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

  • Twenty-Fifth Day

    Sixth means of relieving the souls in Purgatory: The Way of the Cross

    – It is the Way to Heaven for the living –

    This devotion, so great for the memories it awakens, so precious for the advantages it procures, is the most efficient means of conquering our passions and is the surest way of arriving at the summit of perfection. With every step of the Way of the Cross we understand what caused Jesus so much pain. We must fear sinning again in order so as not to renew the suffering of His Passion. To be more like Him, we must seek the spirit of sacrifice and penance, have zeal for the salvation of souls, love humility and poverty, pardon injuries, be patient in trials and renounce worldly attachments.

    St. Bonaventure said that if we wanted to grow in faith, to attract all graces and to become similar not only to Angels but to the Son of God, we must often make the Way of the Cross. We will thus take the royal way that leads to Paradise.

    There is no more sure method of growing in virtue and of imitating the Divine Example who ascended the road to Calvary. Make the Way of the Cross often, as did Our Lady, the first disciples and Saints. Every time you do, you will feel better, more Christian, nearer to Heaven and to the Heart of Jesus.

    – It is the Way of Heaven for the dead. –

    The Way of the Cross is also a salvific practice for our dear departed. By following Jesus on the road to Calvary, we gather each drop of His Precious Blood, every merit of His painful Martyrdom and we offer them to the Divine Justice of God in atonement for the debts owed by souls in Purgatory; it is a breath of joy, a relief. The Way of the Cross is especially salvific for the dead because of the precious indulgences which are attached to it and which are applicable to them. They are so numerous that we cannot number them as teaches St. Benedict. All we need is to be in a state of grace. We can do this exercise many times a day.

    If you wish to comfort and deliver many souls from Purgatory, practice this devotion for them. You will find along this painful road, consecrated by the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the consolation which your heart needs to endure the loss of loved ones and the means of leading them on the road to Heaven. What a treasure for you and for the deceased you cherish! Make a commitment today to make the Way of the Cross weekly, especially on Fridays, a memorable day, which speaks so well of our gratitude.

    – Example –

    A parish retreat was being held in a small church where large crowds came to hear the Word of God and to beg His forgiveness. Three men however, refused stubbornly to attend the event. They had sworn never to set foot in a church and especially never to go to confession. One wife went to speak with one of the missionaries.

    Do you have children? asked the man of God.

    I have two young children, she answered.

    Then bring them to the church and make a Way of the Cross with them and offer it for those souls in Purgatory who are in most need of mercy. Ask for your husband’s conversion through the intercession of the souls you will have comforted and I assure you that your prayer will be answered. Experience has taught me two things: that the Way of the Cross is the most efficient means of relieving the suffering of departed loved ones and of obtaining through their intercession, the very help that we seek.

    Every day, at noon, the wife came and knelt at the foot of the tabernacle with her two children with whom she made a Way of the Cross. At every station, the children repeated from the depths of their heart, Oh Jesus! Give rest to the dead and convert our father. The last night of the retreat the sinner came and knelt at the feet of the missionary and begged him to hear his confession. The next morning he knelt at the altar next to his wife and received Holy Communion. After Mass was over, he hugged his wife and blessed his children.

    Oh precious Way of the Cross! Useful to all, but especially sinners and to the suffering souls in Purgatory!

    Let Us Pray

    Oh Mary, Mother of Sorrows! You who have so often meditated on your Divine Son’s Passion, you who were the first to walk that hill consecrated by His Passion, teach us to meditate and to practice like you this holy and salvific devotion. Grant that we find in it the graces of conversion for sinners, of perseverance for the just and of consolation for the souls in Purgatory. Sweet Jesus, grant those blessed souls eternal rest!

    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.