Whenever I have the time and the strength, I love to plunder around on Archive’s site in hopes of discovering some long lost devotional book or booklet, and today I have one such treasure for you.
It’s a Novena entitled The Poor Souls’ Friend and it’s by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, a favorite of mine. It was published by the Redemptorist Purgatorian Society. There is a link to the booklet after the post.
By providing this Novena now, I’m hoping that some of you may decide to add it to your own Purgatorian Prayers for this beautiful month of mercy.
THE POOR SOULS’ FRIEND
NOVENA FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY
(By St. Alphonsus de Liguori)
Let us commend to Jesus Christ and His holy Mother the souls in Purgatory, in particular those of our relatives, benefactors, friends, and enemies; especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and let us offer the following considerations and prayers for them, pondering over the great sufferings which these spouses of Christ endure.
First Day
Manifold are the sufferings which those blessed souls must endure, but the greatest of all is the reflection that their sins in life are the cause of their present torments.
Daily Prayer
O Jesus, my Saviour, I have so often deserved to be cast into hell; how great were my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that I, myself, had caused my damnation! I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance; have pity on me, and at the same time on those blessed souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and the following:
PRAYER “O Most Sweet Jesus” for the Souls in Purgatory
To be repeated every day during the Novena.
V. 0 most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these blessed souls.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
V. 0 most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
V. 0 most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
V. 0 most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy Cross to Calvary, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
V. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
V. 0 most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
V. 0 most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy blessed soul, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, 0 Lord, have mercy on them.
(Here recommend yourself to the souls in Purgatory, and mention the favor you wish to obtain by this Novena.)
Blessed souls, we have prayed for you; we entreat you, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for us miserable sinners, who are in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.
Second Day
The second pain which causes these holy souls much suffering, is the time lost in life, when they might have gained merits for Heaven; and the thought, that they are unable to repair this loss, because the time of life and merit is passed.
Daily Prayer
Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth, and have earned naught but hell! I give Thee thanks, 0 Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. 0 Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Third Day
Another great pain of the holy souls is caused by the hideous vision of their guilt, for which they now suffer. In this life the hideousness of sin is not seen as in the life to come; and this is one of the greatest sufferings of Purgatory.
Daily Prayer
O my God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. And thou, Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Fourth Day
The pain that still more afflicts these holy souls, the spouses of Jesus, is the thought of having, during life, displeased by their sins that God Whom they so ardently love. Some penitents have felt so much pain and sorrow in thinking of having, by their sins, offended so good a God, that they died of grief. The souls in Purgatory understand far better than we do, the claims that God has to our love; they love Him with all their strength. Hence, at the thought of having offended Him during life, they experience pain that surpasses all other pain.
Daily Prayer
O my God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I am sorry with my whole heart for having offended Thee. I promise to die rather than ever offend Thee more. Give me holy perseverance; have pity on me, and have pity on those holy souls that burn in the cleansing fire, and love Thee with all their hearts. 0 Mary, Mother of God, assist them by thy powerful prayers.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Fifth Day
Another great suffering is caused these holy souls by the ignorance of the time of their deliverance. They are certain of being one day released, yet the uncertainty of the time when their purgatorial term will have ended, gives them great pain.
Daily Prayer
Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O Lord, hadst cast me into hell; for from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. I love Thee above all things, O infinite God, and I am sincerely sorry for having ever offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come, to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Sixth Day
The holy souls are, indeed, comforted by the recollection of the passion of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, since they know they are saved by the passion of Jesus Christ, and have received, and still receive, so much consolation from Holy Masses and Holy Communions. Nevertheless, they are greatly pained by the recollection of their
ingratitude for these two great gifts of the love of Jesus Christ.
Daily Prayer
O my Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O my God; and I am more grieved at my offenses against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Seventh Day
A further great sorrow of these holy souls consists in their ardent desire for the beatific vision. Slowly and painfully the moments of their purgatorial imprisonment pass by; for they love God deeply, and desire to be delivered from their sad prison in order to praise Him forever.
Daily Prayer
O God, Father of Mercy, satisfy this their ardent desire! Send them Thy holy Angel to announce to them that Thou their Father, art now reconciled with them through the suffering and death of Jesus, and that the moment of their deliverance has arrived.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Eighth Day
Another bitter sorrow of these souls is caused by the reflection that God had distinguished them by so many graces not granted to others, and that they compelled Him, by their sins, to condemn them to these sufferings, and that they had deserved hell, and were pardoned and saved only by the mercy of God.
Daily Prayer
O my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love, and deserved to be cast by Thee into hell. But Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I will rather die than ever again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
Ninth Day
Great are all the sufferings of the holy souls; the fire, the grief, the darkness, the uncertainty of the time of their deliverance from prison; but the greatest of all these sorrows is this, that these holy souls are separated from their divine Spouse, and deprived of His beatific vision.
Daily Prayer
O my God! how was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou shown Thyself to me! Henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee; I promise rather to die than to again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin.
Have compassion on the holy souls in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in Heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee.
Mary, Mother of Mercy, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the O Most Sweet Jesus Prayer
† . † . †
And a few more devotions from The Poor Souls’ Friend:
Act of Submission to the Will of God
My Lord and my God, even now I most willingly and cheerfully accept whatever form of death Thou wilt be pleased to send me with all its anguish, sorrow and pain. (Plenary Indulgence only at the hour of death, if this Act has been made devoutly under the usual conditions, at least once during life.)
By means of this indulgence it becomes easy for the faithful to secure the great blessing of a plenary indulgence at death, while they are still in good health. There is no other condition required save those mentioned.
Heroic Act of Charity for the Benefit of the Souls in Purgatory
The heroic act of charity is an offering of all works of satisfaction we may gain during life and all the suffrages which may be offered for us after death. We place this offering in the hands of our Blessed Lady, leaving her to apply it as she sees fit, for the comfort or delivery of the souls in Purgatory. This gift does not prevent us from working or praying for ourselves, for our relations, or for others. It is simply the giving of the satisfactory value of our works and prayers to the Blessed Virgin. The merit of our actions and their power of intercession are still our own.
St. Ambrose says: “All that we give through charity to the souls in Purgatory, is changed into graces for us, and after our death we shall find the merit of it increased in our regard a hundredfold.”
Heroic Act of Love, or Offering of All Our Satisfactory Works for the Souls in Purgatory
I, ____________________, renounce in favor of the suffering souls in Purgatory the satisfactory portion of all the good works which, with the assistance of divine grace, I from this day shall perform, as also all the prayers and satisfactory works which may, after my death, be applied to my benefit, and I place them all in the hands of the Most Blessed Virgin, that this Mother of Mercy may dispose of them according to her pleasure. Amen. (It is not absolutely necessary to make use of this form. The intention is sufficient; but it is good and useful to frame the expression of the inward act and renew it outwardly from time to time.)
- A plenary indulgence applicable only to the souls in Purgatory, every day Holy Communion is received, under the usual conditions.
- A plenary indulgence every Monday for those who hear Mass for the souls in Purgatory. All those who are unavoidably hindered from hearing Mass on a Monday, may gain the indulgence if they offer the Sunday Mass for that intention.
- For priests, an Indult of a personal privileged altar every day. All for the greater glory of God and for the suffering souls in Purgatory.
Remember – Our Lady needs us to obey: First Saturdays of Reparation, daily rosary, at least 5 mysteries, wear her brown scapular and live your Total Consecration to her Immaculate Heart, offering our daily duties in reparation and for the conversion of poor sinners.
Open your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only: and He will free you from the hands of your enemies. With all your heart return to Him, and take away from your midst any strange gods” (I Kings 7:3)
✝︎ Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of our hearts, Mother of the Church, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of poor sinners, especially our Pontiff.
✝︎ Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come! Viva Cristo Rey!
✝︎ St. Joseph, protect us, protect our families, protect our priests.
✝︎ St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
~ by evensong for love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, King.
Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Sacred Virgin! Give me strength against thine enemies!
