PRAYERS FOR THE HOLY SOULS
One of the most consoling doctrines of the Catholic Church is that of
the Communion of Saints. All men, the saints in Heaven, we upon earth, the
souls in Purgatory, are members of one great family. By this "bond of
perfection" which unites the Suffering and Triumphant Church with the Militant
Church upon earth, incorporating them into one body, mutual charity becomes an
obligation. This reciprocal love, being the duty of all men, renders it
imperative that all should pray for one another, for in this general prayer,
offered mutually, Christian charity is most beautifully and eloquently
expressed.
From this general obligation,
we derive the special duty to pray for the suffering souls in Purgatory, who
are unable in their extreme distress to do aught for their own relief. It has
always been the belief of Holy Church that the faithful, united in the Communion
of Saints, can mutually assist each other. As the saints in Heaven pray for us,
so must we also offer our petitions for the suffering souls in Purgatory, that
God in His goodness and mercy, may mitigate and shorten their punishment, and
hasten their entrance into Heaven. It is the doctrine of the Church that the
faithful upon earth are really able to relieve the temporal punishment of the holy
souls in Purgatory. In this, says the Roman Catechism, "we
must praise the infinite goodness and mercy of God with greatest thankfulness,
that He has granted to human weakness the grace that one can make satisfaction
for another."
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Who hast said, "Where there are two or three
gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them," (Matth. xviii.
20) look
mercifully upon Thy holy Church, who implores Thy clemency in behalf of her
suffering members. End their intense pain, and open unto them the portals of
the heavenly Jerusalem, that they may praise and bless Thee forever and ever. Amen.
Special Intercession
Pray for those who, during the course of their earthly lives, did most
to relieve the souls in Purgatory.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord;
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
(200 days Indulgence to all who recite this prayer three
times every day.)
No comments:
Post a Comment