Rinaldo Wurglitsch via Flickr, licensed cc
What is All Souls Day?
Today, we celebrated all of the canonized saints of the church for All Saints Day.
But on November 2, the church focuses on the rest of the communion of saints – the unknown saints, but more particularly, the saint wannabees, the poor souls, the souls in purgatory.
I am at a point in life where I know quite a significant number of people who had died. Many of my friends have lost parents, siblings, perhaps children, and even spouses. In her mercy, the church encourages us to pray for the souls of our beloved dead and to remember that living or dead, we are all part of the family of God, a part of the communion of saints.
Praying for the Dead
I wasn’t always that good about praying for the dead. I would remember them during that part of the mass, and probably on their birthdays or date of death if I remembered. But I didn’t have a systematic set time for praying for the dead in my life.
My mother was always good at that though, as is my sister. When I was in high school, two boys who tormented my sister and me mercilessly died in a terrible car accident. My sister would always remember them during the part of the mass where we remember the dead. It was part of her mental routine during mass. Sis told me that one day at mass, over 30 years later, she got a strong sense that she no longer had to pray for them – that they had finally been perfected for heaven.
From time to time, I’ll get a thought in my mind of someone I used to know, who is now departed. Maybe the kid’s old piano teacher, or Mr. Wolverton who use to drive us kids to band practice , or Uncle Harry, who really wasn’t my uncle at all, but a nice friend of my grandfather’s who put up with the shows my sister and I use to put on way too often. I think maybe that’s a sign that I need to pray for them, or they can use those prayers for someone else. I try to say a quick prayer then.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to find the grave of my grandparents and my uncle. Their graves were overgrown and looked untended, uncared for, and unloved and I felt ashamed. Because I did love them all very deeply. I know my sister and I will always have a special place in our hearts for them. Yet the state of their graves reflected the state of my practice of praying for their souls. I knew that I had to be more deliberate in praying for their souls.
That November I made a promise to turn that around and this November I encourage all of you to do the same. In the liturgical year, during the month of November the Catholic Church remembers all of the dearly departed in a special way.
Ways to Honor the Dearly Departed
In past years, I have taken pictures of all of my beloved dead relatives and friends and put them in a prominent place so that we remember to pray for them every day during the month. I talk to the children about each one and remind them of the importance of prayer for the deceased.
Now, I have a lot of deceased relatives and friends, so I keep their holy cards from their funerals in a basket and I have that on the table so that we can remember all of them at each meal.
Earning an Indulgence.
The Catholic Culture Site reminds us that we may earn indulgences for the souls in purgatory. Many souls die in a state of grace but are still in the process of purification before death. They are in purgatory awaiting entrance to heaven.
I explained it to my granddaughter this way: If the worst mass murderer ever suddenly realized that he was sorry for all of his sins and crimes just before his sudden death, he would truly be forgiven. But he would not be ready to enter heaven. It’s like someone who wants to run track. One doesn’t just put on a pair of running shoes and show up at a competition. It requires proper training for months before that first race. Likewise, a piano student wouldn’t just sit down for her first recital without spending a lot of time picking out a performance piece and practicing it before the big performance.
A consequence for a life of sin, even if that sin has been forgiven, is needing to be purified and learning to be in holiness. That is what Purgatory is for.
We can help the souls in purgatory by praying for them, and offering up sacrifices for their benefit. We can also obtain indulgences for them.
Praying for the Dead and Gaining Indulgences During November
In November, we have a special chance to earn indulgences for the souls in purgatory.
How to earn an indulgence.
A partial indulgence can be obtained by devoutly visiting a cemetery and praying for the departed, even if the prayer is only mental.
But in November, one can gain a plenary indulgence (full pardon for the consequences of sin) by visiting a cemetery each day between November 1 and November 8. These are applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory.
You can also gain a plenary indulgence by visiting a church or public oratory on November 2 and praying the Our Father and the Creed.
A partial indulgence can be applied to the souls in purgatory by saying the Requiem aeternam – Eternal Rest Prayer
Requiem aeternam dona ei (eis), Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei (eis). Requiescat (-ant) in pace Amen.
Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.Many families add to the “Prayer Before Meals” the second half of the “Eternal Rest” prayer:
Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts,
Which we are about to receive,
from Thy bounty,
through Christ, our Lord, Amen.
And may the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace. Amen.
Other families recite the “Eternal Rest” prayer in between decades of the rosary.Other conditions in gaining an indulgence.
From Catholic Culture:
A Plenary Indulgence can be gained only once per day. The faithful must be in the
state of grace and these three conditions must accompany the prescribed act:
- The faithful must receive the sacrament of confession, either eight days before or after the pious act is performed,
- Receive Holy Communion on that day
- and recite prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father (one Our Father and one Hail Mary is the minimum, but any other additional prayers may be added).
Visiting the cemetery
As the beauty of fall begins to fade try to visit the grave of a deceased loved one, or if you’re not near the graves of any family members, just go to a local cemetery and pray for the dead there.
We used Ancestry.com and Findagrave.com to find some of my long-deceased ancestors and visited their graves
At the grave of my great, great -grandmother Emmeline Klinger
We also found the graves of Mr. Pete’s grandparents who both died in their 20s yet now have many descendants.
Finding Mr. Pete’s Grandparents – something he never had the chance to do before. They died when they were very young. It was a touching experience to find their graves and clean them up a bit.
If you have the means, you could also consider having Gregorian Masses said for a special loved one.
Resources for remembering the poor souls in purgatory during the month of November.
Susan Tassone Web Site on Purgatory
Simple prayer for the poor souls that you probably didn’t learn in Catholic School.
Rosary from Father Lovasick for the poor souls
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