make the least penance!

    How many do not have sufficient contrition to earn indulgences! How few are able to avoid that terrible purification! So many sins and so little atonement! 

    If our past life has been tarnished by grave sins, that consideration must make us ponder and awaken in us the desire for penance. It must also lead us to pray for the souls in most need of God’s mercy. Oh my God! Fill my spirit with a holy fear of your terrible Judgement!

    – The path of venial sin –

    Do you do penance? Christians, if you are innocent and have conserved the purity of your baptism, as did St. Louis, how numerous are the venial sins, which make you indebted towards God! Truly, those sins are innumerable. Your life may well be strewn with venial sins such as useless thoughts, careless words, vanities, wasted time, and judgemental comments. Do you not offend God at times, with the pretext that your faults are slight? Are you not often guilty of certain venial faults which are near to being mortal? Do you do penance regularly? If your life is full of debts and you make little retribution, you are obviously on the path that leads directly to Purgatory. How many days, months, years will you have to suffer in that terrible place of atonement! How long and painful will your Purgatory be! Think about it and say, I want to settle my debts towards God. I want to take the little time that is left to me through his Divine Mercy to satisfy his Justice; I want to settle the debts that are so easily acquitted with a little love and charity. Oh souls in Purgatory come to my aid. Pray that God gives me a spirit of penance and I will pray for your relief and your consolation.

    – Example –

    In 1848 there lived in London a 29 year-old widow, quite rich and very worldly. Among the regular guests in her home was a young lord of questionable conduct.

    Late one night, this young widow was in bed reading a book when suddenly, a bright light started to fill her room with growing intensity. Astonished and quite worried, she saw the door to her room slowly open. The young lord who had been her accomplice in revelry stood there, all in flames. Before she could utter a word, he grabbed her wrist and shouted, there truly is a Hell where one burns! Know this for certain!

    The searing pain in her wrist caused the young widow to pass out. When she came to about thirty minutes later, she called for her chambermaid. Upon entering the room, the servant could smell the strong odour of burned flesh. She noticed the burn on her mistress’ wrist, which was seared down to the bone. The wound had the distinct print of a man’s hand.

    She also noticed that the carpet showed the imprint of a man’s foot from the doorway to the bed and that those footprints had burned the carpet. The next day, the widow learned that the young lord had died that very night…

    Let Us Pray

    My God, how many faults do I allow myself to make every day without the slightest regret as if they were of no importance! If I considered the debt I will one day have to acquit, how much more vigilant I would be. Please strengthen my weaknesses and reanimate my failing courage. Please have mercy on my brethren of the triumphant Church! 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.