On All Souls’ Day, November 2, Roman Catholics commemorate and pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, undergoing purification of their sins before entering heaven. It is a great act of charity to pray for the holy souls and it is very much needed. Today we begin the nine-day novena.
Novena for the Holy Souls 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 HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY
[This prayer is should be repeated on each of the nine days at the conclusion of the 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.
[As you pray for the Holy Souls in purgatory, you can also request that they pray for you. Mention the favor you hope to obtain from God during this novena through their intercession.]
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 sinner/s, who [is/are] in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.
FIRST DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion, on these suffering children Thine; Make these Holy Souls partakers of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
SECOND DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
THIRD DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
FOURTH DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
FIFTH DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
SIXTH DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
SEVENTH DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
EIGHTH DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
NINTH DAY
Meditation: 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.
Pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary.
On Thy Spouses have compassion,
On these suffering children Thine;
Make these Holy Souls partakers
Of Thy happiness Divine.
Pray the O Most Sweet Jesus prayer.
Conclude the ninth day with:
Out of the Depths [De Profundis] Prayer
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.
NOTE: You may pray the De Profundis at the end of each day’s prayer, as it carries a partial indulgence.
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