Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great: 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 all sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen
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.
