I – Start the month with this Novena to the Holy Souls
To remember the Holy Souls this month there is this beautiful novena that was composed by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. The nine days of prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is a more prolonged way to pray for the deceased, and it is traditionally prayed in preparation for All Souls Day or in the days following the celebration.
Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O 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, O Lord.
O 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, O Lord.
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, O Lord.
O 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, O Lord.
O 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, O Lord.
(Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions here)
Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; I entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.
II – Visit a Cemetery
Each November, the Church gives us an extraordinary gift that we can extend to our “dear suffering friends.” From the 1st to 8th of November a plenary indulgence is available for Catholics in a state of grace who visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the dead.
This means that when you visit a cemetery where a loved one is buried and you pray for them during the first 8 days in November, their soul will leave Purgatory and go straight to Heaven.
Besides benefiting the Holy Souls, visiting a cemetery is a healthy reminder of our own mortality, realizing that we too will pass from this life to the next.
III – Pray Saint Gertrude the Great’s Prayer for the Holy Souls
One of the most popular prayers for the Souls in Purgatory is that of Saint Gertrude the Great. She received many visions of Our Lord during her lifetime and expressed to Our Lord Jesus her great desire to pray for the deceased. In return, Our Lord taught Saint Gertrude the following prayer. It is piously believed that 1,000 souls are released from purgatory by praying this prayer with the heart. A good time to recite this prayer is at the elevation of the Precious Blood during the Holy Mass.
Saint Gertrude's Prayer for Holy Souls
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.
IV - Prepare for Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception Feast by praying this novena
November 30 to December 8
O Mary, Most Holy, conceived without sin and all pure before the sight of the Most High God, we beseech Thee to have mercy on us and on our nation.
Look with loving eyes upon the plight of your children who implore Your powerful protection. The wicked serpent continues to wage war against God, against You and against the Holy Catholic Church and every good thing in society. The devil lays snares of confusion and deceit to lead souls along the path of perdition. The culture of death continues to attack the sanctity of life, marriage and the family.
Yet, from the very instant of Your conception, You, our Blessed Mother, Our Queen and Our Advocate, crushed the head of the diabolical enemy. At this moment, receive this prayer that we present to You before the throne of God. May we never fall into the snares of the devil; may we always follow the path of virtue and true courage toward our true home in Heaven. May the Holy Catholic Church obtain victory over the forces of evil and may the peace of Christ come down upon our souls, our nation and all peoples.
Obtain for us, O Virgin Most Pure, the grace of angelic purity which was Your favorite virtue. Grant us purity of heart so that we will seek God alone in all things. Provide for us the grace of purity of intention so that every thought, every word and every action in our daily lives be directed to the greater glory of Your Divine Son.
Obtain for us a participation in Your spirit of prayer, in Your humility and in Your self-denial. May we truly live the Fatima message of prayer, penance and conversion. May we recover through penance that innocence lost by sin and become more faithful and more united to the Will of God.
O Dear Mother, grant us unlimited Hope amid the current situation in our nation. Grant us an increasing love of Truth amid the lies and confusion of our times. Obtain for us from Your Divine Son greater Faith and growing Charity toward God and toward others.
Through Your grace and assistance, may we seek in all things the glory of God, the salvation of souls, and what is best for our beloved nation.
Hear our pleas, O Mother of Mercy, and hasten the triumph of Your Immaculate Heart as you promised in Fatima 100 years ago. And may You, the Immaculate Conception, crush once and for all the head of the wicked serpent and his followers. Amen
V – Get ready for Christmas!
Say this prayer 15 times daily from November 30 to December 24
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires
(mention request here)
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen.