Prayer for the Faithful Departed

During November—especially November 2, All Souls Day—the Church encourages us to pray not only for our beloved departed but all the souls in purgatory. The Catechism tells us that prayer for the dead “is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective...it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins.” [2 Macc 12:46] Such prayer is affirmed by great saints:

• St. Monica, on her deathbed, told her sons: “Put this body anywhere! Don’t trouble yourselves about it! I simply ask you to remember me at the Lord’s altar wherever you are.”
• St. Gregory, a Doctor of the Church, said, “Do not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.”
• St. Cyril of Jerusalem said we should pray for those who have “fallen asleep before us, in the belief that it is a great benefit to the souls on whose behalf the supplication is offered.”
• St. Ambrose, Doctor of the Church, frequently spoke of our need to pray for the dead. “We have loved them during life,” he once said, “let us not abandon them in death until we have conducted them by our prayers into the house of the Lord.”

Praying for the dead is a great spiritual work of mercy. The Catechism says that when we pray for the dead there is a “perennial link of charity” between the saints in heaven, souls in purgatory, and those of us still living. What greater act of charity could there be than praying for those in purgatory?

Masses on Wednesday, November 2 (All Souls Day)

Mass for the Deceased of the Past Year