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."

St Francis

Today is the feast of St Francis.  There are not many Saints which make an appearance in the Volumes but St Francis is one of them.  There is one passage where he speaks with Luisa and teaches how we can know if our state is the Will of God.


(Oops, wrong St Francis.  In this passage it is St Francis of Paola.  He lived as a hermit in the mid 1400's, followed St. Francis of Assisi and founded the Minim Friars or the "Least Friars."  St Francis of Assisi is mentioned only once briefly in Vol. 17, April 15, 1925.  There Jesus tells Luisa that people said that he was a "faithful copy" of Him and that people shouldn't take offence when he says he wants to make her a faithful copy of the Virgin.)

While in the midst of these cruel torments, last night, as I was in my usual state, I found myself surrounded by some people who were saying: “Recite a ‘Pater, Ave, Gloria’ in honor of Saint Francis of Paola, who will bring you some refreshment for your sufferings.” So I recited it; and as I did so, the Saint appeared, bringing me a little loaf of bread. He gave it to me, saying: “Eat it.”

I ate it, and felt all strengthened. Then I said to him: ‘Dear Saint, I would like to tell you something.’ And he, all affability: “Tell me, what would you like to say?”

And I: ‘I fear very much that my state may not be Will of God. Listen: in the first years of this illness, which occurred at intervals, I would feel Our Lord calling me to become a victim; at the same time I would be caught by internal sufferings and wounds, such that externally it appeared that I was having a fit. Now, I fear that it was my fantasy that produced these evils.’

And the Saint: “The sure sign to know whether a state is Will of God is that the soul is ready to do otherwise, if she knew that the Will of God was no longer that state.”

Not persuaded, I added: ‘Dear Saint, I have not told you everything. Listen: the first ones were at intervals; then, from the time when Our Lord called me to continuous immolation, it is twenty-one years since I have been always in bed – and who can tell my tribulations? Sometimes it seems that He leaves me, He takes suffering away from me, the only and faithful friend of my state; and I remain crushed without God, and even without the support of suffering… and so, doubts and fears that my state may not be the Will of God.’

And he, all sweetness: “I repeat to you what I have said to you before: if you are ready to do the Will of God, if you knew It, then your state is His Will.’

Vol. 8, April 8, 1908



Francis exemplified the virtue of poverty and Luisa as well, early on in the Volumes was called to this.  Here Jesus explains how she should adopt this.

Jesus calls the soul to a perfect conformity to his Will.  He wants from her absolute detachment from everything and perfect poverty.

He continued to tell me:  “From you I want perfect conformity to my Will, in such a way that your will may be undone within Mine; and absolute detachment from everything - so much so, that I want all that is earth to be considered by you as dung and rot, which one is horrified by just looking at.  And this because, even though one were not attached to earthly things, just by having them around and looking at them they cast shadow on the celestial things and prevent the fulfillment of that mystical marriage which I promised you.  Even more, I want that, just as I was poor, you also imitate Me in poverty.  You must consider yourself in this bed as a little poor one; the poor are content with anything they have, and they first thank Me, and then their benefactors.  The same for you:  go along with everything that is given to you without asking for this or that, which might be a hindrance in your mind; but with holy indifference, without thinking of whether it may do good or bad, comply with the will of others.”

Vol. 1



Francis was a forerunner of the Divine Will and in his Canticle of the Sun it can be seen the bonds he felt with all of Creation and his love of God which he saw visible in all his works.  It is as the foreshadowing to teach us how to do our rounds in the Divine Will in all Creation.  And in the last stanza that he added it shows how he valued Gods Will, recognizing that death does no harm to those found in God's Will.

The Canticle of Brother Sun

Most High, all powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor,
and all blessing.

 

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

 

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

          

Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars, in heaven you formed them
clear and precious and beautiful.

 

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through which
You give sustenance to Your creatures.

 

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

 

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful
and playful and robust and strong.

 

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains us and governs us and who produces
varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

 

Praised be You, my Lord,
through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.

 

Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

 

Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.

 

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will
find in Your most holy willl,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

 

Praise and bless my Lord,
and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

AMEN