For the Church, the month of November is dedicated to remembering and praying for the souls in Purgatory. While it’s always good to remember those holy souls in our prayers (as they cannot pray for themselves,) it is especially important to pray for them this month. One of the many ways you can help the poor souls enter the kingdom of heaven is by offering up indulgences on their behalf.
There are two types of indulgences–partial and plenary. If you need a refresher, this website does a great job explaining them. Below are a few options for gaining indulgences for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
- From November 1-8, you can receive a plenary indulgence for each day you visit a cemetery and say a prayer for the departed. The rest of the year the indulgence is only partial (and once again these are indulgences only for the soul in purgatory.) You must also receive communion on the day you wish to receive the indulgence and have gone to confession 20 days prior to or after the day you visited. Also, being completely detached to sin and praying a Hail Mary and an Our Father for the intentions of the Holy Father is essential for a plenary indulgence.
- Another easy way to gain a partial indulgence for a soul in Purgatory is to pray the Requiem Aeternam (Eternal Rest):
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.
Requiem aeternam dona ei (eis), Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei (eis). Requiescat (-ant) in pace Amen.
Also, a reminder that there are still three more Memorial Services (a Rosary and Benediction) this month. Please join us as we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ at:
- Holy Cross Cemetery Sunday, November 9th at 3pm with Fr. Thomas Kingsley
- St. Lawrence Cemetery Sunday November 16th at 3pm with Fr. Dennis Willey
- St. Peter’s Cemetery Sunday November 23rd at 3pm with Fr. Henry Kuluh
