Prayer and Devotions for the Holy Souls

In the Catholic Church, the month of November is traditionally given over to prayers for the Holy Souls. The most powerful form of prayer for the Souls in Purgatory is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A quote often used by Catholics in the UK is ‘Masses for our dead, not flowers’ and it makes perfect sense. Flowers decorate a grave but wither and die, with no benefit to the soul of the deceased at all. The benefit is for the donor and the surviving family members, often with pride as to how many wreaths have been donated. We have the opportunity to assist the Holy Souls in purgatory through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. They cannot help themselves but they do remember us with gratitude in their prayers.

At every Holy Mass, we enter into the timeless reality of the perfect and acceptable Sacrifice of Christ to the Father for our sake. And from that Sacrifice, immeasurable graces flow for all people and especially for those for whom the Mass is being offered. This is particularly the case for the deceased who may be undergoing purification in purgatory to prepare them for the joy of heaven. We can offer the Holy Souls no better comfort and solace than to attend a Mass for them, or have Masses said for them.

The post Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory in November first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #131102 ( 03min) Play – Today we pray, make sacrifices, and visit a cemetery for the faithful departed as an act of fraternal charity (indulgence).We turn to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, She who has been called the “Queen of Purgatory”, able to bring great relief and even release for many suffering souls, especially on Saturdays and on Her feast days.
Ave Maria!
Mass: All Souls – Solemnity – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: wis 3:1-9
Resp: psa 23:1-6
2nd: rom 5:5-11
Gsp: mat 11:25-30

Audio (MP3)

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The post Nov 02 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Pray for the Faithful Departed first appeared on AirMaria.com.