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-Second Day

    Third means of comforting the souls in Purgatory: Holy Communion

    – Sacramental communion –

    When we have the joy of receiving communion, we become united to Jesus Christ in a manner so intimate that like the apostle, we can cry out, It is no longer I who live but Jesus Christ who lives in me. Our flesh becomes his flesh. His Heart makes ours beat. His Blood flows in our veins, his Divinity dwells in us. He looks through our eyes, He dilates our heart. In that happy moment, envied by Angels, even without words it is easy for us to speak to God, to tell him with even more confidence than the prophet. O God, Protector of the afflicted, look down on me. You will see the face of your Christ; it is no longer I who speak and who pray, it is Jesus, your own Son, who speaks and prays through me; it is He who is asking for my mother’s liberation, the liberation of the poor abandoned souls. I am certain, O merciful Father, that you will not reject these just supplications, because the face, the prayers, the tears, the blood of Jesus Christ, have an allpowerful voice that appeases your Justice and obtains forgiveness!

    Let us often receive communion for those souls we love and who no longer share the joy of participating in the Eucharistic Banquet. How ardently they await a refreshing and liberating mist that only Christ’s Blood can give. Soon will begin for them the eternal communion and they will go and contemplate the Saviour, the Bread of Life. They will adore Him and bless Him and will sing His praise forever

    – Spiritual communion –

    If you cannot receive sacramental communion, that is to receive the Body and Blood of Christ during holy Mass, you can at least receive spiritual communion.

    This consists in having an ardent desire of uniting oneself to the Divine Saviour and of receiving his Spirit and his Graces. It is such a salvific practice for the living and the dead that St. Liguori went so far as to say that we obtain as much and even more grace from this practice than if we received sacramental communion with indifference. It also has the advantage of being available to us every day, no matter the hour, no matter the place, be it profane or sacred.

    It is a simple, easy and powerful means for us to bring relief to the deceased.

    Make this spiritual communion every time you visit the Blessed Sacrament.

    Here is the formula you can use:

    My Jesus! I believe that You are present; I love You. I desire to receive You in heart and spirit, and I await the moment when I will be able to receive You in the Eucharist. Bless me Lord and bless those poor suffering souls in Purgatory. Yes Lord, call your childen and our brethren to eternal rest and may the light that never dies shine upon them! May they rest in peace!

    – Example –

    Louis de Bois, famous master of the spiritual life and a man of remarkable wisdom, relates the following. A pious servant of God, whom he knew and loved, was visited by a soul from Purgatory and that soul showed him all the torments he had to endure. He was being punished for having received Holy Communion with very little preparation and with indifference. That is why the Book of Wisdom had condemned him to the flames, which devoured him. I am asking you who were my intimate friend and who must still be, to receive Holy Communion in my name and to do so with all the fervour and charity you can. I am sure that that fervent communion will suffice for my liberation and will compensate for my guilty indifferences.

    This servant of God hastened to attend a holy Mass and to receive communion piously for the repose of his friend’s soul. After prayers of thanksgiving, that soul appeared to him once again, bathed in an indescribable light, happy and full of gratitude, Be blessed my best friend, your communion has delivered me and I am about to see my adorable Master face to face.

    Let us remember the advice of St. Bonaventure, May charity lead you to communion often, for there is no more efficient means of obtaining eternal rest for the deceased.

    Let Us Pray

    O my God, Your Justice retains the souls of my loved ones, but You ask that I should eat the Bread of Angels so that You can open the gates of Paradise for them. Be blessed Father of Mercy and I promise that I will endeavour to receive Holy Communion often in favour of those blessed souls in Purgatory. You will then see Your Son Jesus in me and my voice, covered by His, will rise up to You and will more surely obtain the graces I am asking. O Jesus, be their Conciliator. 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.