An Intercessory Prayer of the Church Militant
for the Church Suffering in Purgatory.
"It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins (2 Mach. xii. 46)."
Ye souls of the faithful! who sleep in the Lord;
But as yet are shut out, from your final reward!
Oh! would I could lend you, assistance to fly;
From your prison below, to your palace on high.
O Father of mercies! Thine anger withhold;
These works of Thy hand in Thy mercy behold;
Too oft from Thy path, they have wandered aside:
But Thee, their Creator, they never denied.
O tender Redeemer! Their misery see;
Deliver the souls that were ransomed by Thee;
Behold how they love Thee, despite of their pain:
Restore them, restore them to favour again.
O Spirit of grace! O Consoler divine!
See how for Thy presence they longingly pine;
Ah, then, to enliven their sadness, descend;
And fill them with peace, and with joy in the end.
O Mother of mercy! Dear soother in grief!
Lend thou to their torments a balmy relief;
Temper the rigour of justice severe;
And soften their flames with a pitying tear.
All ye who would honour the Saints and their Head,
Remember, remember, to pray for the dead;
And they, in return, from their misery freed,
To you will be friends in the hour of need.
What can I do for my departed loved OnesBut as yet are shut out, from your final reward!
Oh! would I could lend you, assistance to fly;
From your prison below, to your palace on high.
O Father of mercies! Thine anger withhold;
These works of Thy hand in Thy mercy behold;
Too oft from Thy path, they have wandered aside:
But Thee, their Creator, they never denied.
O tender Redeemer! Their misery see;
Deliver the souls that were ransomed by Thee;
Behold how they love Thee, despite of their pain:
Restore them, restore them to favour again.
O Spirit of grace! O Consoler divine!
See how for Thy presence they longingly pine;
Ah, then, to enliven their sadness, descend;
And fill them with peace, and with joy in the end.
O Mother of mercy! Dear soother in grief!
Lend thou to their torments a balmy relief;
Temper the rigour of justice severe;
And soften their flames with a pitying tear.
All ye who would honour the Saints and their Head,
Remember, remember, to pray for the dead;
And they, in return, from their misery freed,
To you will be friends in the hour of need.
by According to Si. Alphonsus Liguori
The holy souls suffering in the prison of purgatory are incapable of helping themselves.
Out of the depths of torturing flame they call to us "Miseremini!" "Have pity on us!"
We have it in our power to help these suffering friends of God. We can do so by prayer,
alms-deeds, works of mercy, holy communion, the Holy Mass, and indulgences, and to do so is certainly an act of charity. Understanding this full well, the saints, without exception, have been most earnest and constant in their efforts to help them. Some of them have made this devotion one of the strong characteristics of their sanctity, and we venture to say that no truly devout or sincere Catholic neglects this spiritual work of mercy.
Even the very poor, in Ireland for instance, and also in this country, make many sacrifices in order to secure for their departed relatives and others the special benefits of the Holy Mass. May the same enlightened piety ever remain firmly rooted in the hearts of our people, and may the day never come when they will cease to follow beyond the grave with tender solicitude the souls of those they loved in life.
In praying for the dead and gaining indulgences for them, let us remember that every prayer we say, every sacrifice we make, every alms we give for the repose of the dear departed ones, will all return upon ourselves in hundredfold blessings. They are God's friends, dear to His sacred Heart, living in His grace, and in constant communion with Him; and though they may not alleviate their own sufferings, their prayers in our behalf always avail. They can aid us most efficaciously. God will not turn a deaf ear to their intercession. Being holy souls, they are grateful souls. The friends that aid them, they in turn will also aid. We need not fear praying to them in all faith and confidence. They will obtain for us the graces that we ask for the good of our souls. They will watch over us and protect us in the dangers of life and they will intercede with God for our eternal salvation.
Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest. AmenEven the very poor, in Ireland for instance, and also in this country, make many sacrifices in order to secure for their departed relatives and others the special benefits of the Holy Mass. May the same enlightened piety ever remain firmly rooted in the hearts of our people, and may the day never come when they will cease to follow beyond the grave with tender solicitude the souls of those they loved in life.
In praying for the dead and gaining indulgences for them, let us remember that every prayer we say, every sacrifice we make, every alms we give for the repose of the dear departed ones, will all return upon ourselves in hundredfold blessings. They are God's friends, dear to His sacred Heart, living in His grace, and in constant communion with Him; and though they may not alleviate their own sufferings, their prayers in our behalf always avail. They can aid us most efficaciously. God will not turn a deaf ear to their intercession. Being holy souls, they are grateful souls. The friends that aid them, they in turn will also aid. We need not fear praying to them in all faith and confidence. They will obtain for us the graces that we ask for the good of our souls. They will watch over us and protect us in the dangers of life and they will intercede with God for our eternal salvation.
(Indulgence: 300 days)
Prayer for the Poor Souls
My God! I recommend to Thee the souls of my relations, my benefactors, my friends, and my enemies, and of those who are in purgatory on my account. I recommend to Thee the souls of evangelical laborers, of Religious and priests, and especially of those who had charge of my soul.
I recommend to Thee the souls of those who were most devout to the passion of Our Lord, to the Blessed Sacrament, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the souls who are most abandoned, those who suffer most, and those who are nearest to the entrance into paradise.
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. And may the divine assistance always remain with us and bring us to life everlasting. Amen.
Devotions, Chaplets, Novenas and Litanies
† Prayers and Devotions for the Faithful Departed
† Additional Prayers for the Faith Departed
† Indulgenced Ejaculations (Specific)
† Indulgenced Ejaculations (General)
† Chaplet for the Souls in Purgatory
† Novena for the Souls in Purgatory
† Litany of the Faithful Departed
† Litany of the Dead
† Litany of Penance
† Litany of the Holy Face
† Litany of the Holy Cross
† Litany of the Holy Name
† Litany of the Seven Dolors of the B.V.M.
† Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
† Litany of the Saints
†
Pages Devoted to Holy Souls in Purgatory
† The Church Suffering
† Indulgences/ All Souls
† All Souls Day: Part 1
† All Souls Day: Part 2
† All Souls Day: Part 3
† All Souls Day: Part 4
† The Cry of the Souls in Purgatory to us
† Why Catholics are obligated to visit their loved ones at the cemetery
† Dies Irae, Day of Wrath, Explanation of the Sequence Proper for the Requiem Mass (Mass of the Dead)
†
Other Devotions for the Poor Souls
† Stations of the Cross
† The Psalster of Jesus
† Clock of the Passion
† Litany of the Saints
† Spiritual Communion
† Seven Penitential Psalms
† Devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus
† Devotions and Litany of the Holy Face of Jesus
† Daily Rosary: Joyful Mysteries
† Daily Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries
† Daily Rosary: Glorious Mysteries
†
Daily Meditations on the Holy Souls in Purgatory
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. And may the divine assistance always remain with us and bring us to life everlasting. Amen.
Devotions, Chaplets, Novenas and Litanies
† Prayers and Devotions for the Faithful Departed
† Additional Prayers for the Faith Departed
† Indulgenced Ejaculations (Specific)
† Indulgenced Ejaculations (General)
† Chaplet for the Souls in Purgatory
† Novena for the Souls in Purgatory
† Litany of the Faithful Departed
† Litany of the Dead
† Litany of Penance
† Litany of the Holy Face
† Litany of the Holy Cross
† Litany of the Holy Name
† Litany of the Seven Dolors of the B.V.M.
† Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
† Litany of the Saints
†
Pages Devoted to Holy Souls in Purgatory
† The Church Suffering
† Indulgences/ All Souls
† All Souls Day: Part 1
† All Souls Day: Part 2
† All Souls Day: Part 3
† All Souls Day: Part 4
† The Cry of the Souls in Purgatory to us
† Why Catholics are obligated to visit their loved ones at the cemetery
† Dies Irae, Day of Wrath, Explanation of the Sequence Proper for the Requiem Mass (Mass of the Dead)
†
Other Devotions for the Poor Souls
† Stations of the Cross
† The Psalster of Jesus
† Clock of the Passion
† Litany of the Saints
† Spiritual Communion
† Seven Penitential Psalms
† Devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus
† Devotions and Litany of the Holy Face of Jesus
† Daily Rosary: Joyful Mysteries
† Daily Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries
† Daily Rosary: Glorious Mysteries
†
Daily Meditations on the Holy Souls in Purgatory
