Thought for the Day – 9 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
INDULGENCES
“Indulgences, therefore, are an aid to repentance for sin, not a substitute for it. In granting them, the Church is only imitating the merciful spirit of Jesus Christ, Who was always compassionate towards sinners.
Let us do our best to make profitable use of the Church’s generosity on our own behalf and, on behalf of the Faithful Departed. Let us observe the necessary conditions in order to gain as many Indulgences as possible.
Every morning, we should make the intention of gaining all the indulgences which we can, during the day.”
Our Morning Offering – 9 November – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory”
By the Merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note: On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope. Pius VII, celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner which drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among participants which included the French Soldiers guarding him, who were ingreat amazement and awed disbelief, at the miraculous incident which had occurred. Pope Pius VII has since been elected as the Patron of the Diocese of Savona and the
Thought for the Day – 8 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Advantages of Devotion to the Souls in Purgatory
“The story is told of St John of God who, on one occasion, when he was finding it difficult to provide for the crowds of sick people, whom he had in his hospital, he went about the streets of Granada, crying: “My dear brothers, give alms to yourselves!” Many were astonished at these words but, the Saint explained that Jesus regards, as done to Himself, anything which we do for the poor and unfortunate and that, therefore, He repays the generous giver handsomely. Since the Souls in Purgatory, are poor and needy, it is certain that, whatever we do for them, will redound to our own advantage.
St Margaret of Cortona had a keen devotion to the Faithful Departed. It is related of her that when she was dying, she saw a band of blessed spirits descending from above, in order to escort her into Heaven. These were the countless souls whom her prayers had rescued from the pains of Purgatory.
“If only everyone realised,” the Cure d’Ars once said to a fellow Priest, “what great influence with God, the Holy Souls in Purgatory possess and, the vast number of favours which we obtain through their intercession, they certainly would not be forgotten. Let us pray earnestly for them and they will intercede strongly for us!”
“Whenever I wish to obtain some favour from our Heavenly Father,” said St Catherine of Bologna, “I have recourse to the Souls in Purgatory. I beseech them to present my petition to the Divine Majesty, in their name and through their intercession, my request is granted.”
Thought for the Day – 7 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
How We Can Help the Faithful Departed
“We have a natural obligation to help the faithful departed, for they are our fellow-men. Are we capable of watching another human being in agony, without feeling pity for him? If there is some way in which we can help him, moreover, ought we not to do so? The Holy Souls are in agony, however, they are on fire with the love of God, yet cannot be united to Him. We have a means of helping them through our prayers and good works.
There is a further obligation on us, arising from our religion. They have been redeemed, like ourselves, by the Blood of Christ and God has told us that the same degree of mercy, will one day be shown to us, which we have shown to others. The time will come when we also shall find ourselves in Purgatory and shall be in need of prayer. If we remember the dead now, they will be in a position, one day, to do the same for us. Blessed are the merciful, Jesus says, for they will obtain mercy.
When we appear before the judgement seat of God in order to account for the way in which we have spent our lives, He will count as done to Himself, whatever we have done to the poor, hungry and ill-clad. Only if we have been merciful towards them, will He receive us into the Kingdom of Heaven. Otherwise, He will send us away, accursed, for all eternity. Now the Souls in Purgatory are more unfortunate than those who are poor, hungry and homeless in this world. They hunger for God, they are full of regret for the sins which they have committed and they languish far from the eternal home, to which they belong.
Finally, we have a duty in justice, to help their souls. Some of them are our parents, brothers, sisters, friends and benefactors. Perhaps they are suffering now because they loved us too much because they wished to make money for us or because, they were led astray by our bad example! It is not only charity, therefore but justice, which obliges us to pray for them.”
Thought for the Day – 6 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Communion of Saints and the Souls in Purgatory
“The consoling Doctrine of the Communion of Saints, is the foundation of devotion towards the faithful departed. The universal Church, both on earth, in Purgatory and in Heaven, constitutes the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the channel of the Divine life of Jesus.
This life is not extinguished by death but only by mortal sin, which makes us like dead limbs separated from the vine which is Cbrist. The souls of those belonging to us who have died in the state of grace, therefore, are living members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Now, the different members of the human body, do not possess a separate life but are all co-ordinated and directed towards the good of the whole body. In the same way, all the members of the Mystical Body, whether they are exiles on earth, suffering souls in Purgatory, or blessed in Heaven, should help one another so as to promote the welfare of the whole.
The blessed in Heaven and the faithful departed certainly do this and we ought to do the same. We should preserve a bond of love and prayer between ourselves and our loved ones, who have departed from this life before us.”
Our Morning Offering – 6 Novemer – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory”
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the souls in purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
hought for the Day – 4 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
More About the Sufferings of Purgatory
“If I were to die now, in which region of Purgatory should I be likely to be confined? I have no way of knowing this but, there is something which I do know with certainty. I know that I should avoid the slightest offence against God that I should expiate my past sins by prayer and penance and, that I should pray for the suffering souls in Purgatory, for this is a Work of Mercy which is most pleasing to God.”
Our Morning Offering – 4 Novemer – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory”
My God! I Recommend to Thee … Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
My God! I recommend to Thee, the souls of my relatives, my benefactors, my friend, my enemies and of those, who are in Purgatory on my account. I recommend to Thee, the souls of Evangelical labourers, 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. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory” and the Feast of the Holy Souls in Purgatory
The Doctrine of Purgatory by Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva Doctor of Charity of the Church
From “The Catholic Controversy“ (originally published by Burns and Oates, London 1886) Translated by Rev Henry Benedict Mackey OSB (19th Century) English Canon of the Isle of Wight
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Apostolic Father of the Church
Receive in tranquility and peace, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, who have departed this present life to come to Thee. Grant them rest and place them in the habitations of Light, the abodes of blessed spirits. Give them the life that will not age, good things that will not pass away, delights that have no end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below That I may make reparation for my sins, … That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace With its burning flames. …
And, instead of acting like the merciless, Set merciful compassion within me, That, by showing mercy to the poor, I may obtain Your mercy.”
St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173) Armenian Bishop
“The more one longs for a thing, the more painful does deprivation of it become. And because, after this life, the desire for God, the Supreme Good, is intense in the souls of the just – (because this impetus toward Him, is not hampered by the weight of the body and that time of enjoyment, of the Perfect Good, would have come) had there been no obstacle. The soul suffers enormously, from the delay.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Angelic Doctor
“If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering Souls in Purgatory, God will ensure that help be not denied us, after death.”
St Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)
“The Holy Souls must sometimes think, reproachfully, how little their friends on earth do to aid them in their present sufferings. Among many other methods of aiding them, I can offer up for them all the pains of mind and body which God sends me, asking God to accept them in alleviation of the sufferings of the holy souls. This will help me to be patient and to suffer willingly and, when my time comes, I shall find that patient suffering for others, will shorten my time of banishment from God, in the fires of Purgatory.”
One Minute Reflection – 3 November – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints – All Holy Souls in Purgatory – 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 – John 5:25-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear the Voice of the Son of God. And they who have done good, shall come forth unto the resurrection of Life but they who have done evil, until the resurrection of judgement.” – John 5:28-29
REFLECTION – “We should consider, beloved brethren and we should reflect constantly that we have renounced the world and as strangers and foreigners, we sojourn here for a time (Heb 11:13). Let us embrace the day which assigns each of us to his dwelling which, on our being rescued from here and released from the snares of the world, restores us to Paradise and the Kingdom. What man, after having been abroad, would not hasten to return to his native land? Who, when hurrying to sail to his family, would not more eagerly long for a favourable wind that he might more quickly embrace his dear ones? We account Paradise our country, we have already begun to look upon the patriarchs as our parents.
Why do we not hasten and run, so that we may see our country, so that we may greet our parents? A great number of our dear ones there, await us, parents, brothers, children; a dense and copious throng longs for us, already secure in their safety but still anxious for our salvation! … There, are to be found, the glorious choir of Apostles, there, the throng of exultant Prophets, there, the innumerable multitude of Martyrs wearing crowns on account of the glory and victory of their struggle and passion, there, the triumphant Virgins … the merciful enjoying their reward, who have performed works of justice by giving food and alms to the poor, who, in observing the precepts of the Lord, have transferred their earthlyinheritance to the treasuries of Heaven!
To these, beloved brethren, let us hasten with eager longing! let us pray that it may befall us speedily to be with them, speedily to come to Christ. May God see this our purpose … Who will give, more ample rewards of His charity, to those whose longings for Him have been greater.” – St Cyprian (200-258) Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, Father (On Mortality 26).
PRAYER – O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants and handmaids, the remission of all their sins, that they may obtain, by our loving prayer,s the forgiveness which they have always desired. Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God. The Sixth Penitential Psalm.
Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord: 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 stand 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 plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”) Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And may perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory” and the Feast of the Holy Souls in Purgatory
“A person may say, I am not much concerned how long I stay in purgatory, provided I may come to eternal life. Let no-one reason thus! Purgatory fire will be more dreadful than whatever torments can be seen, imagined or endured in this world. He who is now afraid to put his finger into the fire, does he not fear, lest he be then all buried in torments, for a very long time?”
St Caesarius of Arles (470-543) Bishop, Father of the Church
“To assist the Souls in Purgatory, is to perform the most excellent of the Works of Mercy, or rather, it is to practice, in a most sublime manner, all the Works of Mercy together – it is to visit the sick; it is to give drink to thos who thirst, for the vision of God; it is to feed the hungry, to ransom prisoners, to clothe the naked, to procure, the hospitality of the heavenly Jerusalem for poor exiles; it is to comfort the afflicted, to instruct the ignorant — in fine, to practice all the Works of Mercy in one!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“It is said that souls who, in this life, have but little longing for Heaven are punished in Purgatory with a peculiar pain, called the pain of languor. This surely is only just because, to have but little longing for Heaven is to set little value on the happiness of that eternal Kingdom which our Lord opened to us, by His Death. Remember then, frequently to think of, and long for Heaven. Say to God that your life seems an endless span, so great is your desire to go to Him, to see Him face-to-face and, to love Him. Say to Him, over and over again, Lord, as long as I live on this earth, I am in danger of forsaking Thee and of losing Thy Love.”
“How pleasing to Him it will be, if you sometimes forget yourself and speak to Him of His own glory; of the miseries of others, especially those who mourn in sorrow; of the souls in purgatory, His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven and, of poor sinners, who live deprived of His grace.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Our Morning Offering – 2 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – All Souls Day and Our Lady of Suffragette
O Turn To Jesus, Mother! Turn To Our Blessed Lady for the Souls in Purgatory (1940) By Fr Frederick W Faber C.Orat (1814-1863)
O turn to Jesus, Mother! turn, And call Him by His tenderest Names; Pray for the Holy Souls that burn This hour amid the cleansing flames.
Ah! they have fought a gallant fight; In death’s cold arms they persevered And after life’s uncheery night, The harbour of their rest is neared.
In pains beyond all earthly pains, Favourites of Jesus! there they lie, Letting the fire wear out their stains And worshipping God’s purity.
Spouses of Christ they are, for He Was wedded to them by His blood And Angels o’er their destiny In wondering adoration brood.
They are the children of thy tears; Then hasten, Mother! to their aid; In pity think, each hour appears, An age while glory is delayed.
See, how they bound amid their fires, While pain and love their spirits fill; Then with self-crucified desires, Utter sweet murmurs and lie still.
Ah me! the love of Jesus yearns O’er that abyss of sacred pain, And as He looks, His Bosom burns With Calvary’s dear thirst again.
O Mary! let thy Son no more His lingering Spouses thus expect, God’s children to their God restore And to the Spirit His elect.
Pray then, as thou hast ever prayed; Angels and Souls, all look to thee; God waits thy prayers, for He hath made Those prayers, His law of charity! Amen
All Souls Day – (Will be celebrated tomorrow) The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed: Commemoration of the faithful departed in Purgatory. Abbot Odilo of Cluny instituted it in the Monasteries of his congregation in 998, other religious orders took up the observance and it was adopted by various Diocese and gradually by the whole Church. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy on this day and Pope Benedict XV granted to all Priests, the privilege of saying three Masses of requiem – one for the souls in Purgatory one for the intention of the Holy Father one for the Priest’s intentions If the feast should fall on Sunday it is kept on 3 November. Patronage: Monselice, Italy HERE: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/02/commemoration-of-all-souls-day-2-november/ AND: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/02/the-commemoration-of-all-the-holy-souls-in-purgatory-2-november/
St Ambrose of Agaune St Ambrose of Agaune St Amicus of Fonte Avellana St Amicus of Rambone St Baya of Scotland St Domninus of Grenoble St Erc of Slane St Eustochium of Tarsus St George of Vienne
Blessed John Bodey (1549-1583) Layman, Martyr, Husband and Schoolmaster. Born in 1549 at Wells, Somerset, England and died on 2 November 1583 at Andover, England by being hanged, drawn and quartered for the crime of being a Catholic and refusing to accept Elizabeth I, Queen of England, as the Head of the Church. Blessed John was Beatified on 15 December 1929 together with Blessed John Slade (feast day 30 October), by Pope Pius XI. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/02/saint-of-the-day-2-november-blessed-john-bodey-1549-1583-layman-martyr/
Bl John Bodey left and St Swithun Wells, right at Winchester Catholic Cathedral
St Jorandus of Kergrist St Justus of Trieste St Marcian (4th Century) Confessor
St Theodotus (c260–c335) Bishop of Laodicea(in modern Turkey), Philosopher, possibly a Physician, Theologian. He initially defended the Arians but after being provisionally excommunicated, he repented his stance and became a defender of orthodoxy. The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Laodicea in Syria, St Theodotus, a Bishop, powerful in words and adorned with good works and virtues.” His Life of Service: https://anastpaul.com/2024/11/02/saint-of-the-day-2-november-saint-theodotus-c260-c335-bishop/
Martyrs of Isfahan – 5+ Saints: Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus were Persian priests who were imprisoned, tortured, interrogated and Martyred in the persecutions of king Sapor II of Persia; he considered any Christian to be a Roman spy and anti-Persian.
Martyrs of Sebaste – 10 Saints: A group of ten soldiers in the imperial Roman army of Emperor Licinius Licinianus who were executed together for refusing to burn incense as a sacrifice to the emperor. The only details that have survived are five of their names – Agapius, Cartherius, Eudoxius, Styriacus and Tobias. They were burned at the stake in 315 in Sebaste
November The Month of “The Holy Souls in Purgatory” or of “The Church Suffering” or “The Faithful Departed”
Pope Clement XII. was the first who, in order to move the piety of Christians to pray for the souls in Purgatory, granted, by a Brief of 4 August 1736, Coelestes Ecclesiae thesauros – i. The Indulgence of 100 days to all the faithful, everytime that, at the sound of the bell, at the first hour after the evening Ave Maria, they say devoutly, on their knees, the psalm De profundis, with a Requiem Aeternamat at the end of, it. (The evening Ave Maria in Rome varies with the season; it is commonly taken as 6 o’clock.) ii. A Plenary Indulgence to those who perform this pious exercise, for a year, at the hour appointed, once in the year, on any one day, after Confession and Holy Communion. Those who do not know by heart the De Profundis, may gain these Indulgences by saying, in the way already mentioned for the De profundis, one Pater Noster and one Ave Maria, with the Requiem Aeternam. Observe also, that the aforesaid Clement XII. declared, on 12 December 1736, that these Indulgences might be gained by saying the De Profundis etc, as above, although, according to the custom of a particular Church or place, the “signal for the dead,” as it is called, be given by the sound of the bell either before, or after one hour after the evening Ave Maria. Pope Pius VI, by a Rescript of 18 March 1781, granted the above-named Indulgences to all the faithful, who should chance to dwell in any place where no bell for the dead is sounded and who, shall say the De Profundis or Pater Noster, as aforesaid, about the time specified above.
Applying Indulgences to the Faithful Departed
“By the practice of Indulgences, the Church places at the charitable disposal of the faithful, the inexhaustible treasure accumulated, from age to age, by the superabundant satisfactions of the Saints, added to those of the Martyrs and united to those of our Blessed Lady and the infinite residue of our Lord’s sufferings. These remissions of punishment, she grants to the living, by her own direct power but, she nearly always approves of and permits, their application to the dead, by way of suffrage, that is to say, in the manner in which, as we have seen, each of the faithful may offer to God, Who accepts it, for another, the suffrage or succour of his own satisfactions.” (The Liturgical Year,Abbot Prosper Guéranger OSB (1805-1875).
A Partial Indulgence may be obtained, by devoutly visiting a Cemetery and praying there for the departed, mentally or vocally. One may gain a Plenary Indulgence visiting a Cemetery each day, between 1 November and 8 November. These Indulgences are applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory.
A Plenary Indulgence, again applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is also granted when the faithful piously visit a Church or a public Oratory on 2 November. In visiting the Church or Oratory, it is required, that one Our Father and the Creed be recited and then the usual conditions are fulfilled, within 20 days.
A Partial Indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, can be obtained when the Eternal Rest (Requiem Aeternam) is prayed:
ETERNAL REST
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
The Holy Souls in Purgatory (due to having fallen on a Sunday) All Souls Day – The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed: Commemoration of the faithful departed in Purgatory. Abbot Odilo of Cluny instituted it in the Monasteries of his congregation in 998, other religious orders took up the observance and it was adopted by various Diocese and gradually by the whole Church. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy on this day and Pope Benedict XV granted to all Priests, the privilege of saying three Masses of requiem – one for the souls in Purgatory one for the intention of the Holy Father one for the Priest’s intentions If the feast should fall on Sunday it is kept on 3 November. Patronage: Monselice, Italy HERE: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/02/commemoration-of-all-souls-day-2-november/ AND: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/02/the-commemoration-of-all-the-holy-souls-in-purgatory-2-november/
St Acepsimas St Acheric of Vosges Bl Alphais of Cudot Bl Berardo dei Marsi Bl Berchtold of Engelberg St Caesarius St Cecilio Manrique Arnáiz St Clydog St Cristiolus St Domnus (6th Century) Bishop and Confessor of Vienne St Elerius St Englatius St Florus of Lodeve St Gaudiosus of Tarazona St Germanus St Guenhael St Hermengaudius of Urgell St Hilary of Viterbo
Innumerable Martyrs of Saragossa: A large group of Christians martyred in Zaragoza, Spain by Dacian during the persecutions of Diocletian. Dacian ordered all Christians of the city into exile under pain of death; when they were assembled to leave, Dacian ordered imperial soldiers to massacre the lot of them. They were Martyred in 304.
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Our Morning Offering –29 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Apostolic Father of the Church
Receive in tranquility and peace, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, who have departed this present life to come to Thee. Grant them rest and place them in the habitations of Light, the abodes of blessed spirits. Give them the life that will not age, good things that will not pass away, delights that have no end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 26 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Traditional Tuesday Prayer for the Poor Souls (By the Crowing with Thorns)
Lord God Almighty, 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 who 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 Morning Offering – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” and a Friday of the Passion
By the Merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
“May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace, amen.”
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Ignatius of Antioch (c35-c108) Apostolic Father of the Church
Receive in tranquility and peace, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, who have departed this present life to come to Thee. Grant them rest and place them in the habitations of Light, the abodes of blessed spirits. Give them the life that will not age, good things that will not pass away, delights that have no end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below That I may make reparation for my sins, … That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace With its burning flames. …
And, instead of acting like the merciless, Set merciful compassion within me, That, by showing mercy to the poor, I may obtain Your mercy.”
St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173) Armenian Bishop
“How pleasing to Him it will be, if you sometimes forget yourself and speak to Him of His own glory; of the miseries of others, especially those who mourn in sorrow; of the souls in purgatory, His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven and, of poor sinners, who live deprived of His grace.”
St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Our Morning Offering – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
The De Profundis Psalm 129
A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God. The Sixth Penitential Psalm.
Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord: 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 stand 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 plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”) Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And may perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Thought for the Day – 15 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Pray For Your Neighbour Excerpt from Chapter Three:VI
“Recommend to God with confidence not only your own needs but also the needs of others. How pleasing to Him it will be if you sometimes forget yourself and speak to Him of His own glory, of the miseries of others, especially those who mourn in sorrow; of the souls in purgatory, His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven and of poor sinners, who live deprived of His grace.
Pray to Him for sinners thus – ‘Lord, Thou art all goodness and worthy of an infinite love – how, then, canst Thou endure in the world, so many souls on whom Thou hast lavished Thy favours and who yet, have no desire to know Thee, who have no desire to love Thee, who even offend and despise Thee?’ Ah, my most amiable God, make Thyself known-make Thyself loved. Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come. May Thy Name be adored and loved by all men. May Thy love reign in all hearts. Do not let me depart from Thee without granting me some grace for the unhappy souls for whom I pray.”
Our Morning Offering – 11 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
My God! I Recommend to Thee … Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
My God! I recommend to Thee, the souls of my relatives, my benefactors, my friend, my enemies and of those, who are in Purgatory on my account. I recommend to Thee, the souls of Evangelical labourers, 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. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the Souls in Purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – “The Month and the Feast of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
“The Holy Souls must sometimes think, reproachfully, how little their friends on earth do to aid them in their present sufferings. Among many other methods of aiding them, I can offer up for them all the pains of mind and body which God sends me, asking God to accept them in alleviation of the sufferings of the holy souls. This will help me to be patient and to suffer willingly and, when my time comes, I shall find that patient suffering for others, will shorten my time of banishment from God, in the fires of Purgatory.”
Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Prayer for the Dead From My Prayer Book, 1927 By Fr Francis Xavier Lasance (1860-1946)
O God, whose property it is, ever to have mercy and to spare, we beseech Thee, on behalf of the soul of Thy servant, whom Thou hast called out of this world, look upon her with pity and let her be conducted by the holy Angels to Paradise, her true country. Grant that she, who believed in Thee and hoped in Thee, may not be left to suffer the pains of the Purgatorial fires but may be admitted to eternal joy. Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, Who with the Holy Ghost- liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen
“The example of the Saints should inspire us to practise great devotion to the Souls in Purgatory. We should ask them to obtain for us everything which we need but especially, the graces necessary for our eternal salvation!”
One Minute Reflection – 2 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – All Souls Day – 1 Corinthian 15:51-57; John 5:25-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear the Voice of the Son of God. And they who have done good, shall come forth unto the resurrection of Life but they who have done evil, until the resurrection of judgement.” – John 5:28-29
REFLECTION – “We should consider, beloved brethren and we should reflect constantly that we have renounced the world and as strangers and foreigners, we sojourn here for a time (Heb 11:13). Let us embrace the day which assigns each of us to his dwelling which, on our being rescued from here and released from the snares of the world, restores us to Paradise and the Kingdom. What man, after having been abroad, would not hasten to return to his native land? Who, when hurrying to sail to his family, would not more eagerly long for a favourable wind that he might more quickly embrace his dear ones? We account Paradise our country, we have already begun to look upon the patriarchs as our parents.
Why do we not hasten and run, so that we may see our country, so that we may greet our parents? A great number of our dear ones there, await us, parents, brothers, children; a dense and copious throng longs for us, already secure in their safety but still anxious for our salvation! … There, are to be found, the glorious choir of Apostles, there, the throng of exultant Prophets, there, the innumerable multitude of Martyrs wearing crowns on account of the glory and victory of their struggle and passion, there, the triumphant Virgins … the merciful enjoying their reward, who have performed works of justice by giving food and alms to the poor, who, in observing the precepts of the Lord, have transferred their earthlyinheritance to the treasuries of Heaven!
To these, beloved brethren, let us hasten with eager longing! let us pray that it may befall us speedily to be with them, speedily to come to Christ. May God see this our purpose … Who will give, more ample rewards of His charity, to those whose longings for Him have been greater.” – St Cyprian (200-258) Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, Father (On Mortality 26).
PRAYER – O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants and handmaids, the remission of all their sins, that they may obtain, by our loving prayer,s the forgiveness which they have always desired. Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 2 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
O Turn To Jesus, Mother! Turn To Our Blessed Lady for the Souls in Purgatory (1940) By Fr Frederick W Faber C.Orat (1814-1863)
O turn to Jesus, Mother! turn, And call Him by His tenderest Names; Pray for the Holy Souls that burn This hour amid the cleansing flames.
Ah! they have fought a gallant fight; In death’s cold arms they persevered And after life’s uncheery night, The harbour of their rest is neared.
In pains beyond all earthly pains, Favourites of Jesus! there they lie, Letting the fire wear out their stains And worshipping God’s purity.
Spouses of Christ they are, for He Was wedded to them by His blood And Angels o’er their destiny In wondering adoration brood.
They are the children of thy tears; Then hasten, Mother! to their aid; In pity think, each hour appears, An age while glory is delayed.
See, how they bound amid their fires, While pain and love their spirits fill; Then with self-crucified desires, Utter sweet murmurs and lie still.
Ah me! the love of Jesus yearns O’er that abyss of sacred pain, And as He looks, His Bosom burns With Calvary’s dear thirst again.
O Mary! let thy Son no more His lingering Spouses thus expect, God’s children to their God restore And to the Spirit His elect.
Pray then, as thou hast ever prayed; Angels and Souls, all look to thee; God waits thy prayers, for He hath made Those prayers, His law of charity! Amen
All Souls Day – The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed: Commemoration of the faithful departed in Purgatory. Abbot Odilo of Cluny instituted it in the Monasteries of his congregation in 998, other religious orders took up the observance and it was adopted by various Diocese and gradually by the whole Church. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy on this day and Pope Benedict XV granted to all Priests, the privilege of saying three Masses of requiem – one for the souls in Purgatory one for the intention of the Holy Father one for the Priest’s intentions If the feast should fall on Sunday it is kept on 3 November. Patronage: Monselice, Italy HERE: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/02/commemoration-of-all-souls-day-2-november/ AND: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/02/the-commemoration-of-all-the-holy-souls-in-purgatory-2-november/
St Ambrose of Agaune St Ambrose of Agaune St Amicus of Fonte Avellana St Amicus of Rambone St Baya of Scotland St Domninus of Grenoble St Erc of Slane St Eustochium of Tarsus St George of Vienne
Blessed John Bodey (1549-1583) Layman, Martyr, Husband and Schoolmaster. Born in 1549 at Wells, Somerset, England and died on 2 November 1583 at Andover, England by being hanged, drawn and quartered for the crime of being a Catholic and refusing to accept Elizabeth I, Queen of England, as the Head of the Church. Blessed John was Beatified on 15 December 1929 together with Blessed John Slade (feast day 30 October), by Pope Pius XI. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/02/saint-of-the-day-2-november-blessed-john-bodey-1549-1583-layman-martyr/
St Jorandus of Kergrist St Justus of Trieste St Marcian of Chalcis
Martyrs of Isfahan – 5+ Saints: Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus were Persian priests who were imprisoned, tortured, interrogated and Martyred in the persecutions of king Sapor II of Persia; he considered any Christian to be a Roman spy and anti-Persian.
Martyrs of Sebaste – 10 Saints: A group of ten soldiers in the imperial Roman army of Emperor Licinius Licinianus who were executed together for refusing to burn incense as a sacrifice to the emperor. The only details that have survived are five of their names – Agapius, Cartherius, Eudoxius, Styriacus and Tobias. They were burned at the stake in 315 in Sebaste (in modern Turkey).
1 November The Month of “The Holy Souls in Purgatory” or of “The Church Suffering” or “The Faithful Departed”
Applying Indulgences to the Faithful Departed
“By the practice of Indulgences, the Church places at the charitable disposal of the faithful, the inexhaustible treasure accumulated, from age to age, by the superabundant satisfactions of the Saints, added to those of the Martyrs and united to those of our Blessed Lady and the infinite residue of our Lord’s sufferings. These remissions of punishment, she grants to the living, by her own direct power but, she nearly always approves of and permits, their application to the dead, by way of suffrage, that is to say, in the manner in which, as we have seen, each of the faithful may offer to God, Who accepts it, for another, the suffrage or succour of his own satisfactions.” (The Liturgical Year,Abbot Prosper Guéranger OSB (1805-1875).
A Partial Indulgence may be obtained, by devoutly visiting a Cemetery and praying there for the departed, mentally or vocally. One may gain a Plenary Indulgence visiting a Cemetery each day, between 1 November and 8 November. These Indulgences are applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory.
A Plenary Indulgence, again applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is also granted when the faithful piously visit a Church or a public Oratory on 2 November. In visiting the Church or Oratory, it is required, that one Our Father and the Creed be recited and then the usual conditions are fulfilled, within 20 days.
A Partial Indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, can be obtained when the Eternal Rest (Requiem aeternam) is prayed:
ETERNAL REST
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 24 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
By the Merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our Redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered, 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
AnaStpaul 
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