The souls in Purgatory hold a place of high esteem for the Catholic faithful. These are our relatives and friends who have gone before us, but prior to entering heaven must spend a period of purification.
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Any prayer for the souls in Purgatory is sure to be heard, but there are certain special devotions that have developed through the centuries for these beloved members of the Church.
There is a prayer that St. Gertrude received from Our Lord:
Eternal Father, I offer You 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, for those in my own home, and in my family. Amen.
Besides St. Gertrude’s Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory there are other distinct methods of reaching out to help the Faithful Departed.
There is this Chaplet of the Holy Souls.
And there is a Rosary for the Holy Souls, which is a bit more detailed and can be used to offer prayers for everyone from our parents, grandparents, and children, down to those who suffered heart attacks, died suddenly in car accidents, or even those who died without receiving the Last Rites of the Church.
How to Pray the Rosary for the Holy Souls:
Begin with this prayer
Let us pray:
May the prayer of Your suppliant people, we beseech You, O Lord, benefit the souls of Your departed servants and handmaids, that You both deliver them from all their sins and make them partakers of Your redemption. Amen.
Sign of the Cross +
V. O Lord, open my lips.
R. And I shall praise your name.
V. O God, come to my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning…
Now We Pray for Specific Souls in Purgatory:
O Jesus, You suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:
(Mention by name each soul; choose all those you wish to pray for: parents, grandparents or spouse, brothers and sisters and other near relatives, teachers, priests, convicts, cancer patients, and on and on, including those who have wronged you and those who were your enemies.)
Response to each name is: Jesus, have mercy!
Using your rosary, begin as customary with the Apostles’ Creed. Pray the decades of the Sorrowful Mysteries:
After the decade we pray:
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your five Holy Wounds and through all of Your Sacred Blood that You shed, we ask You to have mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and in particular on our parents, spouses, relatives, spiritual guides and benefactors. Complete the healing of their purification and let them enjoy and participate fully in Your Salvation. Amen.
After the customary concluding prayers (Hail Holy Queen or Memorare), add this modified traditional prayer for the departed:
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them with your Saints forever more, because You are gracious.
May the divine assistance remain always with us. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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