November, marked by the transition from the vibrant hues of autumn to the onset of winter, holds a sacred significance in the Catholic tradition. As the leaves fall and the days grow shorter, reminding us that all earthly life comes to an end, the focus shifts to a profound and solemn devotion—the Holy Souls of Purgatory.
The Catechism teaches: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death, they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (CCC 1030)
The souls undergoing this purification make up the Church Suffering and are a part of the “communion of saints.” Having completed their life on earth and their opportunity to make reparation for their sins, they are no longer able to gain any spiritual merit. They are now completely dependent upon the prayers and generosity of The Church Militant – those of us still on earth fighting the battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. This is why we often refer to them as the poor souls. In Purgatory there is nothing they can do to alleviate their own suffering or the suffering of other souls there with them.
So we are in a unique position in that our merits here on earth can assist the holy souls if we intentionally offer to God our prayers, good works, sacrifices, and especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for their relief. For this reason, the Church gives us the month of November to explore the profound connection between the living and the faithful departed and to increase our devotion to these souls who depend on us to get them to Heaven.
We want to explore this connection, see what the saints have said about our privilege and duty to help the Holy Souls, and consider what practical steps we can take to participate in this selfless gift of love for our brothers and sisters undergoing the fires of purification.
Why is November Dedicated to the Souls in Purgatory?
November starts with the beautiful Feast of All Saints, a special occasion to honor all the faithful departed who have reached heaven. These saints comprise The Church Triumphant because they have attained victory over all sin and enjoy the Beatific Vision. They remain in close communion with us, assisting us with their prayers and interventions during our earthly journey. As St. Therese said, “I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” Many saints share this mission.
The day after All Saints is All Souls Day and shifts from a celebratory tone to one of prayer and penance. The rest of the month is dedicated to them. Why is this?
Because Sacred Scripture, the Church Councils, the Catechism, and the saints all teach that it is a good and pious practice to pray and do penance for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45, Council of Trent, Canon 13, Catechism #1032). And when we die, we will likely need the same charity shown to us. The Church knows we are prone to become lax in our devotions and so, in Her wisdom, She sets aside a month for this important spiritual work of mercy. And in her generosity, the Church has given us a special opportunity in the first 8 days of November. On each of the first 8 days, the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence for the poor souls, under the usual conditions (see below), by visiting a cemetery and saying prayers for the dead A plenary indulgence cancels out all the temporal punishment due to sin! We can free a poor soul every day from November 1st through the 8th!
But did you know the Church grants a plenary indulgence (under the usual conditions) any day of the year for any one of the following pius practices:
- Reading Sacred Scripture for 30 minutes
- Praying the Rosary in a group (like your family)
- Praying the Stations of the Cross in a church
- Or spending 30 minutes in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament?
If you gain the indulgence from any one of these practices it can be applied to yourself or to the poor souls.
Of course, whether or not we obtain the indulgence, our prayers for the poor souls bring comfort to them during their purification and potentially reduce the duration of their stay in Purgatory. It’s a mercy that the entire Church comes together in this shared effort to pray for the souls of all the departed. It’s a time of remembrance and a source of solace for those mourning the loss of loved ones. But it’s so much more – our devotions can result in a partial or total remittance of sin for these souls and by our intention to help them, we grow in love and merit before God. It’s a win-win, and that awareness should incite us to pray and sacrifice more fervently for them!
Key Catholic Feast Days in November
November is a month rich in liturgical celebrations. Some of the notable feast days in November include:
All Saints Day, November 1, is a Solemnity that honors all the saints both known and unknown who have attained heaven. It is a Holy day of (happy) obligation.
All Souls Day, November 2, is the reason for devoting the month of November to praying for the souls in Purgatory—the Church Suffering.
St. Gertrude the Great, November 16th, honors the Benedictine nun devoted to the souls in Purgatory. St. Gertrude’s prayer for the Holy Souls was given to her by Jesus with a promise to release 1000 poor souls each time it is devoutly recited.
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe is celebrated on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, just prior to the season of Advent honoring Jesus Christ as the King of all creation and the universe.
Catholic Saints and the Souls in Purgatory
Numerous saints have held a deep devotion to the Poor Souls, many of whom were mystics, and received visions of them pleading for prayers. Among them, are St. Gertrude the Great, St. Catherine of Genoa, and Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczinski.
St. Gertrude the Great, a 13th-century mystic, is known for her deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Souls. A Benedictine nun, her life centered on the Rule of St. Benedict in a pattern of prayer, work, and charity. She studied the Faith and wrote extensively in Latin, and she was blessed with many mystical encounters with Jesus. Her well-known prayer for the Holy Souls is below.
St. Catherine of Genoa, born in the mid-15th century, was particularly devoted to the holy souls and is now considered their patron saint. She too had many mystical visions, which she recorded in her book, The Treatise on Purgatory. St. Catherine experienced within her soul a real purgatory and had a deep understanding of what the Poor Souls experience and suffer there. She was given profound insights into the relationship between these suffering souls and God, the reasons why they suffer, and the fact that these Holy Souls willingly embrace Purgatory to be made perfectly pleasing in the sight of God.
Blessed Stanislaus Papczyński was a priest and founder of the Marian Order in the latter part of the 17th century. Fr. Papczynski was given three mystical visions, one of deceased soldiers imploring prayers for their souls and two visions of the suffering in Purgatory. After the second vision of Purgatory, Fr. Papczynski was deeply troubled in spirit and implored his community,
“I beg you, brothers, pray for the souls in Purgatory, [sic] because they suffer unbearable tortures.”
After this, the charism of the Marian Fathers, already focused on the Last Things, developed a greater emphasis on assisting the poor souls. To this day the Marian Fathers provide and encourage assistance to the poor souls through prayers, good works, and the Sacrifice of the Mass.
6 Ways to Grow in Devotion to the Poor Souls this November
Here are a few steps we can take to dedicate November to the Poor Souls.
- Visit a cemetery the first 8 days of November to obtain a Plenary Indulgence each day for a poor soul. Keep going there through the month and beyond, saying prayers for the dead while there.
- Make sacrifices for the poor souls by having a Mass said for them or praying a Rosary, a novena, or the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- As a family activity, the children can help make a poster listing all the dearly departed. We can put this on display so our family can be reminded to pray for our loved ones throughout November.
- Learn more about Purgatory by reading the Catechism and other writings of the saints.
- Have family discussions about death, preparing for death, Catholic funerals and burials, and the Sacrament of the Sick.
- Go to Confession regularly to make sure we are always in a state of grace so we can gain an indulgence for a poor soul and take care of our own.
Further Reading and Study on the Poor Souls
Several books provide valuable insights for those interested in deepening their understanding of this devotion.
- Charity for the Suffering Souls: An Explanation of the Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory, by Fr. John A. Nageleisen, discusses the existence of Purgatory, the state of the suffering souls, and the importance of our prayers for them.
- Purgatory: Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints, by Father F.X. Schouppe, S.J. reveals apparitions and revelations as experienced by many saints and pious souls.
- Stories about Purgatory & What They Reveal: 30 Days for the Holy Souls, by An Ursuline of Sligo, provides daily devotional prayers for the Holy Souls during November.
- Treatise on Purgatory, St. Catherine of Genoa wrote about the purpose of Purgatory, her own experience of the pain of Purgatory, and the great hope of the holy souls that they will see God and spend eternity in Heaven.
Prayers Honoring the Souls in Purgatory
In the Catholic tradition, many prayers are dedicated to honoring the Poor Souls. Here are a few to help us get started.
The Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great for the Souls in Purgatory
Eternal Father, I offer You the most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for all sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
Prayer for Our Faithful Departed
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Like the seed buried in the ground, you have produced the harvest of eternal life for us; make us always dead to sin and alive to God. Amen.
Eternal Rest Prayer
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
How to Gain a Plenary Indulgence
In The Catholic Catechism (560-566), by John A. Hardon, S.J., the conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence are explained with the understanding that since one must be free of all attachment to sin, only God knows when a plenary indulgence is actually granted. But if we aim for it, at least we can be assured of gaining a partial indulgence which certainly helps the poor souls.
- Perform the indulgenced act with the intention of receiving the indulgence.
- Receive Holy Communion (may be fulfilled several days before or after the act, but is encouraged on the same day).
- Prayers for the Pope and his intentions. This may be done by praying an Our Father and Hail Mary, or any other prayers selected by the faithful (may be fulfilled several days before or after the act, but is encouraged on the same day).
- Go to Confession within several days before or after the indulgenced act. This is interpreted to mean various things. Some sources say 8 days, some 20, and some several. It seems the best thing is to go just before or as soon as we can.
- One must be free from attachment to sin, even venial. We can ask God for the grace to be completely detached from sin, make an act of forgiveness to all who may have harmed us in any way, and ask forgiveness with the intent to repair any harm we have caused others.
One Sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences. But we must receive Communion and pray for the Holy Father each time we seek a plenary indulgence. We may only gain one plenary indulgence each day unless we are on the verge of dying in which case we may receive another.
Merciful Design
November serves as a poignant reminder that the bond between the Church Suffering and the Church Militant transcends the boundaries of life and death. And that bond has been designed by our merciful Lord to give opportunity for purification for the one and growth in selfless love for the other.
Fr. F.X. Schouppe points out in his book, Purgatory, that “By this admirable arrangement, whilst protecting the rights of His justice, our Heavenly Father multiplies the effect of His Mercy, which is thus exercised at the same time in favor of the Church Suffering and of the Church Militant. The merciful assistance which He allows us to give to our suffering brethren is of excellent profit to ourselves (emphasis added). It is a work not only advantageous to the departed, [sic] but also holy and salutary for the living (192-193).
Through our prayers and remembrance, we extend a spiritual hand to the poor souls, confident that our collective efforts contribute to their ultimate union with the Divine – and hoping with faith that others do the same for us when we complete our earthly journey.
