Hymns for the Release From Purgatory of the Holy Souls

The Heroic Act in Favor of the Souls in Purgatory

Prayers for Every Day in the Week in Aid of the Souls in Purgatory

De Profundis

Most Loving Jesus

Prayer for the Holy Souls

Offering of Daily Actions

Prayer for Deceased Parents

Prayer for the Souls of Priests

Prayer for the Souls of Religious

Prayer to the Heart of Jesus

An Offering of the Holy Wounds and Precious Blood

Novena for the Holy Souls

Prayer for and to the Holy Souls: Crown of Thorns

Short Prayers in Honor of the Eucharistic and Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Mother of Mercy

Our Lady of Intercession

Aspirations to be Said Devoutly for the Intention of Relieving A Holy Soul

Prayer to All Guardian Angels

Novena to Our Guardian Angel for the Holy Souls

About Purgatory

How We Can Avoid Purgatory

Rosary for the Holy Souls

DEVOTIONS FOR THE DYING

Three Very Beautiful Prayers

Prayer for the Dying

Little Acts of Praise and Thanksgiving

Prayer for the Conversion of Sinners

Prayer for A Happy Death

The Angel’s Prayer

Little Act of Entrusting A Soul to Mary

Prayer to Obtain A Special Favor

Novena to St. Joseph

Marian Offering of the Precious Blood

Precious Blood Offering

Offering of the Holy Face

Powerful Prayer To Save Souls

PRAYERS WRITTEN BY OR TO ST. GERTRUDE:

To the Sacred Heart

Act of Love to the Sacred Heart

Devout Affections On the Passion of Our Lord

Guardian Angel Prayer

Prayer to Free 1000 Souls From Purgatory: Promise Prayer

The Two Flower Prayers of St. Gertrude

Oblation Prayer

Offering to the Blessed Virgin

Thanksgiving for Graces Bestowed On St. Gertrude

Prayer Before Work

Acts of Praise in Honor the Most Blessed Trinity

Offering of Our Savior’ S Life to the Eternal Father

THE HEROIC ACT IN FAVOR OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

O MY GOD! for Your greater glory, and to imitate as closely as possible the generous Heart of Jesus, my Redeemer, and also to testify my devotion to the Blessed Virgin, my Mother, who is also the Mother of the Souls in Purgatory, I place in her hands all my satisfactory works, as well as the fruit of all those which may be offered for my intention after my death, that she may apply them to the Souls in Purgatory according to her wisdom and good pleasure. Amen.

This Heroic Act of Charity is the completely unselfish offering to God of all the satisfactory value of one’s prayers and good works — plus the value of any that might be offered for one after one’s death — for the benefit of the Souls in Purgatory, rather than for oneself. The “satisfactory value” of a good work is its value with regard to making up for our sins and reducing our stay in Purgatory. However, the “meritorious value” of our good works is inalienable, i.e., our merits, which give us a right to an increase of glory in Heaven, cannot be applied to anyone else. Moreover, a person who has made the Heroic Act may still pray for himself, friends and other intentions.

The Heroic Act is revocable at will and is not a vow. Its actual ratification depends on the will of God. By making this act with purity of intention, one is relying upon the mercy of God and the prayers of the Communion of Saints to assist his soul after death. The Heroic Act was approved and encouraged by Pope Benedict XIII [1724-1730].

According to the Raccolta of 1932: The faithful who make the Heroic Act in favor of the Souls detained in Purgatory, may gain an indulgence.” At the time this was a plenary indulgence with special conditions attached , such as attending Mass, receiving Holy Communion in supplication for the Holy Souls, etc.

His Holiness, Leo XIII, Jan. 17, 1888, granted to the faithful who shall perform some pious practice for the relief of the Souls in Purgatory, every day during the whole month of November, whether in public or in private, an indulgence of seven years and as many quarantines on each day of the month; a plenary indulgence, once during the same month, on any day of the month, on the usual conditions: confession and communion, and a visit to a church or public oratory, and there praying for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK IN AID OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

For Sunday

Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and amongst them all especially that soul which is most destitute of aid; and bring it to Thy glory. there to praise and bless Thee forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis.

For Monday

Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and amongst them all, especially that Soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory; that ,so it may soon begin to praise and bless Thee forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Tuesday

Lord God omnipotent, 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 which 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 Father, Hail Mary , and the De Profundis

For Wednesday

LORD God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed through the streets of Jerusalem when He carried the crust upon His sacred shoulders, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that Soul which is richest in merits before Thee; that so, on that throne of glory which awaits it, it may magnify Thee and bless Thee forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Thursday

LORD God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious body and Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He gave with His own hand upon the eve of His passion to His beloved Apostles to be their meat and drink, and which He left to His whole Church to be a perpetual sacrifice and life-giving food of His own faithful people, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which was most devoted to this mystery of infinite love; that, with Thy divine Son, and with Thy Holy Spirit, it may ever praise Thee for this Thy wondrous love in Thy eternal glory. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Friday

LORD God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son shed on this day, upon the wood of the cross, from His most sacred hands and feet, deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that Soul for which I am most bound to pray; that the blame rest not with me that Thou bringest it not forthwith to praise Thee in Thy glory and to bless Thee forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

For Saturday

Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the sight and to the extreme pain of His most holy Mother deliver the Souls in Purgatory, and especially that one amongst them all which was ever the most devout to this great Lady; that it may soon attain unto Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, world without end. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De Profundis

This once carried an Indulgence of 500 days for each prayer granted by the Pontiff 0f 1826 [Pope Urban VIII]. The De Profundis still carries an indulgence; the prayers are still traditionally said as they are efficacious for the relief of the Holy Souls. Additionally the November prayers for the departed faithful still carry indulgences, at the very least a partial.

MOST LOVING JESUS

Most Loving Jesus, I humbly beseech Thee, that Thou Thyself wouldst offer to Thine Eternal Father in behalf of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the Most Precious Blood which poured forth from the Sacred Wounds of Thine adorable Body, together with Thine agony and death. And do thou likewise, O sorrowful Virgin Mary, present unto Him. together with the dolorous Passion of thy dear Son, thine own sighs and tears, and all the sorrows thou didst suffer in His suffering, in order that, through the merits of the same, refreshment may be granted to the Souls now suffering in the fiery torments of Purgatory, so that, being delivered from that painful prison, they may be clothed with glory in Heaven, there to sing the mercies of God for ever and ever. Amen.

Absolve, O Lord, the Souls of all the faithful departed from every bond of sin, that with Thy gracious assistance they may deserve to escape the judgment of vengeance and enjoy the blessedness of everlasting light.

Eternal rest rant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. From the gates of Hell, Deliver their Souls, O Lord. May they rest in peace. Amen. O Lord hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful; grant unto the Souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins: that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Carried an Partial Indulgence and a Plenary under the usual conditions, if the prayers were said daily for an entire month. Granted by Pope Leo XIII, 1988.

PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS

O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the Souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of Hell and from the bottomless pit; deliver them out of the lion’s mouth, lest Hell should swallow them up, lest they fall into the outer darkness; but let Thy standard-bearer, Saint Michael, bring them back into Thy holy light, which Thou didst promise of old to Abraham and to his seed.

OFFERING OF DAILY ACTIONS

ETERNAL Father, by virtue of Thine generosity and love, I ask that Thou accept all my actions, and that Thou dost multiply their value in favor of every soul in Purgatory. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR DECEASED PARENTS

O GOD, Who hast commanded us to honor our father and mother, in Thy mercy have pity on the souls of my father and mother, and forgive them their trespasses; and make me to see them again in the joy of everlasting brightness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SOULS OF PRIESTS

O God, Who in the ranks of the Apostolic Priesthood hast caused Thy servants to be invested with the pontifical or priestly dignity; grant, we beseech Thee, that they also may be joined unto the everlasting fellowship of the same Thy priest. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SOULS OF RELIGIOUS

Incline Thine ear, O Lord, unto our prayers, wherein we humbly pray Thee to show Thy mercy upon the soul of Thy servant N., whom Thou hast commanded to pass out of this world, that Thou wouldst place him in the region of peace and light, and bid him a partaker with Thy Saints. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, according to Thy loving-kindness, have mercy upon the soul of Thy handmaiden N., and, now that she is set free from the defilements of this mortal flesh, restore her to her heritage of everlasting salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HEART OF JESUS

O GENTLEST Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the Poor captive Souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the Soul of Thy departed servant.

Be not severe in Thy judgment, but some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon him [or her], and send, O merciful Savior, Thy Angels to conduct him [or her] to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.

AN OFFERING OF THE HOLY WOUNDS AND THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

ETERNAL Father, I offer Thee the Holy Wounds of Thy Son, and His Precious Blood, for the conversion of sinners and for the relief of the Souls in Purgatory.

NOVENA FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

By. St. Alphonsus Liguori

Let us commend to Jesus Christ and His Holy Mother the Holy Souls in Purgatory, in particular those of our relatives, benefactors, friends, and enemies; especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and let us offer the following consideration and prayers for them, pondering over the great sufferings which these spouses of Christ endure.

PRAYER TO OUR SUFFERING SAVIOR FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

To be said every day during the Novena after the particular prayers for that day.

O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them, O Lord, have mercy on them.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst
suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst
suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst
suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst
suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst
suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou
didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

[Here recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory, and mention the favor you wish to obtain through this Novena.]

Blessed Souls, we [I] have prayed for thee; we [I] entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for us [me] miserable [a miserable] sinners [sinner], who are [is] in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.

FIRST DAY

Manifold are the sufferings which these Blessed Souls must endure, but the greatest of all is the reflection that their sins in life are the cause of their present torments.

Prayer

O Jesus, my Savior, I have so often deserved to be cast into Hell; how great were my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that that I, myself, had cause my damnation! I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance; have pity on me, and at the same time on those Blessed Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

SECOND DAY

The second pain which causes these Holy Souls much suffering, is the time lost in life, when they might have gained merits for Heaven; and the thought that they are unable to repair this loss, because the time of life and merit is passed.

Prayer

Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but Hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

THIRD DAY

Another great pain of the Holy Souls is caused by the hideous vision of their guilt, for which they now suffer. In this life the hideousness of sin is not seen as in the life to come; and this is one of of the greatest sufferings in Purgatory.

Prayer

O my God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

FOURTH DAY

The pain that still more afflicts these Holy Souls, the spouses of Jesus, is the thought of having, during life, displeased by their sins that God Whom they so ardently love. Some penitents have felt so much pain and sorrow in thinking of having, by their sins, offended so good a God, that they died of grief. The Souls in Purgatory understand far better than we do, the claims that God has to our love; they love Him with all their strength. Hence, at the thought of having offended Him during life, they experience pain that surpasses all other pain.

Prayer

O my God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I am sorry with my whole heart for having offended Thee. I promise to die rather than ever offend Thee more. Give me holy perseverance; have pity on me, and have pity on those Holy Souls that burn in the cleansing fire, and love Thee with all their hearts. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

FIFTH DAY

Another great suffering is caused these Holy Souls by the ignorance of the time of their deliverance. They are certain of being one day released, yet the uncertainty of the time when their Purgatorial term will have ended, gives them great pain.

Prayer

Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O lord, hadst cast me into eternal Hell; for far from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. O love Thee above all things, O infinite God, and I am sincerely sorry for having ever offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

SIXTH DAY

The Holy Souls are, indeed, comforted by the recollection of the Passion of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, since they know they are saved by the Passion of Jesus Christ, and have received, and still receive, so much consolation from Holy Masses and Holy Communions. Nevertheless, they are greatly pained by the recollection of their ingratitude for these two great gifts of the love of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

O my Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O supreme God; and I am more grieved at my offenses against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

SEVENTH DAY

A further great sorrow of these Holy Souls consists in their ardent desire for the Beatific Vision, Slowly and painfully the moments of their Purgatorial imprisonment pass by; for, they love God deeply, and desire to be delivered from their sad prison in order to praise Him forever.

Prayer

O God, Father of Mercy, satisfy this their ardent desire! Send them Thy holy Angel to announce to them that Thou, their Father, art now reconciled with them through the suffering and death of Jesus, and that the moment of their deliverance has arrived. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

EIGHTH DAY

Another bitter sorrow of these Souls is caused by the reflection that God had distinguished them by so many graces not granted to others, and that they compelled Him, by their sins, to condemn them to these sufferings, and that they had deserved Hell, and were pardoned and saved only by the mercy of God.

Prayer

O my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love, and deserve to be cast by Thee into Hell. But Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

NINTH DAY

Great are all the sufferings of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the fire, the grief, the darkness, the uncertainty of the time of their deliverance from prison; but the greatest of all these sorrows is this, that these Holy Souls are separated from their Divine Spouse, and deprived of His Beatific Vision.

Prayer

O my God! how was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou Thyself to me! henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee. grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin. Have compassion on the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in Heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

On Thy Spouses have compassion, On these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers Of Thy happiness Divine.

O Most Sweet Jesus, etc.

Conclude on the Ninth Day with:

OUT OF THE DEPTHS [De profundis]

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?

But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.

I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word. My soul waits for the Lord, more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord;

For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption;

And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who piously recite the De Profundis or Psalm 129.

Note: the De Profundis may be added at the end of each day’s prayers if you prefer as it carries an indulgence. Traditionally it is said on the ninth day of the novena, perhaps because the novena prayers and reflections take a little time when added to all your other daily prayers.

PRAYER FOR AND TO THE HOLY SOULS: CROWN OF THORNS

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace. Amen.

Then say 50 times:

O Wounds of our most holy Jesus, which cost Him so much sorrow and blood. O wounds most honorable, which were the source of His endless love for us, please have mercy on the poor suffering souls in Purgatory, and also have mercy on me, a wretched sinner.

Then say 50 times:

O Holy Souls, which have passed from this world into Purgatory, and who are awaited eagerly in Heaven, pray for me and ask for all the graces I need, and for which I beg the Divine Majesty.

SHORT PRAYERS IN HONOR OF THE EUCHARISTIC HEART OF JESUS

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who visit the Most Blessed Sacrament to adore It; a plenary indulgence is granted if the visit lasts for at least one half hour. If a visit to a church is not possible, these prayers are still efficacious as acts of love for Jesus Christ and merit grace for oneself.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, burning with love of us, enkindle in our hearts the love of Thee.

Blessed be the Most Sacred Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.

Blessed and praised be the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, increase in us faith, hope and charity.

May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus be praised, adored, and loved at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, furnace of Divine charity, give peace to the world.

I adore Thee, most Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.

Love, honor and glory to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.

Hail, saving Victim, offered for me and for all mankind upon the gibbet of the Cross.

Hail, Precious Blood, flowing from the wounds of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, and washing away the sins of the whole world.

Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy creature, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy Precious Blood.

My Lord and my God!

O Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us!

O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament most Divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!

Praise and adoration ever more be given to the most Holy Sacrament.

Jesus, My God, I adore Thee here present in the Sacrament of Thy love!

The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul unto everlasting life.

Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

O MOTHER OF MERCY

O mother of Mercy, help of Christians, most faithful minister of Divine Providence, treasurer of all graces, remember that never in the world has it been heard that thou hast left him without comfort who has come to thee with true devotion. Wherefore I, trusting in thy tender pity and in thy most generous providence, bend low before thee, praying that thou wouldst hear my prayer.

Obtain for me a holy provision for the future, namely graces for all my spiritual and temporal needs. I fervently recommend to thy loving motherly Heart our Holy Church, the Sovereign Pontiff, the conversion of sinners, the spread of the Catholic Faith, and those Souls chosen by our Lord, who are suffering the tormenting flames of Purgatory, that they may soon be comforted with eternal refreshment. Amen.

OUR LADY OF INTERCESSION

Most holy Mary, Our Lady of Intercession, whose maternal tenderness gathers in one embrace all the Souls redeemed by the Precious Blood of thy Son Jesus, we come before thy royal throne with sadness in our hearts as we remember those who have gone before us, but also with unlimited confidence in thine intercession. Death, which burst asunder the bonds of earth, has not destroyed the affection which binds us to those who lived in the same Faith as we do. O Mary, countless souls await with unutterable anxiety the assistance of our prayers, and the merits of our good works in that place of expiation. Urged by the charity of Jesus Christ, we raise our countenance and heart in supplication to thee, the compassionate Mother of all believers, in favor of those suffering Souls. Make our prayers of good effect, O Mary; obtain for them the power to move the Heart of Jesus our Redeemer through thy motherly intercession. Let thine incomparable holiness supply the defects of our misery, thy love make good our languid affection, thy power strengthen our weakness. grant, O Queen of Heaven, that the ardent desire of the Souls of the departed to be admitted to the Beatific Vision may soon be satisfied. We pray to thee, O Mother, especially for the Souls of our relations, of priests, of those who were zealous in honoring thee, of those who did good to the Souls of others, of those who wept with them and for them and finally, for the Souls of those who are forgotten.

Grant that one day, when we are all reunited in Heaven, we may be able to rejoice in the possession of God, in the happiness of thy dear presence, in the fellowship of Saints, thanking thee forever for all the blessings thou hast obtained for us, O Mother, who art our unfailing comfort. Amen.

Hail Mary three times, and once: Eternal rest give unto them. O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen.

ASPIRATIONS TO BE SAID DEVOUTLY FOR THE
INTENTION OF RELIEVING A HOLY SOUL

Hail, glorious Angel, appointed by God to be my guardian!

Hail, holy Angel, my protector in all dangers!

Hail, holy Angel, my defense in all afflictions!

Hail, holy Angel, my most faithful friend!

Hail, holy Angel, my guide!

Hail, holy Angel, my preceptor!

Hail, holy Angel, witness of all my action!

Hail, holy Angel, my helper in every difficulty!

Hail, holy Angel, my counselor in doubt!

Hail, holy Angel, my shield at the hour of death!

PRAYER TO ALL GUARDIAN ANGELS

O pure and happy spirits whom the Almighty selected to become the Angels and Guardians of men. I most humbly prostrate myself before thee to thank thee for the charity and zeal with which thou dost execute this commission. Alas, how many pass a long life without ever thanking their invisible friends, to whom they owe a thousand times their preservation!

O charitable Guardians of those Souls for whom Christ died, O flaming Spirits, who cannot avoid loving those whom Jesus eternally loved, permit me to address thee on behalf of all those committed to thy care, to implore for each of them a grateful sense of thine many favors and also the grace to profit by thine charitable assistance.

O Angels of those happy infants who are as yet “without spot before God,” I earnestly beseech thee to preserve their innocence.

O Angels of youth, conduct them, exposed to so many dangers, safely to the bosom of God, as Tobias was conducted back to his father.

O Angels of those who employ themselves in the instruction of youth, animate them with thy zeal and love, teach them to emulate thy purity and continual view of God, that they may worthily and successfully co-operate with the invisible Guardians of their young charges.

O Angels of the clergy, of those “who have the eternal Gospel to preach to them that sit upon the earth,” present their words, their actions and their intentions to God, and purify them in that fire of love that consumes thee.

O Angels of the missionaries who have left their native land and all who were dear to them in order to preach the Gospel in foreign fields, protect them from the dangers which threaten them, console in their hours of discouragement and solitude, and lead them to those souls who are in danger of dying without Baptism.

O Angels of infidels and pagans, whom the True Faith has never enlightened, intercede for them, that they may open their hearts to the rays of grace, respond to the message delivered by God’s missioners and acknowledge and adore the one true God.

O Angels of all who travel by air, land or water, be their guides and companions, protect them from all dangers of collision, fire, and explosion and lead them safely to their destination.

O Guardian Angels of sinners, charitable guides of those unhappy mortals whose perseverance in sin would embitter even thine unutterable joys, wert thou not established in the peace of God! Oh join me, I ardently beseech thee, in imploring their conversion!

And thou, O Guardian Angels of the sick, I entreat thee especially to help, console and implore the spirits of joy for all those who are deprived of health, which is among God’s most precious gifts to man. Intercede for them, that they may not succumb to despondency or lose by impatience the merits they can gain in carrying with resignation and joy the cross which Christ has laid upon them as a special token of His love.

O Angels of those are at this moment in the agonies of death, strengthen, encourage and defend them against the attacks of their infernal enemy.

O faithful Guides, holy spirits, adorers of the Divinity, Guardian Angels of all creatures, protect us all; teach us to love, to pray, to wage combat on earth, so that one day we may reach Heaven and there be happy for all eternity! Amen.

O Angels of those who are lingering in Purgatory, intercede for them that God may permit thee to bring them some balm; console them that they may know that we are praying for them and that we ask thee to join in our entreaties.

NOVENA TO OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL FOR THE HOLY SOULS – to be said for nine consecutive days

O holy angel, whom God, by the effect of His goodness and His tender regard for my welfare, has charged with the care of my conduct, and who assists me in all my wants and comforts me in all my afflictions, who supports me when I am discouraged and continually obtains for me new favors, I return thee profound thanks, and I earnestly beseech thee, O most amiable protector, to continue thy charitable care and defense of me against the malignant attacks of all my enemies. Keep me away from all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of listening attentively to thy holy inspirations and of faithfully putting them into practice, In particular, I implore thee to obtain for me the relief and deliverance of all the Souls in Purgatory, the ones who prayed for the Souls themselves while still on earth; the forgotten and abandoned Souls; the souls of my relatives and friends; the souls of priests and religious; the souls of all those to whom I am obligated by charity to pray for and may have neglected by laxity in memory; and most especially for the Soul I here name in this novena.

[Mention the person or think of him.]

Protect me in all the temptations and trials of this life. but most especially at the hour of my death, and do not leave me until thou hast conducted me into the presence of my creator in the mansions of everlasting happiness. Amen.

ABOUT PURGATORY

Preface

There is a place for the purification of Souls which, after death, are yet stained with venial sins, or have not yet entirely satisfied for their pardoned sins. The Holy Catholic Church teaches it. I believe it firmly. By the light of the flames of Purgatory, I better understand Thy holiness, Thy justice, Thy mercy, O my God! O Lord, inspire my soul with the horror of sin! Grant me the grace to atone for my faults here below! Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgments are right!

We present this small treatise to pious persons, entreating them to peruse it:

Long ago the Holy Ghost said: “It is a holy and wholesome thing to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins.” [II Macc. 12: 46] Our Lord shed tears in seeing the tomb of Lazarus, and the Church, well acquainted with the feelings of her Divine Founder, is incessantly recommending charity for the Souls suffering in Purgatory. One of her eminent Doctors, St. Thomas Aquinas, has said that: “Of all prayers, the most meritorious, the most acceptable to God are prayers for the dead, because they imply all the works of charity, both corporal and spiritual.

WHY WE SHOULD ASSIST THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

But there are many who are not conscious of the fact that charity for the “Poor Souls” is profitable to the living as well as to the dead. It is the teaching of the most learned theologians, such as St. Ligorius, St. Belleramin, Suarez, and St. Alphonsus Liguori, among others that: “It is true that they are unable to pray for or merit anything for themselves, yet when they pray for others, they are heard by God.…The Souls in Purgatory can pray for those who address to them their petitions, and obtain from God help, forgiveness, assistance against temptations, and, all favors, both temporal and spiritual, which they may need.”

Many Saints have experienced this wonderful assistance. St. Catherine of Bologna assured her sisters that: “She obtained many favors by the prayers of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, which she had asked in vain, through the intercession of the Saints.” St. Theresa affirms that: “She always obtained the favors which she asked from God, through the intercession of the Poor Souls.” We also read in the book of St. Brigid’s Revelations: “Being one day conducted by an Angel into Purgatory, she heard a Soul say: ‘O Lord, vouchsafe to reward those who assist us! Return hundredfold blessings to those who help us and introduce us into the light of Heaven.’ ” St. Leonard of Port Maurice emphatically affirms: “The Blessed Souls, delivered by our prayers, will come down from Heaven to assist us in our temporal and spiritual affairs.” The Venerable Cure d’ Ars, replying to a priest said: “If one knew that we may obtain from God by the intercession of the Poor Souls, they would not so much be abandoned. Let us pray a great deal for them, they will pray for us.”

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had a special devotion for the Souls in Purgatory and often accepted the charge of suffering for them. “Would that you knew,” she said, “how my soul was replenished with joy, when speaking to those Souls, and seeing them immersed in glory as in a deep ocean. As I requested them to pray for you, they replied: ‘An ungrateful soul is not to be found in Heaven.”

No, we cannot be deceived! if we have an ardent charity, a sincere piety, a true devotedness for the Poor Souls, we will be favored with their protection. Let us try it! When we are in trouble, when we long for a favor, let us perform some pious work for the relief of the “Poor Souls.” They will be grateful, they will plead for us, and present our requests to the Eternal Father, Who loves them.

THE INTENSE SUFFERING OF THE HOLY SOULS

Let us go with our Guardian Angel to Purgatory, to that place where the Divine Justice purifies Souls before they are admitted to Heaven. There we will meet our parents and our friends. Had this devotion no other advantage than that of reminding us of our departed ones, we should be grateful to God for such a consolation:

Our pains, they say to us, are beyond description. When separated from our body, we saw the face of God, our Supreme Good, the Infinite Perfection. Then would we rush into His bosom, but we were driven back by His justice, we were banished! Oh no! On earth below you will never understand our pain, our grief, because we are separated from God! Your troubles, your sorrows, are the mere shadow of our affliction. But we suffer through our fault. If we would return to our former place on earth, we would be glad to accept the hardest mortification in exchange for Purgatory.…Appease the Divine Justice with your good works, pay our debts, hasten the day when we shall enter Heaven, and then we will return our gratitude forever.

The soul of a pious lady, deceased at Luxembourg, appeared on All Saints’ Day to a young girl of great piety, to beg the assistance of her prayers. When the latter was going to church, when approaching the holy rails, she was followed bu the Soul. Outside the church it could not be seen. As the young girl inquired the reason for it, she was answered: “You cannot understand how painful it is to be away from god. I am attracted to God by impetuous transports, by intolerable anxiety, and I am condemned to live far away from him. My sorrow is so intense, that the ardor of fire, which surrounds me, is a lesser suffering. To soothe my pain, God, in His mercy, has allowed me to come into this church, and to adore Him, veiled under the Host, until I might see Him face to face in Heaven,” She entreated the girl to pray for her deliverance. It was done with so much fervor, that on the 10th of December, the soul appeared, as bright as the sun, going to Heaven. [Recorded in the Hoffmann Novenas booklet.]

During the long captivity, God’s people, sitting on the shores of the Euphrates, moaned and cried in remembering Sion. So the Souls in Purgatory, plaintive and doleful, long for the joys of the Heavenly mansion. They have had a glimpse of its glory and happiness, but because they were too much attached to earthly pleasures, they will be deprived, perhaps for a long time, of the celestial joys. They remember all the negligence of their former life, which now obstructs their way to heaven. What sorrows and remorse!

THE GRATITUDE OF GOD FOR OUR SUFFRAGES ON BEHALF OF THE POOR SOULS

Since God has granted us the power of paying the debts of the “Poor Souls” with our works and prayers, which are works as well, let us appreciate this immense privilege, and it is that, a privilege. A noble heart should be delighted in relieving the poor, in consoling the afflicted, in bringing peace and happiness to those who assist the Souls suffering in Purgatory, because they deliver them from the hardest captivity and they open to them the gates of Heaven. Moreover, our charitable deeds for the Holy Souls will secure for us the gratitude of God Himself. When our Lord said to His holy servant, St. Gertrude the Great, “A Soul is liberated by your prayers, I accept it, as if I had been Myself liberated from captivity, and I will assuredly reward you according to the abundance of My mercy.”

HOW LONG IN PURGATORY?

How long do the pains last in Purgatory? Nobody knows, but God has permitted some Souls to appear to friends and benefactors to announce their departure from heaven, but it has not occurred often, and we cannot draw any conclusions from such cases. The period of confinement in Purgatory is probably much longer than we are inclined to think. We ought to remind ourselves about the young girl in Fatima who had died during the seers’ visits with Our Lady. One of them, little Jacinta, asked about the Soul of their village acquaintance. Now, she was but a young girl, over the first age of reason, yet not an adult. Our Lady told the seers that the Soul of that girl would be in Purgatory until the “end of time.” How does this concern us? How much longer we have been given to live, with all the missed opportunities, the relapses into sin. If we were to die today, in the state of grace, as she did, but with unatoned sin or with unforgiven venial sins, what does this fact portend for our stay, at least in theory, as no two cases are perhaps equal in all things? And we say fact, because Our Lady said it, not from a rumor or speculation. She must have revealed this girl’s plight to the seers to move them and us to compassion for her Soul, and for them and us to resolve to stop offending God at all! And to make sacrifices for sinners who have no one to pray for them! As the vision of Hell inspired them!

Centuries may pass until Divine Justice is satisfied and the Poor Soul is so purified as to be admitted to the Vision of God. The Venerable Bede relates that it was revealed to Drithelm, a great servant of God, that the Souls of those who spend their whole lives in the state of mortal sin, and are converted only on their death-bed, are doomed to suffer the pains of Purgatory to the Day of Last Judgment. Father Faber, commenting on this subject, says very justly: “We are not to leave off too soon praying for our parents, friends, or relatives, imagining with a foolish and unenlightened esteem for the holiness of their lives, that they are freed from Purgatory much sooner than they really are!”

Let us consider the purity which is necessary to a Soul, before being admitted into the presence of God! Let us remember the multitude of our venial sins, and see what light penance we have done for them. On the Day of Judgment the book of our deeds will be opened, and then we will be obligated to pay the last farthing. How guilty we are in so easily abandoning the Souls who need our assistance so much!

ABANDONED SOULS

And supposing that we had delivered the Souls of our relatives and friends, have we emptied the prison of Purgatory? How many poor, abandoned Souls linger in such horrible pains, imploring the assistance of some charitable heart? Cardinal Belleramin has affirmed that: “Some Souls would suffer in Purgatory till the Day of Judgment, if they were not delivered by the prayer of the Church.” Therefore he authorized the foundation of Masses to be said in perpetuity.

Sister Denis, one of the first members of the Order of the Visitation, was a zealous promoter of the devotion of the “Poor Souls,” It was revealed to her that a prince, one of her relatives, had been condemned to suffer in Purgatory until the Day of Judgment. She offered herself as victim for the relief of this soul. On her death-bed she said to the Mother Superior that she had obtained for that soul the remittance of some hours of his pain. As the Superior wondered at this, she replied: “O mother, time in Purgatory is not counted as on earth; years passed here in sorrow, in poverty, sickness, in suffering, are nothing if we compare them with one hour in Purgatory!”

There are in Purgatory Souls abandoned even by their parents and their friends, and for whom on one cares. Forgotten is their life, no thinking of it anymore; forgotten is their name, their grave, which is visited no more; forgotten is the Soul lingering in the fire of Purgatory, and their pain is increased by our neglect. Particularly are those souls of young children who reached the age of reason, as we tend to think of them as blameless; the souls of religious and priests, whom we tend to think as holier than we are; the souls of those who have no family members who practice the Faith anymore, or the souls of converts who may not have a family of the Faith; those so long ago dead that their name are no longer known, but who may still be in Purgatory. And of course, the soul of that young girl from Fatima. How many of us remember this fact from Our Lady?

NINE RESOLUTIONS AND NINE PRACTICES: HOW CAN WE HELP THE POOR SOULS?

I resolve:

1. Everyday of my life I will pray or do some good work for the “Poor Souls.”
2. At night, in the examination of my conscience, I will question myself: “What have you done today for the relief of the Poor Souls?”
3. Be faithful in little things. Everything is great which is done for the Glory of God.
4. I will observe abstinence and fast prescribed by the Church, unless prevented by illness.
5. Each time I hear the clock strike, or otherwise note the passing of an hour, I will say: “Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them,” for the relief of a Poor Soul.
6. I will pray for the most abandoned Souls, making them my own.
7. I will endeavor to promote devotion to the “Poor Souls.”
8. I will offer the abandonment of our Lord Jesus, in His Passion, for the most abandoned Souls.

I will never miss the opportunity of assisting the Souls in Purgatory.

I can and must practice as many of these I can:

1. Pray to the Divine Heart of Jesus that he deign to enkindle many souls with an ardent charity for the Souls in Purgatory.
2. Encourage all the works established in the norms and grants of Indulgences, for the relief of the Holy Souls.
3. Perform this day an act of mortification or obedience for the relief of the “Poor Souls,” asking God to multiply its value because of His Passion.
4. Let us pray to Our Lord today to apply the merit of His death on the Cross to the Souls in Purgatory.
5. Would it not be a holy deed to form among relatives and friends, an association of seven members, so that each would employ a day of the week for the relief of the Holy Souls!
6. St. John Chrysostom recommended to every Christian family that they have a box in a convenient place in the home, into which they put pennies or some other sum, to be used to have Masses said for the dead.
7. Say the De Profundis each day for the Holy Souls. It is found Here. 8. Let us pray often and do some good works for the most abandoned Souls, such as the Souls of priests. Often during the day, say an indulgenced aspiration or offer a disappointment or a bodily pain as a cheerful sacrifice.

Give alms to the poor; insure your soul with prayers and good deeds against the fire of Purgatory. Money is useless at the hour of death, but your good works will follow you.

CAN WE AVOID PURGATORY? YES.

Many think it is practically impossible for the ordinary Catholic to avoid Purgatory. Go there we all must – so they say. They laughingly remark: “Well for us if we ever get there:” Alas!, too late, they will recognize how terribly rash their words are. As a consequence of such fatalistic ideas many make no serious effort to avoid Purgatory or even to lessen the term they may have to pass there. Thank God all do not hold such gloomy views.

How Can We Avoid Purgatory?

The reason we have to pass through Purgatory after death is because we have committed sins and have not made satisfaction for them. Every individual sin must be expiated in this life or the next. Not even the slightest shadow of sin or evil can enter the all holy presence of God. The graver, the more frequent the the sins the longer will be the period of expiation and the more intense the pain. It is not God’s fault nor God’s wish that we go to Purgatory. The fault is all our own. We have sinned and not made satisfaction. Even after our sin God, in His infinite goodness, places at our disposal many easy and efficacious means by which we may considerably lessen our term of expiation, or even entirely cancel it. Most Christians, with incomprehensible rashness, neglect these means and so have to pay their debts in the dreadful prison house of Purgatory. We will briefly enumerate some of the principal means by which we can avoid Purgatory or lessen its duration and severity.

1. The first means of avoiding Purgatory is the removal of its cause, sin. It may not be easy to refrain from all sin, even the small sins, but every ordinary Catholic can, by frequent use of the Sacraments easily abstain from mortal sin. We can also avoid deliberate and grave venial sin. It is an awful thing to offend the good God deliberately. Deliberation intensifies enormously the malice of sin and offends God much more than faults or weakness, or sins committed when we are off guard. We must do our best to avoid the habit of deliberate and malicious sin. A deliberate falsehood is much worse than a hasty lie of excuse and a lie resulting from the inveterate habit of lying is very much worse than a casual lie.

Resolution

We would be well advised to pronounce with special emphasis and fervor every time we say the Our Father the words: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” These are the very words of God Himself and repeated frequently will certainly obtain for us pardon of our sins, if we willingly forgive those who have injured us in some way.

2. The second means of satisfying for our sins in this life is by doing penance. “Do penance or you shall all likewise perish.” Do penance or you will burn long years in Purgatory. This is a terrifying thought and one that makes the bravest man shudder. Which of us does not tremble when we think of those who have been burnt to death in a slow fire? What fear would not be ours if we had to face a similar death? Yet their suffering was of relatively short duration. The incomparably fiercer fire of Purgatory, which we may have to face could last for a hundred years! Many people have such a horror of penance that they never dream of practicing it. It is their idea that penances are horrible. They think, perhaps of the severe penances of the great Saints, and are, of course afraid to try any thing of this kind. God does not ask us, as a rule, to do what is heroic. And in those times when He does, He gives us all the strength necessary, as in the case of the Saints. He asks each one to do a little. If we are afraid of doing much, let us do a little. No one but a coward is afraid to do a little, especially when he receives much in exchange. The easy road to heaven of St. Therese was to do little things. He will be equally pleased with our little penances. As a result of small mortifications we can deliver ourselves from the awful fires of Purgatory and amass rich merits in Heaven. Actually penance is not only easy, it is necessary and it will bring us great happiness. In fact, not to do penance is the greatest penance of all! Think how easily we eat the right foods to avoid bad healthy and a premature death; think of the sacrifices we made to get through training for a career, etc. Yet, we are prepared to do less to attain Heaven which is forever, while the others are but passing.

Resolution

If we are afraid to do much, let us be resolute in doing many little things.

3. The third means of avoiding Purgatory is very easy. It consists in making a virtue of necessity, by bearing patiently what we cannot avoid, all the more as suffering, born patiently, becomes easy and light. Suffering, if accepted with calmness and for God’s sake, loses all its sting. If received badly, in the spirit of revolt and with repugnance it is intensified a hundredfold, and becomes almost intolerable. Every one in this Vale of tears has to face sorrows innumerable and infinite in variety. Crosses light and crosses heavy are the lot of us all. Strange as it may seem these sorrows, which most of us would gladly dispense with, are in truth God’s greatest graces. They are the little shares He offers us of His Passion and which He asks us to bear for love of Him and as penance for our sins. Endured with in this spirit, they will lessen our time in Purgatory considerably and very possibly completely remove it with this difference – any time spent in Purgatory cannot and will not increase our merits in Heaven, but penances endured here on earth can increase our happiness in Heaven.

Resolution

Let us suffer with calmness and serenity for the love of God.

4. The fourth means of avoiding Purgatory is by frequent Confession, and daily Communion and daily Mass. Confession applies to our souls the Precious Blood of Christ, wipes out our sins, gives us light to see their malice, fills us with horror of sin, and above all, it gives us strength to avoid it. In Holy Communion, we receive the God of infinite mercy and love, the God of all sanctity, Who comes expressly to pardon our sins and help us to sin no more. He visited the house of Zaccheus once, and in that one visit Zaccheus obtained pardon for all his sins. How is it possible, that the same God of goodness and sweetness cam come, not into our houses, but into our very hearts in Holy Communion and not give us the same and even greater graces. He visited Zaccheus once, He visits us every day if we allow Him. The Mass is identical with the Sacrifice of Calvary, in its essence, in its value, in the graces it bestows. The Sacrifice of Calvary saved all the world, millions and millions of souls, and was sufficient to save countless other sinful worlds, had they existed. By assisting at Mass we can apply all these oceans of graces to our own souls, and not once, but every day.

Resolution

Let us go to Mass and Holy Communion every day if our state in life permits. We can do nothing better, One day with Mass and Communion is worth a 100 days without them.

5. The fifth way to avoid Purgatory is this simple little secret: God promises us in the most solemn and deliberate way [and He cannot fail to what He promises] that He will give us everything we ask in prayer, if it is good for us. Now two conditions, especially, make prayer infallible, namely perseverance and faith. God cannot refuse such a prayer. Those Catholics. who expressly pray every day of their lives that God will free them from Purgatory, in every single prayer and Mass, in every good act they perform, have the express intention of asking God first of all and with all their hearts to deliver them from Purgatory, have a strong expectation that this kind of beseeching on their part will lead to move God to not refuse their request. It is indeed, not easy, to see how God could refuse such persevering prayer. We exhort all visitors here to adopt this practice. The more they know and think on Purgatory, the more fervently will they make this prayer.

Resolution

Every time we say the Hail Mary let us say with all the fervor of our hearts the words: “Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

6. Some great Saints give us a sixth method of avoiding Purgatory. They say that when a sick person becomes aware that he is dying and offers to god his death with perfect resignation it is very likely that he will go straight to Heaven. Death is the awful punishment of sin and when we accept it, as of course we ought to do, with submission and resignation, our act pleases God do much that it may satisfy perfectly for all sins. The idea of Pope Pius X was the same when he granted a plenary indulgence at the hour of death to those who say at least after one Holy Communion the following prayer: “Eternal Father from this day forward I accept with a joyful and resigned heart the death it will please Thee to send me with all its pains and sufferings.” It will be better to say this prayer after every Holy Communion we receive.

Resolution

Let us say with special fervor each time we repeat the Our Father the words: “Thy will be done.” In all our troubles, small and great, let us do likewise. Thus everything is a merit. By this simple act we change sorrow to joy, the worries of life into gold for Heaven.

7. God has given us a seventh means of avoiding Purgatory, the Sacrament of Extreme Unction or the Last Rites, which according to St. Thomas and St. Albert was instituted especially to obtain for us the grace of a happy and holy death and to prepare us for immediate entrance into Heaven. Many Catholics do not understand this most consoling doctrine and, because they do not understand it, they prepare themselves insufficiently for the reception of this last Sacrament and so lose many of its great graces. Every Sacrament properly received produces its effects. Baptism cleanses us from Original Sin and any other actual sins that may have been committed by adults before receiving the Sacrament. In the same way the Last Rites or Extreme Unction as it used to be called, if devoutly received, prepares the dying Catholic for immediate entrance into Heaven, thus delivering him from Purgatory. How foolish it is, then, to put off receiving this Sacrament until very late when the dying person is too exhausted to receive it with full knowledge of what he is doing and with due fervor and devotion. The moment of death is the supreme moment in our lives. It is the moment that decides our fate for all Eternity.

Resolution

Let us use every means in our power to secure a happy and holy death, especially by receiving devoutly and as soon as possible this Last Sacrament.

8. God in His infinite mercy and compassion offers us a most wonderful and easy means for lessening or canceling our Purgatory. Fully aware of our weakness and knowing, too, how fearful many are of penance, He opens wide the treasury of His Goodness and offers most abundant Indulgences in exchange for some small act of devotion. For instance, those who say the short aspiration, “Sacred Heart of Jesus I place my trust in Thee,” 100 times a day for 30 years, gains 3,000 Partial Indulgences. Nothing can be easier than to acquire the habit of saying this little but most powerful prayer which carries a partial Indulgence; partial Indulgences are not limited to one a day as are plenary Indulgences; although, there are a number of these latter Indulgences to acquire throughout a life time and at the Moment of Death. These indulgences can be applied to our own souls or to the Souls in Purgatory who will see to it that our generosity will be rewarded.

Resolution

Let us strive to gain all possible Indulgences and to wear the brown scapular.

9. The ninth means of grace to avoid Purgatory is to become a member of a Third Order, that is a lay member of a religious order that has a Tertiary. Tertiaries share in many Masses and prayers. A most salutary means of helping the Holy Souls is to join the Association of Holy Souls. The conditions for doing so are easy. If the Association is not in your Parish, go to The Socity of Helpers US Province.

10. St. James the Apostle gives a tenth means of avoiding or reducing Purgatory. He says: “He who saves a soul saves his own and satisfies for a multitude of sins.” All of us in many ways can save souls:

• We can pray for them earnestly.
• By being good examples and not temptations to sin; by giving good counsel.
• Evangelization and Catholic action, spreading the word about the Church as the One Ark of Salvation.

THREE VERY BEAUTIFUL PRAYERS

These prayers are most efficacious to say for a dying person, and should be prayed often as an act of mercy.

There once was Pope in Rome who was surrounded by many sins. The Lord God struck him with a fatal illness. When he saw that he was dying he summoned Cardinals, Bishops and learned persons and said to them: “My dear friends! What comfort can you give me now that I must die, and when I deserve eternal damnation for my sins?” No one answered him. One of them, a pious curate named John said: “father, why do you doubt the Mercy of God?” The Pope replied: “What comfort can you give me now that I must die and fear that I’ll be damned for my sins?” John replied: “I’ll read three prayers over you; I hope you will be comforted and that you will obtain Mercy from god.” The Pope was unable to say more. The curate and all those present knelt and said an Our Father, then the following prayers:

1. Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ! Thou Son of God and Son of the Virgin Mary, God and Man, Thou Who in fear sweated blood for us on the Mount of Olives in order to bring peace, and to offer Thy Most Holy Death to God Thy Heavenly Father for the salvation of this dying person …If it be, however, that by his sins he merits eternal damnation, then may it be deflected from him. This, O Eternal Father through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Dear Son, Who liveth and reigneth in union with the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.

2. Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ! Thou Who meekly died on the trunk of the Cross for us, submitting Thy Will completely to Thy Heavenly Father in order to bring peace, and to offer Thy Most Holy Death to God Thy Heavenly Father in order to free …[this person] …and to hide from him what he has earned with his sins; grant this O Eternal Father! Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in union with the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.

3. Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ! Thou Who remained silent to speak through the mouths of the Prophets: I have drawn Thee to me through Eternal Love, which Love drew Thee from Heaven into the body of the Virgin, which Love drew Thee from the body of the Virgin into the valley of this needful world, which Love kept Thee 33 years in this world, and as a sign of Great Love, Thou hast given Thy Holy Body as True Food and Thy Holy Blood as True Drink, as a sign of Great Love, Thou hast consented to be a prisoner and to be led from one judge to another and as a sign of Great Love Thou hast consented to die and to be buried and truly risen, and appeared to Thy Holy Mother and all the Holy Apostles, and as a sign of Great Love Thou hast ascended, under Thy own Strength and Power, and sitteth at the Right Hand of God Thy Heavenly Father, and Thou hast sent Thy Holy Spirit into the hearts of Thy Apostles and the hearts of all who hope and believe in Thee. Through Thy Sign of Eternal Love, open Heaven today and take this dying person …and [remitted of] all [his pardoned] sins into the Realm of Thy Heavenly Father, that he may reign with Thee now and forever. Amen.

Meanwhile the Pope died. The curate persevered to the third hour, then the Pope appeared to him in body and comforting him; his countenance as brilliant as the sun, his clothes as white as snow, and he said: “My dear brother! Whereas I was supposed to be a child of damnation I’ve become a child of happiness. As you recited the first Prayer many of my sins fell from me as rain from Heaven, and as you recited the second Prayer I was purified, as a goldsmith purifies gold in a hot fire. I was still further purified as you recited the third Prayer. Then I saw Heaven open and the Lord Jesus standing on the Right Hand of God the Father Who said to me: ‘Come, all thy sins are forgiven thee, you’ll be and remain in the Realm of My Father forever. Amen!’ With these words my soul separated from my body and the Angels of God led it to Eternal Joy.”

As the curate heard this, he said: “O Holy Father! I can’t tell these things to anyone, for they won’t believe me.” Then the Pope said: “Truly I tell thee, the Angel of God stands with me and has written the prayers in letters of gold for the consolation of sinners. If a person has committed all the sins in the world, but that the three Prayers shall have been read [over him] at his end [death], all his sins will be forgiven him, even though his soul was supposed to suffer until the Last Judgment, it will be redeemed [freed].

The person who hears them read, he won’t die an unhappy death, also in whose house they will be read. Therefore take these prayers and carry them into St. Peter’s Basilica and lay them in the Chapel named the Assumption of Mary, for certain consolation. the person who will be near death, who reads them or hears them gains indulgences for some of the days he was supposed to suffer in Purgatory because of his guilt. Also who reads this Prayer or hears it read, the hour of his death shall be revealed to him. Amen!

PRAYER FOR THE DYING

MOST merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, wash in Thy Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and are to die this day. Amen.

Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying.

O St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus Christ and true Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us and for the dying today [or tonight].

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

LITTLE ACTS OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

Blessed be God for the conversion of [Name]! Blessed be Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of all graces, for the conversion of [Name]!

PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS

God of great mercy, Who deigned to send us Your only-begotten Son as the greatest proof of Your fathomless love and mercy, You not not reject sinners; but in Your boundless mercy You have opened for them also Your treasures, treasures, from which they draw abundantly, not only justification, but also all the sanctity that a soul can attain. Father of great mercy, I desire that hearts turn with confidence to Your infinite mercy. No one will be justified before You is he is not accompanied by Your unfathomable mercy. When You reveal the mystery of Your mercy to us, there will not be enough of Eternity to render You thanksgiving.

O Jesus, how sorry I am for poor sinners. Jesus, grant them contrition and repentance. Remember Your Sorrowful Passion. Jesus, give me the souls of sinners; let Your mercy rest on them. Take everything away from me, but give me souls. Let the shell of my body conceal my offering, for Your Most Sacred Heart is hidden in a Host, a living sacrifice. Transform me into a sacrifice for sinners, pleasing to You. I desire to atone each moment for poor sinners.…O my Creator and Father of great mercy, I trust in You, for You are Goodness Itself.

PRAYER FOR A HAPPY DEATH

O merciful Jesus, stretched on the Cross, be mindful of the hour of our death. O most merciful Heart of Jesus, opened with a lance, shelter me at the last moment of my life. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of unfathomable mercy for me [cleanse me of my sins and offenses]. O dying Jesus, Hostage of mercy, avert the Divine wrath at the hour of my death.

THE ANGEL’S PRAYER

MOST Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly.

I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. And through the infinite merit of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.

[3 times]

LITTLE ACT OF ENTRUSTING A SOUL TO MARY

IMMACULATE Heart of Mary, I entrust to thee the salvation of [Name], having great confidence that thou wilt save him [or her]!

PRAYER TO OBTAIN A SPECIAL FAVOR

In this prayer we ask St. Joseph to take our place in offering to God the Father the Precious Gift which He cannot refuse to accept.

O BLESSED Saint Joseph. tenderhearted father, faithful guardian of Jesus, chaste spouse of the Mother of God, we pray and beseech thee to offer to god the Father His Divine Son, bathed in Blood on the Cross for sinners, and through the thrice-holy Name of Jesus, obtain for us from the Eternal Father the favor we implore. [Name your petition.]

Appease the Divine anger so justly inflamed by our crimes; beg of Jesus mercy for thy children. Amid the splendors of eternity, forget not the sorrows of those who suffer. those who pray, those who weep; stay the Almighty arm which smites us, that by thy prayers and those of thy most holy Spouse, the Heart of Jesus may be moved to pity and to pardon. Amen.

NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH

To be prayed every day for nine days.

O GLORIOUS St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands, to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now implore [Mention your petition].

Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and seven joys of St. Joseph:

O Glorious St. Joseph! Through the love thou bearest to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist us.

MARIAN OFFERING OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

IMMACULATE Heart of Mary, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of sinners, especially [Name].

PRECIOUS BLOOD OFFERING

ETERNAL Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, in satisfaction for my sins, in supplication for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and for the needs of Holy Church [especially for the soul of (Name)].

OFFERING OF THE HOLY FACE

ETERNAL Father, I offer Thee the adorable Face of Thy Bloved Son, for thy honor and glory of Thy Name, for the conversion of sinners, and for the salvation of the liying. [Here you may add: especially (Name)].

POWERFUL PRAYER TO SAVE SOULS

By St. Therese of Lisieux

ETERNAL Father, since Thou hast given me for my inheritance the Adorable Face of Thy Divine Son, I offer that Face to Thee. I beg Thee, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to Thee and to pardon all poor sinners.

THE ROSARY FOR THE POOR SOULS IN PURGATORY

It is a practice earnestly recommended to all persons who desire to assist the “poor Souls.” It is said on your regular Rosary beads.

On the Cross: De Profundis or 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary.

DE PROFUNDIS (Psalm 129)

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?

But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.

I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word. My soul waits for the Lord, more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord;

For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption;

And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

On the Single Bead after the Cross:

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

On the next three beads:

ACT OF FAITH:

My God, I believe in Thee, because Thou art Truth itself.

ACT OF HOPE:

My God, I hope in Thee because Thou art infinitely good.

ACT OF CHARITY:

My God, I love Thee with my whole heart and above all
things, because Thou art infintiely perfect.

EACH OF THE FIVE DECADES:

10 TIMES:

Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

ONCE, after each set of 10 beads:

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

END WITH:

Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.

St. Joseph, model and patron of those who love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us.

NOTE:

Each of these prayers carries a partial indulgence each time they are devoutly said.

DEVOUT AFFECTIONS ON THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

It was revealed to St. Gertrude that reading and meditating on the Passion are far more useful and efficacious than all other spiritual exercises. As those who handle flour cannot avoid contracting some of the flour’s powdery substance, so no one, however imperfect his devotion may be, can occupy his mind with the Passion of Our Lord without receiving some benefit therefrom. And, however cold and lukewarm our devotion, Our Lord will look upon us with greater long-suffering and mercy if we never omit the memory of His Passion.

FIRST PRAYER

O Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal sweetness and jubilee of those who love Thee, remember all the presentiment of grief Thou didst endure from the moment of Thy conception, and especially at Thy entrance into Thy Passion, when Thou didst say: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; and when, by reason of Thy overwhelming dread and anguish and grief, Thou didst sweat, as it were, drops of Blood trickling down upon the ground. Remember all the bitterness of Thy sorrow when Thou wast seized upon by the Jews, accused by false witnesses, condemned by three judges, buffeted and smitten, spit upon, scourged, and crowned with thorns. O sweetest Jesus, I implore Thee, by all the sorrows and insults Thou didst endure, have mercy on me, a sinner.

SECOND PRAYER

O Jesus, paradise of the delights of God, remember now all the dread and sorrow Thou didst endure when Pilate pronounced on Thee sentence of death; when the godless soldiers laid the heavy Cross on Thy shoulders, and fastened Thee thereon with rude and blunted nails, cruelly stretching Thy sacred limbs so that all Thy bones could be numbered: I beseech Thee, vouchsafe to pronounce a merciful sentence on me in the day of judgment, and deliver me from all punishment. Amen.

THIRD PRAYER

O Jesus, Heavenly Physician, remember now the languor and the pain Thou didst endure when lifted upon the Cross, when all Thy bones were out of joint, so that no sorrow was like to Thy sorrow, because, from the sole of Thy foot to the top of Thy head, there was no soundness in Thee; when, notwithstanding, Thou didst put away the feeling of all Thine own griefs, and pray to Thy Father for Thine enemies, saying: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. By this, Thy charity and Thy mercy, grant that the dignity and worth of Thy Passion may be the entire remission of all my sins. Amen.

FOURTH PRAYER

O Jesus, mirror of the eternal splendor, remember now that sadness which filled Thy Heart when Thou didst behold in the mirror of Thy Divinity the reprobation of the wicked and the multitude of the lost; and by the depth of the compassion Thou didst show to the robber on the cross, saying: This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise, I beseech Thee, O compassionate Jesus, show me Thy mercy in the hour of my death. Amen.

FIFTH PRAYER

O Jesus, King most beloved, remember now the mournful desolation of Thy Heart, when Thou, forsaken by all, wert mocked as Thou didst hang on the Cross; when Thou didst find none to comfort Thee but Thy beloved Mother, who stood by Thy Cross to the last, and whom Thou didst commend to Thy disciple, saying: Woman, behold thy son, and to the disciple: Behold thy Mother. I beseech Thee, O compassionate Jesus, by that sword of anguish which then pierced her Heart, do Thou condole with me and console me in all my tribulations. Amen.

SIXTH PRAYER

O Jesus, inexhaustible fountain of pity, remember now that bitterness which Thou didst endure when, Thy strength being exhausted and Thy sacred Body dried up, Thou didst feel that burning thirst, and hadst not one drop of water to cool Thy parched tongue, but only vinegar upon hyssop; I beseech Thee that Thou wouldst extinguish in me the thirst of carnal concupiscence and worldly delights. Amen.

SEVENTH PRAYER

O Jesus, mighty King, remember now that when Thou wast plunged into the bitter waters of Thy Passion until they closed over Thy head, Thou wast forsaken not only by men, but by Thy Father also, and didst cry out with a loud voice, saying: My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? By this Thine anguish and dereliction, I beseech Thee, forsake me not in my last agony. Amen.

EIGHTH PRAYER

O Jesus, strong Lion of the tribe of Juda, remember now the sorrow and the woe Thou didst endure, when all the forces of Thy Heart and of Thy Flesh failed Thee utterly, and Thou didst bow Thy Head and cry: It is consummated. By this Thine anguish and Thy woe, have mercy on me at the end of my life, when my soul shall be troubled, and my spirit disquieted within me. Amen.

NINTH PRAYER

O Jesus, splendor of the Father’s glory and figure of His substance, remember now that earnest commendation with which Thou didst commend Thy Spirit to the Father, saying: Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit! and when, Thy most sacred Body being torn and Thy Heart broken, and all the bowels of Thy compassion laid bare for our Redemption, Thou didst give up Thy Spirit: I beseech Thee, by all that love which moved Thee, the Life of all that live, to submit to death, that Thou wouldst mortify and kill in my soul whatever is displeasing to Thee. Amen.

TENTH PRAYER

O Jesus, true and fruitful Vine, remember now the lavish, the excessive profusion wherewith Thou didst shed Thy Precious Blood, when on the Cross Thou didst tread the winepress alone, and wast crushed a s a cluster of ripe grapes; when Thou didst give us water and Blood from Thy pierced Side, so that not one drop remained in Thy Heart. Then wast Thou hung up as a bundle of myrrh, and Thy tender Flesh grew pale, and Thy moisture was all dried up within Thee, and the marrow of Thy bones consumed. By this Thy most bitter Passion, and by the shedding of Thy most Precious Blood, I beseech Thee, O most loving Jesus, wash my soul at the hour of my death with the water which flowed from Thy Sacred Side, and adorn it with comeliness in the Precious Blood of Thy sweetest heart, and render it acceptable in Thy sight in the fragrant odor of Thy Divine love. Amen.

OBLATION

Accept, O compassionate Jesus, this my prayer with that exceeding love wherewith Thou didst endure a bitter Death, and didst offer it , together with all the fruit of Thy most sacred Humanity, to God the Father on the day of Thine Ascension; and by the depth of those Wounds which scarred Thy Flesh and pierced Thy hands and feet and Heart, I beseech Thee, raise me up, who am steeped and sunk in sin, and render me well-pleasing to Thee in all things. Amen.

PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE TO THE SACRED HEART

This prayer is thought to be originally prayed by St. Gertrude and adapted by St. Alphonse Liguori; he is considered the author because of its final formulation.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and life giving fountain of eternal life, infinite treasury of the Divinity, and glowing furnace of love, Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary. O adorable and glorious Savior, consume my heart with that burning fire that ever inflames Thy Heart.

Pour down on my souls those graces that flow from Thy love. Let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one, and mine may in all things be conformed to Thine. May Thy will be the rule of both my desires and my actions.

ACT OF LOVE TO THE SACRED HEART

How great, O my Jesus, is the extent of Thine excessive charity! Thou hast prepared for me, of Thy most precious Body and Blood, a divine banquet, where Thou givest me Thyself without reserve. What hath urged Thee to this excess of love? Nothing but Thine own most loving Heart.

O adorable Heart of my Jesus, furnace of Divine Love, receive my soul into the wound of Thy most Sacred Passion, that in this school of charity I may learn to make a return of love to that God Who hast given me such wonderful proofs of His love.

GUARDIAN ANGEL PRAYER

O MOST holy Angel of God, appointed by God to my Guardian, I give thee thanks for all the benefits which thou hast ever bestowed on me in body and soul. I praise and glorify thee that thou condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assaults of my enemy. Blessed be the hour in which thou were assigned me for my Guardian, my defender and my patron. In acknowledgment and return for all thy loving ministries to me, I offer thee the infinitely precious and noble Heart of Jesus, and firmly purpose to obey thee henceforward, and most faithfully to serve my God. Amen.

PRAYER TO FREE 1000 SOULS FROM PURGATORY: PROMISE PRAYER

 

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well.

“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.”

Approval and Recommendation:
M. Cardinal Pahiarca at Lisbon,
Portugal, March 4, 1936

THE TWO FLOWER PRAYERS OF ST. GERTRUDE

Hail, White Lily, of the ever-peaceful and glorious Trinity!

Hail, Vermilion Rose, the delight of Heaven, of whom the King of Heaven was born and by whose milk He was nourished! Do thou feed our souls with the effusions of your divine influences.

Hail! Vivifying Gem of Divine Nobility!

Hail, Most Loving Jesus, Unfading Flower of Human Dignity! You are my Sovereign and only Good.

A MOST TENDER AND EFFICACIOUS OFFERING TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

O Sweetest Jesus, I beseech Thee, by the love which caused Thee to take flesh in the bosom of this most pure Virgin, that Thou wouldst supply for our defects in the service and honor of this most benign Mother who is ever ready to assist us, with maternal tenderness, in all our necessities. Offer to Thy beloved Mother, O amiable Jesus, the superabundant beatitude of Thy sweetest Heart. Show her Thy Divine predilection which chose her from all eternity, above all creatures, to be Thy Mother, adorning her with every grace and virtue. Remind her of all the tenderness which Thou didst manifest to her on earth, when she carried Thee on her bosom and nourished Thee with her milk. Recall to her Thy filial obedience to her in all things, and especially Thy care at the hour of Thy death, when Thou didst forget Thine own anguish to solace hers, and didst provide her with a faithful guardian. Remind her, also, of the joys and glory of her Assumption, when Thou didst exalt her above all the choirs of Angels and constitute her Queen of Heaven and earth. O good Jesus, make Thy Mother propitious to us, that she may be our advocate and protectress in life and in death. Amen.

THANKSGIVING FOR GRACES BESTOWED ON ST. GERTRUDE

To implore favors through her merits: God revealed to St. Gertrude that those who should thank him for the graces bestowed upon her would participate in her merits, and would obtain their petition provided it were for their eternal welfare.

O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, I praise, extol and bless Thee, in union with that Heavenly praise which the Divine Persons of the Most Holy trinity mutually render to Each other, and which thence flows down upon Thy Sacred Humanity, upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and upon all the Angels and Saints. And I give Thee thanks for all the graces Thou didst lavish upon Thy beloved spouse, St. Gertrude. I thank Thee especially for that ineffable love wherewith Thou didst pre-elect her from all eternity, didst enrich her so highly, didst draw her so sweetly to Thyself by the strongest bonds of love, didst unite her so blissfully to Thyself, dwell with such delight in her heart, and crown her life with so blessed an end. I recall to Thee now, O most compassionate Jesus, the promise Thou didst make to Thy beloved spouse, that Thou wouldst most assuredly grant the prayers of all who come to Thee through her merits and intercession, in all matters concerning their salvation. I beseech Thee, by Thy most tender love, grant me the grace.…[mention it] which I confidently expect. Amen.

PRAYER BEFORE WORK

O Lord Jesus Christ, in union with Thy most perfect actions I commend to Thee this my work, to be directed according to Thy adorable will, for the salvation of all mankind. Amen.

ACTS OF PRAISE IN HONOR THE MOST BLESSED TRINITY

I venerate and glorify Thee, O Most Blessed Trinity, in union with that ineffable glory with which God the Father, in His omnipotence, honors the Son and the Holy Spirit forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

I magnify and bless Thee, O Most Blessed Trinity, in union with that most reverent glory with which God the Son in His unsearchable wisdom, glorifies the Father and the Holy Spirit forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

I adore and extol Thee, O Most Blessed Trinity in union with that most adequate and befitting glory with which the Holy Spirit, in His unsearchable goodness, extols the Father and the Son forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

OFFERING OF OUR SAVIOR’S LIFE TO THE ETERNAL FATHER

O most loving Father, in atonement and satisfaction for all my sins, I offer Thee the whole Passion of Thy most beloved Son, from the plaintive wail He uttered when laid upon the straw in the manger, through all the helplessness of His infancy, the privations of His boyhood, the adversities of His youth, the sufferings of His manhood, until that hour when He bowed His head upon the Cross and with a loud cry gave up His Spirit. And, in atonement and satisfaction for all my negligences, I offer Thee, O most loving Father, the most holy life and conversation of Thy Son, most perfect in His every thought, word, and action, from the hour when he came down from His lofty throne to the Virgin’s womb, and thence came forth into our dreary wilderness, to the hour when He presented to Thy fatherly regard the glory of His conquering flesh. Amen.