Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory

Over the years there has developed quite a devotion to praying for the holy souls in Purgatory.  This can even be traced back to Maccabees in the old Testament which is also part of the support for the doctrine of Purgatory. 

"The most famous scriptural reference, among others, concerning these prayers comes from the Old Testament where it is called “a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins” (2 Maccabees 12:46). "
Prayers for Souls in Purgatory


Then there is the prayer of St Gertrude from the 13th century where she was promised the release of 1,000 souls for each time this prayer was said with devotion.

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.
Prayers for Souls in Purgatory

St Faustina develop a strong desire to pray for the souls in Purgatory.


The next night, I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him.
In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid.
The fIames, which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave Me for an instant.
I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice for that their greatest torment was longing for God.
I saw our Lady visiting the souls.in Purgatory. The souls call her "The Star of the Sea". She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. [I heard an interior voice] which said, My mercy does not want this, but my justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls. (Diary 20) 
Divine Mercy, Heaven, Hell and Purgatory


The 8th day of the Divine Mercy novena is devoted to praying for the souls in Purgatory as requested by Jesus.

"Today bring to Me the Souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice."

Prayer for the Eighth Day of the Divine Mercy Novena

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.

Eighth Day of the Divine Mercy Novena


In An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory Sr. M. G. often talks to Sr. M. de L. C. about praying for the souls in Purgatory and what is most helpful.  Because there is so much here I'll use this post to focus on these teachings.  I'll use another to focus specifically on the effects of acts done in the Divine Will when applied to the suffering souls.  All of the following quotes are taken from An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory unless otherwise noted.



There are many souls in Purgatory who can not yet benefit from prayers said for them but they end up being applied to others.

"Great sinners who were indifferent towards God, and religious who were not what they should have been are in the lowest stage of Purgatory. While they are there, the prayers offered up for them are not applied to them. Because they have ignored God during their life, He now in His turn leaves them abandoned in order that they may repair their neglectful and worthless lives."

This is a manifestation of God's perfect Justice.

7 “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. ² For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 
Matthew 7:1-2

"When they have lost their relatives or friends, they say a few prayers, weep for a few days and that is the end of it. The souls are henceforth abandoned. It is true that they merit this, for while they were on earth they neglected the dead. The Divine Judge deals with us in this world according to our actions in the former. Those who have forgotten the holy souls are forgotten in their turn. This is only fair. Perhaps if they had been reminded to pray for the dead and had been told a little about Purgatory, they might have acted differently."

But no prayer goes without being useful in one way or another.  Even praying for someone who is already in Heaven can be used to help others.

"Those in Heaven for whom prayers are said on earth can apply those prayers to the souls they wish to benefit. It is a very consoling thought for those in the other world to know that their relatives and friends on earth do not forget them, even though they have no further need of prayers. In return, they are not ungrateful."

And even for those souls who do not merit any relief from prayers there is an exception to that as well.

"On All Souls' Day many souls leave the place of expiation and go to Heaven. Also, by a special grace of God on that day only, all the suffering souls, without exception, have a share in the public prayers of the Church, even those who are in the great Purgatory. Still the relief of each soul is in proportion to its merits. Some receive more, some less, but all feel the benefit of this extraordinary grace. Many of the suffering souls receive this one help only in all the long years they pass here and this by the justice of God. It is not, however, on All Souls' Day that the most go to Heaven. It is on Christmas night."

 

 

Sr. M. G. often asked for prayer.  She said:

 

A little prayer does us so much good. It is like a glass of water given to a thirsty person.

 

As for the type of prayer she said:

"Next to the Mass, the Way of the Cross is the best prayer."

She continued to beg for this prayer specifically.

"No one can imagine what Purgatory is like. Be kind and take pity on the poor souls . . . Do not neglect the Way of the Cross."

But vocal prayer is not the greatest relief for these souls.  Allowing her to share in her adoration and actions brings even greater relief.  She states that actions done in union with Jesus are greater.  She encourages her to pay attention to even the least manifestation of God's will.

"That was a good thought of yours on the day the retreat closed, to invite me to come and adore Jesus present in your heart during your thanksgiving after Holy Communion. If you had done that sooner, I should have obtained much relief. Do so in the future and before all your prayers. Also offer a part of your work for me, as I have such an ardent longing to see God."

"I receive far more relief from one of your actions done in union with Jesus, than from a vocal prayer, because what is it that God hears? He hears all that is done with an interior spirit. The more closely a soul is united with God the more readily does He grant all it asks. A soul intimately united with Jesus is the mistress of His Heart. Strive then after this union which Jesus has desired to have with you for so long. You want to please Him? Well, this is the only way. You approach closer to His Heart by great attention to the least manifestations of His holy will."

She reaffirms this again stating that God prefers a soul united to Him acting with pure intention rather than many prayers.  Guess the saying; 'Actions speak louder than words' applies with God as well.

"It is more pleasing to God for a religious to perform all her actions in conscious union with Him and with a pure intention in behalf of her deceased relatives rather than to say many prayers for them."

As Catholics we have been taught to make use of indulgences (partial remission of temporal punishment) and plenary indulgences (the full remission of temporal punishment) as distributed by the Church.

1479    Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted. (1032)
Catechism of the Catholic Church

But these in fact are not as easily obtained as we might have been lead to believe and very few actually obtain them.  Apparently these, like any prayer or act, are dependent on our disposition and purity of intent.

"As for the plenary indulgences, I may as well tell you that few, very few people gain them entirely. There has to be such a wonderful disposition of heart and will that it is rare, much rarer than you think it is, to have the entire remission of one's faults."

Purging souls are extremely grateful for the Mercy of God and any prayers said for them and they in turn pray for those who help them.

"In Purgatory the souls are not entirely occupied by their sufferings. They pray for all the interests of God and for those who shorten their sufferings. They pray and thank God for His infinite mercies in their regard, because the space between Purgatory and Hell for some of them was very narrow and they barely escaped falling into Hell. Judge then what the gratitude of those souls is who were barely rescued from Satan."
 

"I, in my turn, will pray for you. Yes, I can pray even now and I will do so every day. You will then realize that the souls in Purgatory are not ungrateful."
 

And in fact Sr. M. G. states that more graces are often bestowed through their prayers then through the prayers of those already in Heaven.


"God often accords more graces through the intercession of these suffering souls than through the prayers of the saints."

Sr. M. de L. C. remarked at how surprised she was that even after so many prayers said for Sr. M. G. she still remained in Purgatory.  But Justice demands expiation of each and every act not done for the love of God.  So for many souls it takes the equivalent of another life time but for the prayers said for them.

 
"You sometimes say to me that the perfecting of a soul is a long process and you are also astonished that after so many prayers, I am so long deprived of the sight of God. Alas, the perfecting of a soul does not take any less time in Purgatory than upon earth. There are a number of souls, but they are very few, who have only a few venial sins to expiate. These do not stay long in Purgatory. A few well-said prayers, a few sacrifices soon deliver them. But when there are souls like mine — and that is nearly all whose lives have been so empty and who paid little or no attention to their salvation — then their whole life has to be begun over again in this place of expiation. The soul has to perfect itself all over again, and love and desire Him, whom it did not love sufficiently on earth. This is the reason why the deliverance of some souls is delayed. God has given me a very great grace in allowing me to ask for prayers. I did not deserve it, but without this I would have remained like most of those here, for years and years more."