HOW LONG DO SOULS REMAIN IN PURGATORY

HOW LONG DO SOULS REMAIN IN PURGATORY?

The length of time souls are detained in Purgatory depends on:

a) the number of their faults;

b) the malice and deliberation with which these have been committed;

c) the penance done, or not done, the satisfaction made, or not made for sins during life; 

d) Much, too, depends on the suffrages offered for them after death

What can safely be said is that the time souls spend in Purgatory is, as a rule, very much longer than people commonly imagine.

We will quote a few of the many instances which are recounted in the lives and revelations of the Saints.

St. Louis Bertrand's father was an exemplary Christian, as we should naturally expect, being the father of so great a Saint. He had even wished to become a Carthusian monk until he learned that it was not God's will for him. When he died, after long years spent in the practice of every Christian virtue, his saintly son, fully aware of the rigors of God's Justice, offered many Masses and poured forth the most fervent supplications for the soul he so dearly loved. 

A vision of his father still in Purgatory forced him to intensify a hundredfold his suffrages. He added most severe penances and long fasts to his Masses and prayers. Yet eight whole years passed before he obtained the release of his father.

St. Malachy's sister was detained in Purgatory for a very long time, despite the Masses, prayers and heroic mortifications the Saint offered for her!

It was related to a holy nun in Pampluna, who had succeeded in releasing many Carmelite nuns from Purgatory, that most of these had spent there terms of from 30 to 60 years!

Carmelite nuns in Purgatory for 40, 50 and 60 years! What will it be for those living amidst the temptations of the World and with all their hundreds of weaknesses?

St. Vincent Ferrer, after the death of his sister, prayed with incredible fervor for her soul and offered many Masses for her release. She appeared to him at length and told him that had it not been for his powerful intercession with God, she should have remained an interminable time in Purgatory.

In the Dominican Order it is the rule to pray for the Master Generals by name on their anniversaries. Many of these have been dead several hundred years! They were men especially eminent for piety and learning. This rule would not be

approved by the Church were it not necessary and prudent.

We do not mean to imply that all souls are detained equally long periods in the expiatory fires. Many have committed lesser faults and have done more penance.  Therefore, their punishment will be much less severe. 

Still, the instances we have quoted are very much to the point, for if these souls who enjoyed the intimacy, who saw the example and who shared in the intercession of great Saints during their lives and were aided by their most efficacious suffrages after death were yet detained for such a length of time in Purgatory, what may happen to us who enjoy none of these wonderful

privileges? 

- Fr. Paul O. Sullivan, O.P.

Prayer for Financial Help to Our Mother of Perpetual Help

Prayer for Financial Help to Our Mother of Perpetual Help

O dear Mother of all,

you who are the perpetual help,

not only in spiritual

but also in temporal needs,

we ask you to help us in the present

because of financial worries.

Due to unavoidable circumstances

that have arisen in our lives,

we are in great financial need

and shame has taken over our home,

as we are unable to meet our debts.

We are not asking, O dear Mother of

Perpetual Help, for wealth

if it is not in accordance with God’s will.

We are simply asking for divine

assistance to help us resolve our

present day obligations.

We believe, dear Holy Mother of God,

that you are extremely kind and

generous to all your loving

and dedicated children.

We therefore beg you, dear Mother,

to grant us the help we urgently need.

We are trying very hard to solve

our problem(s) with all our

humanly possible strength,

but we believe that with your

powerful intercession

with the Lord, Jesus Christ,

your Son and our Redeemer,

you can relieve us of these burdens.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Divine Mercy Chaplet: How to Recite

How to Recite the Chaplet

The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary Rosary beads of five decades. The Chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and followed by a closing prayer.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

8. Repeat for the remaining decades

Saying the "Eternal Father" (6) on the "Our Father" bead and then 10 "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion" (7) on the following "Hail Mary" beads.

9. Conclude with Holy God (Repeat three times)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

10. Optional Closing Prayers

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

O Greatly Merciful God, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy — to Your compassion, O God; and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth's exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, Who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You: anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will all through our life and at death's hour. Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation’s enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your [Son’s] final coming — that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: through His merciful Heart, as through an open gate, we pass through to heaven (Diary, 1570).

PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF YOUR FAMILY

PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF YOUR FAMILY 

“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit,

through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Amen.”

Eternal Father,

I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity

of Your Son Jesus,

in atonement for my sins and the sins of my family.

May the Blood and Water from the pierced Heart of Jesus

cleanse my family line of every stain of sin,

and remove every evil influence.

Amen.

Immaculate Mother Mary,

Please crush the head of the serpent

in the life of each member of my family,

and work your miracles of grace in each soul.

Please hold each member of my family (and me)

in your Immaculate Heart.

Amen.

Precious Blood of Jesus, wash over us.

Precious Blood of Jesus, wash over my family.

Precious Blood of Jesus, wash over me.

Eternal Father,

In the Name of Jesus,

please create an opening

in the soul of each member of my family.

And please give each member of my family

the graces of True Repentance

and Conversion to Your Son Jesus.

Please give each member of my family

the grace to experience Your Love,

and be transformed by It.

Amen.

Eternal Father,

In the Name of Your Son Jesus,

please send an honor guard of angels to surround,

protect, defend, guide, guard, assist and minister to

each member of my family (and me)

today, and everyday.

Amen.

Angels from heaven, direct my path.

Saints in heaven, pray for us.

“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit,

through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Amen.”

Litany of the Holy Angels Taken From Sacred Scripture

 Litany of the Holy Angels Taken From Sacred Scripture: (very long)

Lord have mercy upon us.

Christ have mercy upon us.

Lord have mercy upon us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

O God the Father of Heaven,

Have mercy on us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the World,

Have mercy on us.

O God the Holy Ghost,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God,

Have mercy on us.

St Michael, Prince of the Heavenly Army,

Pray for us.

Who had a great fight in Heaven with the Dragon and his Angels,

Pray for us.

Who threw the Dragon and his apostate Angels out of heaven,

Pray for us.

Who fought with the devil over the body of

Moses,

Pray for us.

St Gabriel, who opened to Daniel the divine Vision,

Pray for us.

Who descending into the furnace with Azaria and his companions shook off the flames of fire,

Pray for us.

Who foretold to Zachary the Birth and Ministry of John.

Pray for us.

Who being sent from God to Mary in Nazareth, the Messenger of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Pray for us.

St. Raphael, one of the seven spirits that attend before God,

Pray for us.

Who being a faithful guide to young Tobias, brought him back to safety,

Pray for us.

Who didst repel the Devil from Sara,

Pray for us.

Who didst restore sight to old Tobias,

Pray for us.

Holy Seraphim, which with a fiery coal didst purify the mouth of Isaiah,

Pray for us.

Holy Cherubim, who were appointed to guard the Way of the Tree of Life,

Pray for us.

Who stand upon the high throne of God,

Pray for us.

Who constantly sing to God, Holy, Holy Holy,

Pray for us.

Who in the habit of pilgrims were entertained by Abraham in his House,

Pray for us.

Who struck the Sodomites with blindness,

Pray for us.

Who brought out Lot and his family from amongst the impious Sodomites,

Pray for us.

Who hindered Abraham, after he had shewed his obedience, from offering his only son,

Pray for us.

Who ascended and descended by Jacob's Ladder,

Pray for us.

Who wrestling with Jacob wounded his thigh,

Pray for us.

Who delivered Jacob from all evils,

Pray for us.

Who passing by the houses of the Israelites killed the first-born of the Egyptians,

Pray for us.

Who led the Israelites out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and the wilderness, into the Land of Promise,

Pray for us.

Who delivered to Moses the Law of God,

Pray for us

Who resisted Balaam going to curse the Israelites,

Pray for us.

Who being Chief of God's army wert sent to the assistance of Joshua,

Pray for us.

Who for the sin of David, didst strike with plague seventy thousand people,

Pray for us.

Who procured food for Daniel in the Lion's den,

Pray for us.

Who killed in one night in the camp of the Assyrians, a hundred eighty-five thousand men,

Pray for us.

Who did sharply chastise Heilodorus, when he came to plunder the treasures of the Temple,

Pray for us.

Who did encourage Joseph, when he was fearful of the marriage of the Virgin Mary,

Pray for us.

Who did declare the Nativity of Christ to the Shepherds,

Pray for us.

Who at the birth of our Savior, did sing with joy, Glory to God and peace to men,

Pray for us.

Who didst admonish Joseph to fly into Egypt, with the young Child and his Mother,

Pray for us.

Who did serve Jesus in the wilderness, after He put to flight the Tempter,

Pray for us.

Who did comfort Jesus, when He was in His agony,

Pray for us.

Who did roll the stone from the Sepulcher of

Christ,

Pray for us.

Who sitting in white at the Sepulcher of Christ, did declare to the women that Christ was risen,

Pray for us.

Who did appear to the Disciples when Christ ascended into heaven,

Pray for us.

Who having taken the Apostles out of prison, did set them in public in the Temple,

Pray for us.

Who did wonderfully deliver Peter from his chains and from the power of Herod,

Pray for us.

Who killed Herod when he assumed divine honor,

Pray for us.

Who did carry Lazarus to Abraham's bosom,

Pray for us.

Who have received from God the care and custody of men.

Pray for us.

Who always see the face of the Father who is in heaven.

Pray for us.

Who rejoice for one sinner that do penance,

Pray for us.

Who are sent as ministering Spirits to help those that shall obtain the inheritance of salvation,

Pray for us.

Who are the Ministers of God to do His Will,

Pray for us.

Who did procure to Cornelius the Centurion the precepts of Salvation by Peter,

Pray for us.

Who carry the petitions of those that pray to God,

Pray for us.

Who will come in judgment with Christ in His majesty.

Pray for us.

Who shall cite all the world with a trumpet to the supreme tribunal,

Pray for us.

Who at the end of the world shall gather together the Elect.

Pray for us.

Who shall separate all scandals from the Kingdom of Christ,

Pray for us.

Who shall gather the wicked from among the just.

Pray for us.

All holy orders of blessed Spirits,

Pray for us.

From all dangers,

By Thy holy Angels deliver us, O Lord

From the snares of the Devil.

By Thy holy Angels deliver us, O Lord

From plague, famine, and war,

By Thy holy Angels deliver us, O Lord

From sudden and unprovided Death,

By Thy holy Angels deliver us, O Lord

We sinners,

Beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord

By Thy holy Angels,

We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord

That Thou wilt spare us,

We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord

That Thou wilt vouchsafe to govern and preserve

Thy Church,

We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord

That Thou wilt vouchsafe to give peace and unity to the whole commonwealth of Christians,

We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord

That Thou wilt vouchsafe to give eternal rest to all the faithful departed,

We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord

Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.

Spare us, O Lord

Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.

Hear us, O Lord

Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Our Father...

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil.

-A Psalm taken from various psalms:

Praise the Lord from heaven: praise Him on high

Praise Him, all His Holy Angels: praise Him all His Virtues

Bless the Lord, all ye His Angels, you who are mighty in strength: execute His word, hearkening to His spoken word.

Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts: you ministers of his that do his will.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for thee.

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion.

For He hath given His angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.

In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou

dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear Him: and shall deliver them.

Glory be...

I will sing praise to Thee in the sight of the angels

I will worship at Thy holy temple, and I will give glory to Thy name.

O Lord, hear our prayer.

And let our cry come unto Thee.

Prayer:

O God who in a wonderful order, disposest the services of angels and men; mercifully grant that they who in Heaven always wait Thy orders, may on Earth defend our lives, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.