THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER FOR THE SUFFERING SOULS
"It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins” (2 Mach. xii.)
Prayer for the dead is holy, because pleasing to God; wholesome, because, through the merciful goodness of God it accomplishes its sublime and charitable object. Nothing is so pleasing to God as the sacrifice of love and mercy, especially when offered for the suffering souls, whom He loves most tenderly, because they are holy and sure of Heaven.
To relieve the suffering souls we can do scarcely anything more salutary than to gain indulgences applicable to them, offering to God the perfect satisfaction of Christ and the saints, and performing good works in their behalf, that they may be comforted or entirely delivered from the pains of Purgatory.
A suffering soul may receive an entire or a temporary remission of her penalty, in accordance with the indulgence applied, being either plenary or partial.
Prayer : Open, O Lord! the rich treasures of Thy holy Church, in favor of the souls in Purgatory that they may receive full pardon, or, at least some relief in their pains; and grant us grace to deliver and to comfort a great number of suffering souls by prayer and good works. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Special Intercession : Pray for the souls, who, during their earthly career, endeavored to gain many indulgences for the faithful departed.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen.
(Three times)
Practice : Apply all the indulgences you can gain to the souls in Purgatory.
Invocation : My Jesus, mercy!
