An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

  On November 27 Holy Mother Church honors Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, and the following day, November 28, St. Catherine Laboure, to whom Our Lady appeared, is remembered.  It was in 1830 during the second of three visits to St. Catherine, who at that time was a novice for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, that Mary instructed St. Catherine to have a medal made and distributed with the  revealed image.  St. Catherine described the image, saying,"

“The Blessed Virgin was standing on a globe, and her face was beautiful beyond words. Her fingers were covered with pre­cious jewels whose light dazzled me. And I heard: ‘Behold the symbol of the graces I shed upon those who ask for them!’ Then an oval frame formed around the Blessed Virgin and I read in let­ters of gold: ‘O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.’ The vi­sion reversed and I beheld the letter ‘M’ surmounted by a cross, at the foot of the cross, a bar, and below all, the Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. A voice said to me, ‘Have a medal struck after this model. Persons who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.'”

St. Catherine obeyed our Lady, and the Miraculous Medal, as it eventually became known, gained popularity with the Faithful; many miraculous conversions were connected to wearing this sacramental.  Years later St. Maximilian Kolbe made this medal honoring our Lady a significant aspect of his Militia Immaculatae, a sign of consecration to Mary.  May we also imitate these Saints and honor our Mother through the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, simply by wearing the medal.  Two prayers are given below for this devotion.

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Daily Miraculous Medal Prayer of St. Maximilian Kolbe

 

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, and for all who do not have recourse to you, especially the enemies of the Church and those recommended to you.

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An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal 

O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, we dedicate and consecrate ourselves to you under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this Medal be for each one of us a sure sign of your affection for us and a constant reminder of our duties toward you. Ever while wearing it, may we be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. 

O most powerful Virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep us close to you every moment of our lives. Obtain for us, your children, the grace of a happy death; so that, in union with you, we may enjoy the bliss of heaven forever. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Three Efficacious Petitions to the Blessed Virgin

 Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. Gertrude on November 16.  The following prayer was taught to St. Gertrude by the Blessed Virgin Mary.  When St. Gertrude recited the three petitions, it seemed to her as though she were so clothed and adorned with her surpassing merits, that the Lord of Majesty took ineffable delight in her. 

Three Efficacious Petitions to the Blessed Virgin

O most blessed Virgin Mary, I beseech thee by the most spotless purity wherewith thou didst prepare in thy womb a still and glad abode for the Son of God, that by thy intercession I may be cleansed from every stain. 

O most blessed Virgin Mary, I beseech thee by that thy most gentle, deep humility whereby thou didst merit to be raised high above all angels and saints, that by thy intercessions all my negligences may be forgiven and satisfied for. 

O most blessed Virgin Mary, I implore thee by that unutterable love which united thee inseparably to God, that by thy intercessions I may receive an abundance of all merit. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer for our Church and our Country

 "It is a characteristic of any decaying civilization that the great masses of the people are unaware of the tragedy. Humanity in a crisis is generally insensitive to the gravity of the times in which it lives. Men do not want to believe their own times are wicked, partly because they have no standard outside of themselves by which to measure their times. If there is no fixed concept of justice, how shall men know it is violated? Only those who live by faith really know what is happening in the world; the great masses without faith are unconscious of the destructive processes going on, because they have lost the vision of the heights from which they have fallen." 

--Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us!

 Prayer for the Church and the Civil Authorities 

Archbishop John Carroll, A.D. 1800 

We pray Thee, O Almighty and Eternal God, who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy; that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue, with unchanging faith, in the confession of Thy name. We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life our chief bishop, Francis, the Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ in the government of His Church; our own Bishop, (or Archbishop,) N., (if he is not consecrated, our Bishop-elect); all other Bishops, Prelates, and Pastors of the Church ; and especially those who are appointed to exercise among us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation. 

 We pray Thee, O God of might, wisdom, and justice, through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgments decreed, assist, with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude, the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people, over whom he presides, by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. 

Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our role and government; so, that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge, and may perpetuate to us the blessings of equal liberty. 

 We pray for his Excellency the Governor of this State, for the members of the Assembly, for all Judges, Magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare; that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. 

 We recommend likewise to Thy unbounded mercy all our brethren and fellow-citizens, throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge, and sanctified in the observance of most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and, after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal. 

 Finally, we pray Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith, and repose in the sleep of peace: the souls of our parents, relations, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation; and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship, and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. 

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Fr. Stinson, North American District Superior of the FSSP, has requested that all of the Faithful recite this prayer throughout the month of October.

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“A nation always gets the kind of politicians it deserves. If a time ever comes when the religious Jews, Protestants and Catholics ever have to suffer under a totalitarian state, which would deny to them the right worship God according to the light of their conscience, it will be because for years they thought it made no difference what kind of people represented them in Congress, and because they abandoned the spiritual in the realm of the temporal.”  

--Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to One's Guardian Angel for a Happy Hour of Death

 Holy Mother Church honors St. Charles Borromeo on November 4.  St. Charles Borromeo was born into a rich family and the nephew of Pope Pius IV.  At the age of 23, he was ordained a Cardinal and was made Archbishop of Milan.  St. Charles worked tirelessly for Holy Mother Church.  During the Black Plague, believing it was a punishment for sin in the world, he walked the streets barefoot, wearing a rope around his neck for penance for sin and humility for himself.  He tried to feed 60-70,000 people a day inflicted with the plague.  St. Charles worked diligently fighting heresy throughout his life, always defending Holy Mother Church, although this caused many to dislike him.  A few times people even attempted to assassinate the saint. 

The prayer below, written by St. Charles Borromeo, illustrates his focus on serving God at every moment, even the moment of His death.  We would do well to imitate this great saint, imploring our Angel's help to prepare for that hour of our death.

Recommendation to One's Guardian Angel for a Happy Hour of Death

My good Angel: I know not when or how I shall die. It is possible I may be carried off suddenly, and that before my last sigh I may be deprived of all intelligence. Yet how many things I would wish to say to God on the threshold of eternity. In the full freedom of my will today, I come to charge you to speak for me at that fearful moment. You will say to Him, then, O my good Angel:

That I wish to die in the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church in which all the saints since Jesus Christ have died, and out of which there is no salvation.

That I ask the grace of sharing in the infinite merits of my Redeemer and that I desire to die in pressing to my lips the cross that was bathed in His Blood!

That I detest my sins because they displease Him, and that I pardon through love of Him all my enemies as I wish myself to be pardoned.

That I die willingly because He orders it and that I throw myself with confidence into His adorable Heart awaiting all His Mercy.

That in my inexpressible desire to go to Heaven I am disposed to suffer everything it may please His sovereign Justice to inflict on me.

That I love Him before all things, above all things and for His own sake; that I wish and hope to love Him with the Elect, His Angels and the Blessed Mother during all Eternity.

Do not refuse, O my Angel, to be my interpreter with God, and to protest to Him that these are my sentiments and my will. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

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+

Traveling through Advent toward Christmas

The St. Andrew Christmas Novena prayer is one of my favorite Advent devotions.  It begins tomorrow, November 30, on the feast of St. Andrew and continues until Christmas.  If you would like to learn more about this beautiful prayer, the following post discusses it in more detail:  St. Andrew Christmas Novena prayer.

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St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer

(recite 15 times daily)

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires (requests may be mentioned here), through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother.   Amen.

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An additional Advent prayer is the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This prayer, also a novena, begins on December 16 and ends on Christmas Eve.  It brings to mind the Expectation of Mary as Christ's birth draws near.  The feast of the Expectation of Mary is historically celebrated on December 18 and is one of the Church's most ancient Advent festivals of our Lady.  

This prayer reminds the faithful to honor Mary for her Fiat to our Lord and praises our God for His Incarnation.  As we wait for the birth of our Lord on Christmas, may we also be mindful of our Lady's joyful waiting, for she also eagerly awaited Him, her Son and her God, Whom her entire being adored and desired to serve in all things.

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The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Drop down the dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One! Let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior!" (Isaiah 48:8).
O Lord, how wonderful You are everywhere in the world! You have made for Yourself a worthy dwelling-place in Mary!
***Recite 1 Glory be.

"Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou has found grace with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus" (Luke 1:30).
***Recite 1 Hail Mary.

"The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and, therefore, the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. But Mary said: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word'" (Luke 1:35).
***Recite 1 Hail Mary.

Holy and immaculate Virgin, how shall I praise you as I ought? You have borne in your womb Him Whom heaven could not contain. You are blessed and worthy of veneration, Virgin Mary, for you became the Mother of the Savior while remaining a Virgin.
***Recite 1 Hail Mary.

Mary speaks:  "I sleep and my heart watches . . . I to my Beloved, and my Beloved to me, who feeds among the lilies" (Song of Solomon 6:2).

Let us pray.  Grant, we beg of You, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the old yoke of sin, may be freed by the new birth of Your only-begotten Son for which we long. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.

Sing or Recite the following hymn,

"Alma Redemptoris Mater."

Mother of Christ,

Do hear your people's cry,

Star of the deep

And portal of the sky.

Mother of Him

Whose hand your glory made,

Sinking, we strive,

And call to you for aid.

Oh, by that joy

Which Gabriel did bestow;

O Virgin first and last,

Your tender mercy show.

Let us pray.  O God, You willed that Your Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an angel; grant us, Your humble servants, that we who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

In Thanksgiving for Heavenly Helpers

 I pray all of you have a blessed, joyful Thanksgiving Day!  If you are interested in prayers of thanksgiving to God, the following links will provide you with such prayers on Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

• An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving
• In Adoration and Thanksgiving

While I realize there are no feasts on the Church calendar this week dedicated to the angels, our heavenly helpers, I feel this week of Thanksgiving Day would be a fitting time to honor them and thank God for them.  It would be wonderful to thank the angels for their continual service to us.  At times we may remember our Guardian Angel who remains with us each moment of our lives, and sometimes the Archangels Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are remembered in passing on their feasts.  However, do we truly recognize all they do for us? What of the other angels?

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God created nine choirs of angels, each angel being distinct from all others.  As Fr. Paul O'Sullivan wrote in All About the Angels,

"The Angels are pure spirits, the mighty Princes of Heaven who stand before God, gazing on His unveiled presence.  They are burning fires of love, filled to overflowing with the plenitude of happiness.  The Angels are the perfect images of God, mirrors of His Divine perfections, reflecting His love, His beauty, His Holiness, His Power, all His Divine attributes and perfections, but each Angel in his own special way.  No two Angels are alike, no two are equal.  God's perfections are infinite, and the countless millions of Angels reflect these perfections in a divinely marvelous way."

To learn more about the nine choirs of Angels, I encourage you to read the information on the following links, which are all part of the Catholic Tradition website.  The information is marvelous and helps the reader began to grasp the immensity of love and aid we receive from these heavenly helpers.

Nine Choirs of Angels: Section 1
Nine Choirs of Angels: Section 2
Nine Choirs of Angels: Section 3

May we take to heart the advice of Pope St. Leo the Great: "Make friends with the holy Angels." These heavenly servants of our Lord possess generosity and love for us like no other, remaining as our constant friends, our protectors against the malice of the devils, and upon our entrance into heaven, our companions amidst the glory of God for all eternity.  May we strive to remember all of the angels, on their specific feast days, on Tuesdays, which are devoted to them, and on the feast of our Lady, Queen of Angels, upcoming in December.  However, may we also strive to be aware of their presence throughout each day, recognizing their help and love, honoring them and honoring God through them.  The following prayer is one devotion we can use to honor all of God's angels.  The details behind the prayer is awe-inspiring, and the prayer is quite beautiful.

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St. Michael, appearing to the Servant of God, Antonia d' Astonac, revealed that he wished to be honored by nine salutations corresponding to the nine choirs of Angels and that an Our Father and three Hail Marys should be said in honor of each of these nine choirs. The Archangel promised that whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching the Holy Table at Mass, an escort of nine Angels from each of the nine choirs. In addition for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy Angels during life and after death for those who have been holy enough to warrant a short Purgatory, deliverance for themselves and their relations.

The Chaplet of St. Michael and the Angels

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory Be.

I. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Seraphim.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim, may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

II. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Cherubim.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim, may the Lord grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

III. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Thrones.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones, may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.

IV. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Dominions.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir Dominions, may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and subdue our unruly passions. Amen.

V. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Powers.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir Powers, may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.

VI. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Virtues.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues, may the Lord preserve us from evil, and not allow us to fall into temptation. Amen.

VII. Salutation -- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Principalities.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities, may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

VIII. Salutation -- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Archangels.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels, may the Lord give us perseverance and Faith in all good works in order that we may gain the glory of Heaven. Amen.

IX. Salutation -- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Angels.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels, may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted hereafter to the eternal glory. Amen.

Then Recite:
1 Our Father in honor of St. Michael.
1 Our Father in honor of St. Gabriel.
1 Our Father in honor of St. Raphael.
1 Our Father in honor of your Guardian Angel.

Invocation:
O glorious Prince St. Michael, Leader and Commander of the Heavenly Host, Guardian of souls, Vanquisher of rebel spirits, Servant in the house of the Divine King, and our glorious Guide, thou art brilliant in holiness and power.
Deliver us from all evil, for we turn to thee with confidence and enable us by thy gracious protection to serve God more faithfully everyday.
V. Pray for us O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

Let Us Pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, since in Thy infinite goodness and mercy Thou desireth the salvation of all men, Thou hast appointed the most glorious Archangel, St. Michael Prince of Thy Church. Make us worthy, we beg of Thee to be delivered by his powerful protection from all our enemies, that we may not be overcome by them at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by St. Michael into the holy presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This, we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. 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+

A Feast of Thanksgiving

 With November quickly approaching two huge feasts are drawing near:  All Saints Day on November 1, which is a Holy Day of Obligation, and All Souls Day on November 2. 

To begin preparing for these great feasts of Holy Mother Church, I wanted to focus on the feast of All Saints Day.  This feast can be looked at as a day of thanksgiving within the Church.  Pope Gregory IV instituted this feast for the universal Church more than eleven hundred years ago in an attempt to ensure that none of those holy souls, canonized or not, would be forgotten.  This feast covers all the innumerable holy souls who have reached their heavenly goal, those souls that now contemplate the Face of God and can pray for us.  As St. Teresa of Avila prayed, 

"O holy ones who knew how to prepare so delightful an inheritance, help us now that you are so near the fount of all holiness.  Draw water for those of us who are perishing from thirst."

One fitting prayer to recite on the Feast of All Saints is the "Litany of the Saints."  This beautiful prayer is believed to be the oldest of the Church's litanies.  It was mentioned in the fourth century by St. Basil, and the Litany of the Saints was prescribed in 590 A.D. by St. Gregory the Great to be used during a procession of thanksgiving after the conclusion of a plague that had devastated Rome.  May we recite this ancient prayer of the Church, honoring the holy men and women who now dwell with our Lord in heaven, and rejoicing and thanking God for these saints' examples and prayers.  

Litany of the Saints 

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy.  Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world. have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us,*** (Repeat after each invocation.)
Holy Mother of God,***
Holy Virgin of virgins,***
St. Michael,***
St. Gabriel,***
St. Raphael,***
All ye holy angels and archangels,***
All ye holy orders of blessed spirits,***
St. John the Baptist,***
St. Joseph,***
All ye holy patriarchs and prophets,***
St. Peter,***
St. Paul,***
St. Andrew,***
St. James,***
St. John,***
St. Thomas,***
St. James,***
St. Philip,***
St. Bartholomew,***
St. Matthew,***
St. Simon,***
St. Thaddeus,***
St. Matthias,***
St. Barnabas,***
St. Luke,***
St. Mark,***
All ye holy apostles and evangelists,***
All ye holy disciples of our Lord,***
All ye holy Innocents,***
St. Stephen,***
St. Lawrence,***
St. Vincent,***
Sts. Fabian and Sebastian,***
Sts. John and Paul,***
Sts. Cosmas and Damian,***
Sts. Gervase and Protase,***
All ye holy martyrs,***
St. Sylvester,***
St. Gregory,***
St. Ambrose,***
St. Augustine,***
St. Jerome,***
St. Martin,***
St. Nicholas,***
All ye holy bishops and confessors,***
All ye holy doctors,***
St. Anthony,***
St. Benedict,***
St. Bernard,***
St. Dominic,***
St. Francis,***
All ye holy priests and levites,***
All ye holy monks and hermits,***
St. Mary Magdalen,***
St. Agatha,***
St. Lucy,***
St. Agnes,***
St. Cecilia,***
St. Catherine,***
St. Anastasia,***
All ye holy virgins and widows,***

All ye holy men and women, saints of God, make intercession for us.
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.

From all evil, O Lord, deliver us.*** (Repeat after each invocation.)
From all sin,***
From Thy wrath,***
From a sudden and unprovided death,***
From the deceits of the devil,***
From anger, hatred, and all ill-will,***
From the spirit of fornication,***
From lightning and tempest,***
From the scourge of earthquake,***
From plague, famine, and war,***
From everlasting death,***
Through the mystery of Thy Holy Incarnation,***
Through Thy coming,***
Through Thy Nativity,***
Through Thy baptism and holy fasting,***
Through Thy Cross and Passion,***
Through Thy death and burial,***
Through Thy holy Resurrection,***
Through Thy admirable Ascension,***
Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,***
In the day of judgment,***

We sinners, we Thee, hear us.

That Thou wouldst spare us, we beseech thee, hear us.*** (Repeat after each invocation.)
That Thou wouldst pardon us,***
That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance,***
That Thou wouldst govern and preserve Thy holy Church,***
That Thou wouldst preserve our Apostolic Prelate and all ecclesiastical Orders in holy religion,***
That Thou wouldst humble the enemies of Thy holy Church,***
That Thou wouldst give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes,***
That Thou wouldst grant peace and unity to all Christian people,***
That Thou wouldst bring back to the unity of the Church all those who have strayed from the truth, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers,***
That Thou wouldst confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service,***
That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires,***
That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors,***
That Thou wouldst deliver our souls and those of our brethren, relations, and benefactors from eternal damnation,***
That Thou wouldst give and preserve the fruits of the earth,***
That Thou wouldst give eternal rest to all the faithful departed,***
That Thou wouldst graciously hear us,***
Son of God,***

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.  Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father...(prayed silently)
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.  Amen.

"Let us rejoice in the Lord as we keep this festival in honor of all the saints; in which solemnity the angels rejoice, while the Archangels praise the Son of God."

(From "Gaudeamus Omnes."  You can listen to a beautiful rendition of this Latin hymn here.)

God bless!

+JMJ+

Praying

 Normally I try to avoid political talk on my blog; however, as the U.S. elections near, I ask each of you to prayerfully consider the consequences of your vote.  No matter your opinions on the two candidates, please vote for life, which means voting for the individual who can win out against the candidate who is anti-life, family, homeschooling, and the Catholic Church!  As St. John Paul II stated, 

"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."

---St. John Paul II

Like this recently canonized saint, may we, too, embrace the cross, praying to follow God's Will, and stand for what is right.  May we pray that God will reign over our country and leaders.

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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 for the Feast of the Presentation of Mary

 Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of Mary on November 21. The three feasts,  the Birthday of our Lady (September 8), the Holy Name of Mary (September 12), and the Presentation of Mary (November 21), correspond in the Marian feast day cycle with the similar feasts of Our Lord: Christmas, the Holy Name of Jesus, and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (February 2).

Tradition holds that Sts. Joachim and Anne, Mary's parents, vowed to consecrate Mary to the service of God at the Temple in thanksgiving for being blessed with a child. Thus when Mary was three years old, they presented her at the Temple to the High Priest. The High Priest receiving the child, kissed and blessed her, recognizing that God had great plans for Mary. Then he placed her on the step once again. Mary did not turn back to her parents or weep for them. Rather she came with joy to the Temple; Sts. Joachim and Anne returned home, praising God for their blessed child, and Mary remained in the Temple until she became betrothed to St. Joseph. During these years she continued to grow in holiness, spending her time reading Scriptures, praying and loving our Lord, and joyfully serving the priests of the Temples.

This feast of Our Lady exemplifies Mary's constant willingness to dedicate her life to God in all things, as she once again illustrated during the Annunciation. The feast of the Presentation of Mary also illuminates Mary as the New Temple and the Ark of the Covenant, in whom our Savior would dwell.  In a homily concerning the Presentation of Mary, St. Germanus exalted the Blessed Mother, saying,

"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor."

On this feast of our Blessed Mother, let us ponder our willingness to serve God in whatever He asks of us, to always respond with a joyful "yes," as did our Lady.  To accomplish this great task, may we look to our Heavenly Queen and Mother, imploring her to pray for us, intercede for us, and lead us along the path God has chosen in order to better love and serve Him.

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The following novena should begin on November 12 to finish on the eve of the feast of the Presentation of Mary, November 20.

Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

+ Gracious and lovable art thou in thy splendor, O holy Mother of God! Show me thy countenance. Let thy words sound in my ears, for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is beautiful. Turn to us in thy beauty and loveliness! Come forth in majesty and reign!  Hail Mary…

+ O blessed Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, Temple of the Lord, sanctuary of the Holy Ghost, thou alone, without an equal, hast pleased our Lord Jesus Christ!  Hail Mary…

+ Blessed indeed art thou, O holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise, for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our Lord. Draw us, O Immaculate Virgin; we shall come after thee, breathing the sweet fragrance of thy virtues!  Hail Mary…
[Here state your petition.]

+ Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee to do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me.  Amen.

St. Bernard so beautifully spoke of our Lady, saying, "De Maria numquam satis." (“Concerning Mary, never enough.”) With these words in mind, may we continually strive to honor and love Our Lady, singing her praises, praying her Rosary, wearing her scapular, and thanking her for all she has done and continually does for us.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Fun for the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls

 As I mentioned last week, I wanted to tell you about a craft for the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls that my children enjoy creating.  I apologize, but I cannot remember where I first saw a similar idea to this one, but thank you to all of you who provide wonderful Catholic ideas that help our children learn the Faith.

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For the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls, we first discuss the Church, explaining that the Church is not just those Catholics on earth.  The Church consists of three parts:  the Church  Triumphant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Militant.  The Church Triumphant are all those souls, canonized or not, those who we remember on the Feast of All Saints, who are now in heaven with our Lord.  The Church Suffering consists of the Poor souls in Purgatory, those to whom the entire month of November is dedicated and for whom we must remember to pray and sacrifice.  The Church Militant are all of the Faithful on earth, those of us who are still struggling to grow in holiness and reach our heavenly goal.  As a visual explanation, I have my children create a poster--one year's poster is shown below.  I think this was done a few years ago.  That year I printed pictures from the old Roman Breviary; they are no longer copyrighted.  The kids colored the images, glued them in order, and then we labeled each corresponding part of the Church.  Sometimes we write names of people who have died to help us remember to pray for them.

Sorry for the poor image.

This  year my younger children are coloring this image from Catholic Playground for the Feast of All Saints.  Catholic Playground has so many great free coloring pages!  My children always enjoy them.

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Another new idea we are going to try this year is from Jessica at Shower of Roses.  I loved her Ora Pro Nobis Candy Boxes and Calendar ideas and am adapting them for our family.  We printed her beautiful calendar, filling each square with a name of someone who has died; a few of the squares are also labeled "the soul most forgotten" and "the soul closest to reaching heaven."  We will offer extra prayers and sacrifices for this soul.  For the Ora Pro Nobis Candy Boxes idea, which I love, I simply placed 60 pieces of candy in a bag, labeling it with one of Jessica's labels.  I did not have enough candy for each child to have their own bag of 30 pieces, so each day two of the kids will have the option of choosing a piece of candy after saying a prayer for the Souls in Purgatory or leaving the candy behind as an additional offering.  I love this idea!  While it seems like a simple act, small sacrifices teach us to think of others' needs and lead us to greater and greater acts of love.  (Thanks, Jessica!)

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One idea our family has incorporated for the month of the Holy Souls for many years now is the recitation of the St Gertrude prayer 15 times daily throughout the entire month.  You can read more about this devotion in the following post:  St. Gertrude's Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory.  One year we created simple sets of 15 beads, each with a cross.  Using these, we could easily keep track of the number of "Eternal Father" prayers we had said that day since the beads stay in place when slid backward.  I think this year we may have to make some of the kids (and me) new strings of beads as eventually the string wears through.  If you would like directions to make these prayer beads, please let me know.  I would be happy to provide them for you.

I pray you and your family  have a very blessed Feast of All Saints!

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+