Prayers in Honor of the Precious Blood for the Holy Souls

 With July, the month of the Precious Blood, drawing near, I thought it would be most fitting to post this wonderful set of prayers.  The following prayers are set up to pray daily for at least a week, honoring the Precious Blood of our Lord, and beseeching Him, through His sufferings, relief for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.  

Prayers in Honor of the Precious Blood 

for the Holy Souls in Purgatory for Each Day of the Week

For Sunday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and amongst them all especially that soul which is most destitute of aid; and bring it to Thy glory, there to praise and bless Thee forever. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Monday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and amongst them all, especially that Soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory; that so, it may soon begin to praise and bless Thee forever. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Tuesday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and in particular, amongst them all, deliver that one which would be the last to issue from those pains, that it tarry not so long a time before it comes to praise Thee in Thy glory and bless Thee forever. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Wednesday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed through the streets of Jerusalem when He carried the crust upon His sacred shoulders, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that Soul which is richest in merits before Thee; that so, on that throne of glory which awaits it, it may magnify Thee and bless Thee forever. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Thursday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Body and Blood of Thy Divine Son Jesus, which He gave with His Own hand upon the eve of His passion to His beloved Apostles to be their meat and drink, and which He left to His whole Church to be a perpetual sacrifice and life-giving food of His Own faithful people, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which was most devoted to this mystery of infinite love; that, with Thy Divine Son, and with Thy Holy Ghost, it may ever praise Thee for this Thy wondrous love in Thy eternal glory. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Friday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son shed on this day, upon the wood of the Cross, from His most sacred hands and feet, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that Soul for which I am most bound to pray; that the blame rest not with me that Thou bringest it not forthwith to praise Thee in Thy glory and to bless Thee forever. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Saturday: Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the side of Thy Divine Son Jesus in the sight and to the extreme pain of His most holy Mother, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that one amongst them all which was ever the most devout to this great Lady; that it may soon attain unto Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, world without end. Amen. ***Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

De Profundis

Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord: O Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication,
If Thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall abide it?
For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness: and because of Thy law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy; and with Him is plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
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.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For All Souls Day

 Many other prayers for the Souls in Purgatory can be found below:

November
Novena to our Guardian Angel for the Poor Souls
Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Novena to our Guardian Angels for the Holy Souls
Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
Prayer of Sacrifice for the Poor Souls
Month of the Holy Souls
Prayer to Our Lady for the Poor Souls

Sung during Masses of the dead and on the Feast of All Souls, "Dies Irae" is a solemn, but beautiful Gregorian chant.  This chant is attributed to a 13th century monk and reflects on the final judgment.  I encourage you to pray/read/chant this hymn today on the Feast of All Souls and throughout November in remembrance of the Poor Souls, but also to aid in contemplating the Last Four Things:  death, judgment, heaven, and hell.  As the chant suggests, final judgment is a serious, somber occasion, but in this moment also lies the hope given to the soul by the death and resurrection of our Lord.

You can find this hymn beautifully chanted by the Monks of the Abbey of Notre Dame.

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Dies Irae DIES irae, dies illa, solvet saeculum in favilla, teste David cum Sibylla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando iudex est venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus! Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulcra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum. Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurget creatura, iudicanti responsura. Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totum continetur, unde mundus iudicetur. Iudex ergo cum sedebit, quidquid latet apparebit: nil inultum remanebit. Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? quem patronum rogaturus? cum vix iustus sit securus. Rex tremendae maiestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis, salva me, fons pietatis. Recordare Iesu pie, quod sum causa tuae viae: ne me perdas illa die. Quaerens me, sedisti lassus: redemisti crucem passus: tantus labor non sit cassus. Iuste iudex ultionis, donum fac remissionis, ante diem rationis. Ingemisco, tamquam reus: culpa rubet vultus meus: supplicanti parce Deus. Qui Mariam absolvisti, et latronem exaudisti, mihi quoque spem dedisti. Preces meae non sunt dignae: sed tu bonus fac benigne, ne perenni cremer igne. Inter oves locum praesta, et ab haedis me sequestra, statuens in parte dextera. Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis. voca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis: gere curam mei finis. Lacrimosa dies illa, qua resurget ex favilla. iudicandus homo reus: huic ergo parce Deus. Pie Iesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Amen.

Day of Wrath Day of wrath and doom impending, David’s word with Sibyl’s blending! Heaven and earth in ashes ending! O what fear man’s bosom rendeth When from heaven the Judge descendeth, On whose sentence all dependeth! Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth, Through earth’s sepulchers it ringeth, All before the throne it bringeth. Death is struck, and nature quaking, All creation is awaking, To its judge an answer making. Lo! the book exactly worded, Wherein all hath been recorded; Thence shall judgment be awarded. When the Judge His seat attaineth, And each hidden deed arraigneth, Nothing unavenged remaineth. What shall I, frail man, be pleading? Who for me be interceding, When the just are mercy needing? King of majesty tremendous, Who dost free salvation send us, Fount of pity, then befriend us! Think, kind Jesu, my salvation Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation; Leave me not to reprobation. Faint and weary Thou hast sought me, On the Cross of suffering bought me; Shall such grace be vainly brought me? Righteous Judge! for sin’s pollution Grant Thy gift of absolution, Ere that day of retribution. Guilty, now I pour my moaning, All my shame with anguish owning; Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning! Through the sinful woman shriven, Through the dying thief forgiven, Thou to me a hope hast given. Worthless are my prayers and sighing, Yet, good Lord, in grace complying, Rescue me from fires undying. With Thy favored sheep O place me, Nor among the goats abase me, But to Thy right hand upraise me. While the wicked are confounded, Doomed to flames of woe unbounded, Call me with Thy Saints surrounded. Low I kneel, with heart submission, Crushed to ashes in contrition; Help me in my last condition! Ah! that day of tears and morning! From the dust of earth returning, Man for judgment must prepare him; Spare, O God, in mercy spare him! Lord all-pitying, Jesu Blest, Grant them Thine eternal rest. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena to our Guardian Angel

                                                          

"Our guardian angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere. We ought often to invoke them." -- St. John Vianney

Holy Mother Church thanks God for our blessed Guardian Angels and honors them by celebrating their feast on October 2.  How often do we go about our day without a thought to these heavenly helpers?  Out of His great love for us, the Heavenly Father saw fit to provide each of us with one of His angelic beings as our guide, our protector, and our help to gain heaven.  These beings, so holy and powerful in His sight, remain always at our side, not only protecting us from physical perils but also from dangers to our souls.

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May we daily remember these heavenly friends, thanking them and listening to their promptings as we journey with them to our heavenly goal.  May we especially honor them on their feast, that of the Holy Guardian Angels.  In the following prayer, which is to be recited as a novena, we thank our blessed Guardian Angels and ask for their continual help until we reach Heaven.  It would be most fitting to recite this prayer nine days before their feast (sorry I posted too late for that but it would be wonderful to pray anyway around the time of their feast), beginning on September 23 and ending on October 1, the eve of this feast day.

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The following novena is also one way to pray for the Souls in Purgatory since, in it, we ask our heavenly angels to seek relief for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.  This would make a most suitable novena to pray for the poor souls, beginning on  October 24 and ending on November 1, the day prior to the feast of the Holy  Souls.  As Saint John Vianney says of the act of helping the poor souls,
“Consider then...the magnitude of these sufferings which the souls in Purgatory endure; and the means which we have of mitigating them: our prayers, our good works, and, above all, the holy sacrifice of the Mass.”

Novena to our Guardian Angel for the Holy Souls

O holy Angel, whom God, by the effect of His goodness and His tender regard for my welfare, has charged with the care of my conduct, and who assists me in all my wants and comforts me in all my afflictions, who supports me when I am discouraged and continually obtains for me new favors, I return thee profound thanks, and I earnestly beseech thee, O most amiable protector, to continue thy charitable care and defense of me against the malignant attacks of all my enemies. Keep me away from all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of listening attentively to thy holy inspirations and of faithfully putting them into practice.

In particular, I implore thee to obtain for me the relief and deliverance of all the Souls in Purgatory, the ones who prayed for the Souls themselves while still on earth; the forgotten and abandoned Souls; the souls of my relatives and friends; the souls of priests and religious; the souls of all those to whom I am obligated by charity to pray for and may have neglected by laxity in memory; and most especially for the Soul I here name in this novena. (Mention or think of the person.)

Protect me in all the temptations and trials of this life. but most especially at the hour of my death, and do not leave me until thou hast conducted me into the presence of my Creator in the mansions of everlasting happiness. Amen.

"Brethren, we will love God's angels with a most affectionate love; for they will be our heavenly co-heirs some day, these spirits who now are sent by the Father to be our protectors and our guides. With such bodyguards, what are we to fear? They can neither be subdued nor deceived; nor is there any possibility at all that they should go astray who are to guard us in all our ways. They are trustworthy, they are intelligent, they are strong — why, then, do we tremble? We need only to follow them, remain close to them, and we will dwell in the protection of the Most High God. So as often as you sense the approach of any grave temptation or some crushing sorrow hangs over you, invoke your protector, your leader, your helper in every situation. Call out to him and say: Lord, save us, we are perishing." --St. Bernard Clairvaux

God bless!

+JMJ+

Imploring the Sacred Heart of Jesus for Mercy for the Souls in Purgatory

 "Would that people knew with what eagerness the poor Souls in Purgatory ask for this new remedy which is so powerful to relieve their sufferings. They call the Devotion to the Sacred Heart the 'Sovereign remedy,' and ask particularly for Masses in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus."

--St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

In her devotion to the Sacred Heart, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque offered many prayers and sacrifices to the most sweet Heart of Jesus for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.  St. Margaret Mary had a great love for the Souls in Purgatory, and our Lord allowed her to communicate with them.  Jesus gave this great saint revelations about these souls and their suffering, allowing her to realize His great love for them and His desire for their deliverance from their suffering.  Out of love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Souls in Purgatory, St. Margaret Mary endured much suffering to gain their relief, ending their suffering and pleasing our Lord.  During this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, may we also remember to pray and sacrifice for the Poor Souls in Purgatory, imploring the merciful Heart of our Lord to relieve their suffering as we offer our crosses, however small, for them.

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

O Divine Heart of Jesus, grant I pray Thee, eternal rest to the Souls in Purgatory, the final grace to those who are about to die this day, true repentance to sinners, the light of faith to pagans, and Thy blessing to me and to all who are dear to me. To Thee, therefore, O Most Merciful Heart of Jesus, I commend all these souls, and in their behalf I offer unto Thee all Thy merits in union with the merits of Thy Most Blessed Mother and of all the Angels and Saints, together with all the Masses, Communions, prayers and good works which are this day being offered throughout Christendom.

O Most Holy Heart of Jesus, shower Thy blessings in abundant measure upon the Thy Holy Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff and upon all the clergy; to the just grant perseverance; convert sinners; enlighten unbelievers; bless our relations, friends and benefactors; assist the dying; deliver the Holy Souls in Purgatory; and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Thy love. Amen.

"Behold the Heart which has so loved men, It has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return I receive, from the greater part, only ingratitude."

--Words of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena to our Guardian Angel for the Holy Souls

 ***Other prayers for the feasts and intentions of November can be found under the Liturgical Year page.***

Later in the week I hope to include a post about a project my children have always enjoyed in the past for the upcoming feasts of All Saints and All Souls.  I am trying to prepare for our parish's All Saints party this weekend and still have quite a few costumes to finish and food to plan.

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Holy Mother Church honors the Poor Souls in Purgatory during the month of November by dedicating the entire month to them and remembering them on November 2, the Feast of the Holy Souls. We would all do well to pray and sacrifice for the poor souls in Purgatory throughout the entire year, but especially during November. In fact the faithful are able to gain a plenary indulgence for the poor souls during November 1-8 by daily visiting a cemetery and devoutly praying for the departed. The other requirements for the indulgence also need to be met; these are:

• reception of Holy Communion 
• reception of Penance 
• being free from all attachment of sin. 
• reciting an Our Father and a Hail Mary for the Holy Father's intentions. 

 Saint John Vianney says of the act of helping the poor souls, “Consider then...the magnitude of these sufferings which the souls in Purgatory endure; and the means which we have of mitigating them: our prayers, our good works, and, above all, the holy sacrifice of the Mass.”

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The following novena, which should be said for nine days, is simply one example of a way to pray for the Souls in Purgatory.

Novena to our Guardian Angel for the Holy Souls

O holy Angel, whom God, by the effect of His goodness and His tender regard for my welfare, has charged with the care of my conduct, and who assists me in all my wants and comforts me in all my afflictions, who supports me when I am discouraged and continually obtains for me new favors, I return thee profound thanks, and I earnestly beseech thee, O most amiable protector, to continue thy charitable care and defense of me against the malignant attacks of all my enemies. Keep me away from all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of listening attentively to thy holy inspirations and of faithfully putting them into practice.

In particular, I implore thee to obtain for me the relief and deliverance of all the Souls in Purgatory, the ones who prayed for the Souls themselves while still on earth; the forgotten and abandoned Souls; the souls of my relatives and friends; the souls of priests and religious; the souls of all those to whom I am obligated by charity to pray for and may have neglected by laxity in memory; and most especially for the Soul I here name in this novena. (Mention or think of the person.)

Protect me in all the temptations and trials of this life. but most especially at the hour of my death, and do not leave me until thou hast conducted me into the presence of my creator in the mansions of everlasting happiness. Amen.

And again by St. John Vianney:
"I come to tell you that they suffer in Purgatory, that they weep, and that they demand with urgent cries the help of your prayers and your good works. I seem to hear them crying from the depths of those fires which devour them: "Tell our loved ones, tell our children, tell all our relatives how great the evils are which they are making us suffer. We throw ourselves at their feet to implore the help of their prayers. Ah! Tell them that since we have been separated from them, we have been here burning in the flames!"

"Yet how quickly we could empty purgatory if we but really wished to."

Words to consider: "You shouldn’t want to do things to gain merit, nor out of fear of the punishments of purgatory. From now on, and always, you should make the effort to do everything, even the smallest things, to please Jesus."
--St. Josemaria Escriva(The Forge, 1041)

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

 November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and on November 2 Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of All Souls. St. Alphonsus Liguori, who penned the following novena, often prayed for the souls in Purgatory, believing that prayers and sacrifices offered for the suffering souls was part of a Christian's duty in charity. The Church continues this belief, and all the faithful are encouraged to pray for the souls in Purgatory, especially by offering Mass for them.

St. Augustine states, “But by the prayers of the Holy Church, and by the salvific sacrifice, and by the alms which are given for their spirits, there is no doubt that the dead are aided, that the Lord might deal more mercifully with them than their sins would deserve. The whole Church observes this practice which was handed down by the Fathers: that it prays for those who have died in the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, when they are commemorated in their own place in the sacrifice itself; and the sacrifice is offered also in memory of them, on their behalf. If, then, works of mercy are celebrated for the sake of those who are being remembered, who would hesitate to recommend them, on whose behalf prayers to God are not offered in vain? It is not at all to be doubted that such prayers are of profit to the dead; but for such of them as lived before their death in a way that makes it possible for these things to be useful to them after death”.

Acts of charity toward the suffering souls lends a two-fold blessing: first by lessening the suffering of the souls in Purgatory and second by those same souls, when released into the heavenly kingdom, in return praying for us. The Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by St. Alphonsus should be started on October 24 and finished on November 1, the feast of All Saints and eve of the feast of the Holy Souls.

Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

By St. Alphonsus Liguori

***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory (***to be said daily during the Novena after the particular prayers for the day)

O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them, O Lord, have mercy on them. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
[Here recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory, and mention the favor you wish to obtain through this Novena.]
Blessed Souls, we have prayed for thee; we entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for us miserable sinners, who are in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.

First Day:
O Jesus, my Savior, I have so often deserved to be cast into Hell; how great were my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that that I, myself, had cause my damnation! I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance; have pity on me, and at the same time on those Blessed Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Second Day:
Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but Hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Third Day:
O my God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Fourth Day:
O my God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I am sorry with my whole heart for having offended Thee. I promise to die rather than ever offend Thee more. Give me holy perseverance; have pity on me, and have pity on those Holy Souls that burn in the cleansing fire, and love Thee with all their hearts. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Fifth Day:
Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O lord, hadst cast me into eternal Hell; for far from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. O love Thee above all things, O infinite God, and I am sincerely sorry for having ever offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Sixth Day:
O my Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O supreme God; and I am more grieved at my offenses against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die
than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Seventh Day:
O God, Father of Mercy, satisfy this their ardent desire! Send them Thy holy Angel to announce to them that Thou, their Father, art now reconciled with them through the suffering and death of Jesus, and that the moment of their deliverance has arrived. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Eighth Day:
O my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love, and deserve to be cast by Thee into Hell. But Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Ninth Day:
O my God! how was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou Thyself to me! henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee. grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin. Have compassion on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in Heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.
Recite 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary. ***Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory***

Conclude on the Ninth Day by reciting De Profundis.

Out of the Depths (De Profundis)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication.
If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?
But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.
I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word.
My soul waits for the Lord, more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord;
For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption.
And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

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V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.

And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.

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God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer of Sacrifice for the Poor Souls

 

During this month of the Holy Souls, may we remember to offer our Masses, prayers, and sacrifices for the poor suffering souls.  A practice I try to employ, especially during this month, is to offer prayers and sacrifices for that soul in Purgatory that has been forgotten or has no one to pray for them.

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Almighty, Eternal God! Because it is Your Will that we pray for the Poor Souls, I offer You, through Mary's most unblemished hands, all the Masses that are celebrated today, for Your highest honor and for the redemption of the souls in Purgatory. Humbly, I beg of You, erase their guilt through the overly rich merits of Your Most Beloved Son and have mercy on them. For the restitution of the praise, the love, the honor, the thanks, and the merits that these souls neglected to show and to gather, I offer You all the praise, the love, the honor, the thanks, and the troubles of Your Son through which He honored You while here in the world.

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In reparation for all neglects and tepidity, which these souls committed, I offer You the glowing zeal with which Your Son did all His works here on earth and which are now renewed and brought to You in all Holy Masses.

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In reparation for all mistakes and all that was left undone by these souls, I offer You all virtues which Your Son practiced in totality and which He now still practices and completes in all Holy Masses.

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For the cleansing of all stains of sin that these souls still show, I offer You the Sacred Blood which Your Son shed while here on earth and which He now renews and continues in all Holy Masses.

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As discharge from all punishments and torments, which these souls endure, I offer You the bitter Passion and Death of Your most Beloved Son, which He now renews and continues in all Holy Masses.

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For their rescue from the burning dungeon, I offer You the infinite merits which Your Son earned on earth and which He now still exercises and distributes in all Holy Masses.

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Finally, in order to do enough to fulfill Your strict justice, I offer You all virtues and merits which the entire life, suffering, and death of Your most Beloved Son, His holiest Mother, all saints and chosen ones who together suffered more than the dear Poor Souls left undone.    Amen.

+JMJ+

Prayer to our Lady for the Souls in Purgatory

 Holy Mother Church encourages the faithful to pray for the Souls in Purgatory throughout the year, but we especially are encouraged to pray and offer sacrifices for them during the month of November. The following prayer to our Lady asks for Mary's intercession for the Suffering Church, those Souls in the purifying fires of Purgatory.

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Our Lady of Intercession

Most holy Mary, Our Lady of Intercession whose maternal tenderness gathers in one embrace all the souls redeemed by the Precious Blood of thy Son Jesus, we come before thy royal throne with sadness in our hearts as we remember those who have gone before us, but also with unlimited confidence in thine intercession. Death, which burst asunder the bonds of earth, has not destroyed the affection which binds us to those who lived in the same faith as we do. O Mary, countless souls await with unutterable anxiety the assistance of our prayers, and the merits of our good works in that place of expiation. Urged by the charity of Jesus Christ, we raise our countenance and heart in supplication to thee, the compassionate Mother of all believers, in favor of those suffering souls. Make our prayers of good effect, O Mary; obtain for them the power to move the Heart of Jesus our Redeemer through thy motherly intercession.

Let thine incomparable holiness supply the defects of our misery, thy love make good our languid affection, thy power strengthen our weakness. Grant, O Queen of Heaven, that the ardent desire of the souls of the departed to be admitted to the Beatific Vision may soon be satisfied. We pray to thee, O Mother, especially for the souls of our relations, of priests, of those who were zealous in honoring thee, of those who did good to the souls of others, of those who wept with them and for them and, finally, for the souls of those who are forgotten. Grant that one day, when we are all reunited in Heaven, we may be able to rejoice in the possession of God, in the happiness of thy dear presence, in the fellowship of all the Saints, thanking thee forever for all the blessings thou hast obtained for us, O Mother, who art our unfailing comfort. Amen.

***Hail Mary three times, and one Eternal rest grant unto them, etc.
---The Raccolta

The following link provides a beautiful rendition of the "Dies Irae" chant.  This hymn is the marvelous Latin hymn used in Requiem Masses and also fitting to recite or sing for the holy souls.

November is the Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory

 Holy Mother Church dedicates the month of November to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, commemorating all her faithful children who have departed from this life, but have not yet attained the joys of heaven. The Church always has taught us to pray and sacrifice for the souls in Purgatory, helping them when they can no longer relieve their own suffering. Let us remember, too, that when they are finally released from their pains and experience the joys of Heaven, these souls, now prostrate before the Throne of God, never cease to pray for those who helped them. The most efficacious prayer for the souls, of course, is that of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, followed by the daily Rosary.

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 However, many other prayers are available for this purpose, including one given to St. Gertrude the Great by our Lord. The Prayer of St. Gertrude, given below, is one of the most famous of the prayers for the souls in purgatory. According to tradition, our Lord promised St. Gertrude that 1000 souls would be released from purgatory each time this prayer is said devoutly. Although we cannot be sure if our prayers are privileged to the same effects as St. Gertrude, through our devout recitation of this prayer, the suffering souls still receive benefits. If our prayers, however, do gain the same level of God’s amazing mercy for the poor souls as St. Gertrude’s prayers, how magnificent it would be! Just think…each time you recite this prayer devoutly, God would release one thousand souls from their suffering and bring them to heaven with Him. During this month of November, let us rise to the challenge to come to the aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, reciting the Prayer of St. Gertrude five, ten, or even fifteen times a day. What a wonderful goal: to free 15,000 souls from Purgatory each day!

Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
--St. Gertrude the Great