“It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” — Sacred Scripture (2 Maccabees 12:46)
“It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” — Sacred Scripture (2 Maccabees 12:46)
Prayers for the Holy Souls
Within this space, prayer, sacrifice and masses are offered for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory—known and unknown, remembered and forgotten alike. In charity and hope, we keep vigil for them, entrusting them to God’s mercy and the promise of eternal rest.
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Words Spoken by our Blessed Mother of Sorrows to Her Divine Son when He was taken down from the cross and placed into Her arm.
O Font overflowing with truth, how wearied Your countenance.
O Wise Physician of human souls, how silent You remain.
O Splendor of Eternal Light, how lifeless You are.
O Sincere Affection how deformed Your once beautiful face has become.
O Most High Divinity, in what poverty You show Yourself.
O Love of my heart, how immense is Your Goodness.
O Joy everlasting, O Love of my heart, how excessive must have been Your grief.
My Dear Jesus, Who is one with the Father and Holy Spirit, being one and the same Divine Nature, have pity on all living creatures, and especially for the suffering souls in Purgatory. Amen
Five Apostle Creeds
One Hail Holy Queen
One Our Father, Hail Mary, Gloria
Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
We adore thee, Piteous Cross, adorned with the delicate members and Precious Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We adore Thee, O God, nailed to the cross who bleed for love of us.
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, on the way to Calvary, in Thy Crucifixion and Death, have mercy on the souls in Purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the terrible torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise. Amen. -
(For a person)
Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord,
and let Your perpetual light shine upon him/her.
May his/her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed
rest in peace.Amen.
(Collective)
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Your perpetual light shine upon them.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed
rest in peace.Amen.
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Psalm 129 *
De profundis. A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God. The sixth penitential psalm.
Out of the depths I have cried unto Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark our iniquities: O Lord, who can abide it?
For with Thee there is mercy: and by reason of Thy law I have waited on Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even unto night: let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him is plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”) Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.V/. Lord, hear my prayer.
R/. And let my cry come unto Thee.Let us pray.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful; grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that by our devout supplications they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.V/. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord.
R/. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
V/. May they rest in peace.
R/. Amen.*Psalm 129 in Douay Rheims Bible
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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 sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home, and within my family. Amen.
— Prayer traditionally attributed to St. Gertrude -
Sign of the Cross – Most Holy Trinity fall afresh on us (x 3) ALL
O Lord open my lips……and my tongue will announce Thy praise
Incline unto my aid, O God…………O Lord make haste to help us.
The Sorrowful Mysteries:
Glory be to the Father………
Apostles Creed: For Faith, Hope and Charity
Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory be…
The Agony in the Garden
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your bloody sweat of fear that You shed on the Mount of Olives, we ask You to have Mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Deliver them from their fear and pain and console them with the Cup of Heavenly Comfort.
Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory be…. O my Jesus……
Lord grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
2.The Scourging at the Pillar
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your painful scourging which You tolerated so patiently for us sinners, we ask You to have Mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Retract from them the pain of Your Anger and give them Eternal Relief.
Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory be…. O my Jesus……
Lord grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
3.The Crowning with Thorns
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your painful Crowning which You suffered so patiently for us sinners, we ask You to have Mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory and give them the crown of Eternal Delight.
Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory be…. O my Jesus……
Lord grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
4.The Carrying of the Cross
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your painful Carrying of the Cross, which You suffered so patiently for us sinners, we ask You to have Mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Remove from them the heavy burden of suffering and lead them into Eternal Peace.
Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory be…. O my Jesus……
Lord grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
5.Jesus is Nailed to and Dies on the Cross
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your torturous crucifixion, which You suffered so silently and humbly for us sinners, we ask You to have Mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Turn Your Holy Face towards them and let them today be in Paradise with You.
Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory be…. O my Jesus……
Lord grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
5
ALL:
Lord, Jesus Christ, through Your five Holy Wounds and through all of Your Sacred Blood that You shed, we ask You to have Mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and in particular on our parents, relatives, spiritual guides and benefactors. Heal their wounds and let them enjoy and participate fully in Your Precious Gift of Salvation.Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy……..
St. Nicholas of Tolentino …………… Pray for us
Our Lady Queen and Mother of the Holy Souls ….. Pray for us
Holy Souls in Purgatory …. Pray for us.
St Michael , the Archangel, defend us in our hour of conflict. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast Satan into hell and with him all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. -
YouTube video: Click HERE
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Divine Mercy Intercessary Prayer for the souls detained in Purgatory
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so, I bring you into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of the purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.
ALL: Eternal Father, turn your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg you, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your son, and by all the bitterness with which His Most Sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly Beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen
You expired, Jesus but a source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
O, Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelope the whole world and empty yourself, out upon us. O Blood and water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You.
O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us. I trust in You! (3 times)
Our Father, Hail Mary, Apostle’s Creed
On large beads: Eternal Father; I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of Your our dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
Small beads: For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world (10 times). Repeat for all 5 decades
Conclude with: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world (3 times).
Closing prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent but with
Great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is love and Mercy itself.
Jesus, I trust in You (3 times)
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The Way of the Cross represents the sorrowful journey that Jesus made with His cross to Calvary.
*We can gain an indulgence for the holy souls in Purgatory
The Church teaches that the souls in Purgatory suffer for their purification.
You can relieve some of the sufferings of the souls in Purgatory by praying and making sacrifices for them. Their prayers come back to help us when we offer this way of the Cross for them.
These prayers were published in 1928 and made popular by Fr. Benedict Groeschel C.F.R.
Way of the Cross for the Holy Souls in Purgatory:
Sign of the Cross
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
An Act of Contrition
Oh My Jesus! I love You above all things. I hate and detest my sins because by
them I have offended You.
Opening PrayerThe holy indulgences, the fruits and merits of this devotion, I intend to gain for the
souls in Purgatory, in particular for those who in life were near and dear to me, andfor those for whom I am, in a special way, obliged to pray.
O Mary, my merciful Mother and the Mother of the poor souls in Purgatory,accompany me, by your intercession, on this journey.
STATION 1: Jesus is Condemned to Death - We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
O my innocent Jesus, to free me from eternal death, You allowed Yourself to be
condemned by a pagan judge to the death of the cross. Give me a hatred for sin and the grace to live that I may one day obtain from You a merciful sentence.
Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest. AmenSTATION 2: Jesus Takes up His Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You
BECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
O holy cross, You are the tree of life, the gate of heaven, our salvation, and our only
hope. Be my salvation at the hour of death.
Prayer
O Jesus, be mindful of Your servants who have departed from this life with this
sign of faith. Free them by the victorious power of Your Cross, with which You
have conquered death and lead them into eternal life and happiness.MY JESUS, MERCY!
Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 3: Jesus Falls for the First Time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
O Jesus, through Your weakness under the cross and the merits of this first fall,
grant me the perseverance to keep my good resolutions, that I may always walkfaithfully in Your holy ways.
Prayer
The souls in Purgatory now suffer because they neglected and abused Your
graces in this life. They now realize that no sin-stained soul can see God.
Therefore, have mercy on them, and cleanse them from all sin. Through the
intercession of Your sorrowful Mother, deliver the holy souls from Purgatory.MY JESUS, MERCY!
Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 4: Jesus Meets His Mother
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
O Heart of Mary! O Heart of Jesus! I offer my life for my sins. May the sweet names
of Jesus and Mary be on my lips and in my heart at the hour of death. O gentlest
Heart of Jesus, we implore that we may love You more and more.Prayer
Sweet Heart of Mary, be our salvation. Mother of the sorrowful, merciful Queen of
the Holy Souls, into your hands I place my few merits and implore you to unite
them with the infinite merits of your Son. Offer them to the eternal Father for those
souls who are bound to me by ties of friendship and relationship. Mother of mercy,pray for them.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 5: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
O my Jesus, I accept the cross of my life and I embrace it. Help me to help You to
carry Your cross, by being patient in all trials that may assail me.Reflection
How many souls in Purgatory now regret their past impatience! But You, O Lord,
be generous with them and remit all the sins that remain to be expiated. MYJESUS, MERCY!
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest. AMENSTATION 6: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
Lord, Jesus Christ, You who have left on Veronica’s veil the image of your
bloodstained countenance, grant that the memory of Your bitter passion and deathmay ever remain impressed on my soul.
Prayer
Have pity on the poor souls made to your image and likeness and redeemed by
Your Most Precious Blood. Free them from all sin, that they may enter heaven, tosee You face-to-face forever and ever.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 7: Jesus Falls for the Second Time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
My sins have made Your cross heavy, O Jesus. I detest them and firmly propose to
amend my life. Never permit me to separate myself from You again.Prayer
Have mercy, O Jesus, on those souls who now suffer the pains of Purgatory for
mortal sins committed in this life. O clement Heart of Jesus, have compassionupon them.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest. AmenSTATION 8: Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You BECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS,
YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
Most compassionate Heart of Jesus! My Jesus, who said to the holy women: “Weep
not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children,” make me weep for theingratitude that I have returned for Your love. I wish to make amends in this life for
my sins, that I may obtain pardon for them in the next.
Prayer
Grant me a tender love for the souls in Purgatory, especially for the souls of my
relatives. For the future, I promise to do what I have neglected through myforgetfulness, negligence, and hardness of heart.
MY JESUS, MERCY!
Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 9: Jesus Falls for the Third Time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You BECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS,
YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
Through this most painful fall, O Jesus, I ask You to deliver me from an unhappy
death, which would plunge me into hell. From the power of the enemy deliver myimmortal soul, and make me live and die in Your grace.
Prayer
Look with mercy on the poor souls doing penance in Purgatory. With tears and
prayers, they seek Your help and mercy. Hear their prayers and lead them out of
that place of purification into the blessed peace of heaven, there to enjoy foreverthe splendor of Your glory.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 10: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
Most blessed Redeemer, stripped of Your garments for love of me, grant me holy
modesty and purity. Deliver me from all dangerous inclinations to created things andmake me die to everything of this world, that at death separation from all earthly
things may be easy.
Prayer
Of what benefit now are wealth and the pleasures of this world to the souls in
Purgatory? Their bodies, they had to leave to decay and dust of death, and their
wealth to heirs. Only their works have followed them: the good to be rewarded,
and the evil to be punished. O Lord put an end to their suffering. Do not keep them
any longer from the inheritance of the saints, but pardon them and admit them into the realm of eternal bliss and happiness.MY JESUS, MERCY!
Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 11: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
Most innocent Jesus, nailed to the cross for my sins, I beseech You, through the
merits of Your horrible suffering, to come to my aid in my last sickness and agony.
Grant me the grace to receive in time Your most holy Sacraments. Come to me then,
as Holy Viaticum, and pour into my soul the patience of Your Most Sacred Heart!Prayer
And you, O Mary my Mother, console me in that hour of death and make sweet my
sufferings, through the sorrow that pierced your heart at the Crucifixion. Lamb of
God, have mercy on the souls in Purgatory, whose sufferings are greater than the
sick and the dying. Spare them this agony, and through the merits of Your passionadmit them into the eternal dwellings.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 12: Jesus Dies on the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
Through Your three hours’ agony on the cross, grant me, O Jesus, a happy death.
Take me when I am best prepared. In that hour, fill my soul with holy sentiments of faith, hope, and charity. Grant me true and perfect contrition for my sins and the grace to accept with Christian resignation my death, with all its pains and sufferings.May I leave this world invoking Your Most Holy Name.
Prayer
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, refuge of the dying, be near me in my last agony.
Remember, O most loving Jesus, the poor souls with that love with which You
gave comfort to the good thief: “This day you will be with Me in Paradise.” Call these souls into the kingdom of Your glory, that they may praise You together with all the angels and saints forever.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 13: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You
BECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
Prayer
O Jesus, whose soul did descend to the dead to announce peace to the just of the
Old Testament, descend now among the poor souls who yearn for You. Free them from the chains of their slavery, and grant them the liberty of true children of God!Prayer
O Mary, my Mother, may I, like Jesus, be placed into your arms at my departure
from this world. Be with me at the tribunal of the Divine Judge, that through your
intercession, I may obtain a favorable judgment. Sweet Heart of Mary, be mysalvation!
MY JESUS, MERCY!Our Father .. Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
STATION 14: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouBECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS, YOU HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD
Prayer
O Jesus, through the merits of Your bitter passion and death, and through Your
glorious Resurrection, I beseech You, have compassion on the poor souls, and grantthem a happy and glorious admission into heaven.
Let them enter into that peace so long desired. Let them contemplate the splendor of
the Beatific Vision and bless eternally Your mercy.
Prayer
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation, that I may not be condemned to that place
of torture when my body will be in the cold earth. Let my soul flee the fires ofPurgatory.
Bring me quick relief and through your merits deliver me from the flames, that I may thank you in heaven and, with you and all the saints, adore and love Jesus, your beloved Son, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, true
God, forever and ever. Amen.
MY JESUS, MERCY!Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.AMEN.
My crucified Redeemer, I offer You this devout prayer, which by Your grace, I have just finished. Grant that the precious fruits of Your death on the Cross be lost neither for me nor for the souls in Purgatory.
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, place my petitions in the Heart of Your beloved Son, so that I may be admitted into the kingdom of grace, there together with my dear ones, my family, and friends, to be eternally blessed.
O Gentlest Heart of Jesus, ever-present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor souls in Purgatory, have mercy on them.
Be gentle in Your judgments, and let some drops of Your Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames.And You O merciful Saviour, send Your angels to conduct the poor souls to the place of refreshment, light, and peace. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord — and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
*AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
Merciful Jesus, grant them Eternal rest. Amen. -
Remembering the Holy Souls all yearlong - Mark the seasons with devotions for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
by Susan Tassone
The souls in purgatory are silent voices that beg and implore our help. They suffer day and night 24/7, 365 days a year, without any relief. They are forever crying out to the living, “Have mercy on us, for we are lonely and poor.”
We urgently need “Apostles of Purgatory” or, if you will, “Purgatory Busters” to speak of them, pray for them, and plead their cause. Be their liberators! We have a unique opportunity to be their voices and echo their cries. If we could see the power of our sacrifices and the Masses offered for the Holy Souls, we would devote ourselves with such earnestness that the whole world would raise their eyes and take notice and would believe.
What have we learned from the saints? We know there is a profound communion between the living and the dead. We know there are no borders between us and those who have gone before us. We know the power and great efficacy of our intercessory prayers. We know the path. Are we ready to begin the journey?
The saints’ journeys are tied together to assist us with a devotion full of fervor and zeal for the Holy Souls in Purgatory — a fervor to be passed on to all future generations, to fulfill our duty as Christians, to honor the memory of the dead, to offer prayers and suffrages for them, and to become holy as the saints are holy.
Special devotional prayers and practices for the various seasons of the year will give you the opportunity to imitate the saints and the charity of God. Reflecting on the deceased every day as a perpetual remembrance brings relief for those beloved souls in purgatory. The fruit of purgatory is purification. The remembrance of purgatorial souls will spur us to avoid sin at all costs; and we will bring glory to God, for heaven will be opened to a multitude of souls.
So it is from us alone that the Holy Souls in Purgatory expect relief, help, and the termination of their sufferings. We are their only resource. We alone are their deliverers, for we alone can suffer with merit and release them. Heaven encourages them; we deliver them.
Our purgatory mission has just begun. The great Pope John Paul II emphasized that the laity will be “missionaries” because contemporary man hears witnesses more easily than teachers. He exclaimed, “You will be able to set the world on fire! The hour of the laity has struck!” (Nov. 26, 2000, Jubilee of the Apostolate of the Laity).
Choose a number of prayers and devotions, Time is of the essence. Use them.
Winter devotions and practicesMark your calendar throughout the year for special dates as a reminder to pray for your dearly departed loved ones.
Offer Masses year-round for living and deceased family members and friends.
Create a family tree and offer Gregorian Masses (30 Masses for a departed soul) for your parents, grandparents, etc., to the fourth generation. This is very potent and brings many graces.
Pray for 15 minutes before and after Mass in thanksgiving to Jesus and for all your ancestors who have gone before you. We would not be here if it were not for the sacrifices they made for us.
Fast on Fridays in honor of our Lord’s Passion. Implement different kinds of fasting such as “fasting” from gossiping, giving in to idle curiosity, complaining, criticizing, watching TV, drinking alcohol, smoking, or other activities that give one pleasure.
Spring devotions and practices
Offer the gift of your indulgence for the Holy Souls at Divine Mercy Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter). Become a “Divine Mercy Apostle” by distributing prayercards and literature inviting all to take advantage of the extraordinary Divine Mercy graces.
Pray The Divine Mercy Novena (especially the one beginning on Good Friday) and the Chaplet of Mercy daily.
At weddings, include your deceased loved ones at the petitions of the Mass.
Plant a “prayer garden” in your yard in remembrance of the Holy Souls.
Recite Psalm 130, the official prayer of the Church for the Holy Souls.
When praying the Rosary in May, add an extra decade for the Holy Souls. (Saint Bernadette encouraged this style of Rosary!)
Summer devotions and practices
Go on your own “purgatory pilgrimage” by visiting local parishes and designated shrines within your diocese. At each, pray for the Holy Souls.
Take a “prayer stroll” through your local cemetery to pray for all those buried there. Bring holy water to sprinkle on the graves. (It is one of the first sacramentals of the Church. Holy Water refreshes the Holy Souls.)
Visit the graves of your loved ones and clean sites in a spirit of prayer and penance.
Pray the Eternal Rest Prayer on your rosary beads. (Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.)
Pray the Seven Penitential Psalms (seven psalms that express sorrow for one’s sins: 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143).
Fall devotions and practices
An indulgence is granted the Christian faithful who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the dead. This indulgence is applicable only to the souls in purgatory. This indulgence is a plenary one from Nov. 1 through Nov. 8 and can be gained on each one of these days.
Double up on prayers and sacrifices for departed loved ones and friends during this powerful season of the dead (the November remembrance).
Visit cemeteries with your children. Teach youth to pray the Eternal Rest Prayer. Again, sprinkle holy water on the graves in the cemetery.
Light blessed candles. The burning of a candle is a sign of our prayer, a bright, silent intercessor for the Holy Souls.
"Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let all who hate Thee flee before Thy Face." — Sacred Scripture (Psalm 67:2)
"Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let all who hate Thee flee before Thy Face." — Sacred Scripture (Psalm 67:2)
Prayers for the Holy Face of Jesus
The Holy Face Devotion is an ancient devotion rooted in the suffering Face of Christ during His Passion, recalling the Veil of Veronica, upon which His Face was miraculously imprinted as He carried the Cross. From the earliest centuries, Christians have venerated the Holy Face as a silent testimony to Christ’s love, humility, and redemptive suffering.
In the 19th century, the devotion was providentially renewed through the revelations given to Sister Marie of St Peter, who was called to make reparation for blasphemy, the profanation of Sundays, and offenses against the Holy Name of God. Her mission was carried forward by Leo Dupont, whose persevering prayer before the Holy Face helped spread the devotion throughout the Church.
The Holy Face Devotion is especially a devotion for our time because it responds directly to the spiritual disorders of the modern world. Sacred Scripture records that God has, at times, permitted chastisements—such as the Flood or plagues—when humanity persisted in grave rebellion and forgot Him. In our age, rather than immediate visible punishments, God has permitted something more subtle and perilous: the rise of ideologies and figures who exalt human will, power, and self-creation above God—often presenting themselves as enlightened, liberating, or even “chosen,” while openly rejecting divine law and Christ’s Kingship.
This spiritual disorder is inseparable from the deep divisions within Christianity itself, particularly the rejection of the visible unity Christ willed for His Church. From a Catholic understanding, the fracturing that followed the Protestant Reformation weakened reverence for apostolic authority, the sacramental life, and the Church as Christ’s one visible Body on earth. The Holy Face Devotion responds to this rupture not through argument or condemnation, but through reparation—offering love where unity has been wounded, silence where truth has been contested, and prayer where Christ’s authority has been denied within His Catholic Church.
Yet Sacred Scripture is equally clear that God does not desire the death of the sinner, but that he turn back and live (cf. Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11). The Church therefore teaches that God does not choose rebellion, pride, or blasphemy; rather, He permits human freedom to reveal its fruits while continually calling souls to repentance, conversion, and reunion in truth. The Holy Face stands as Heaven’s merciful answer to division. Where modern culture glorifies defiance and self-deification, the bruised and humiliated Face of Christ calls souls back to humility, reparation, silence, and truth—inviting the faithful to console Him, repair public offenses committed against Him, and bear quiet witness to the true King, whose Face was struck, spat upon, and crowned with thorns, yet remains forever the Face of Mercy.
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The Promises of Jesus to Sister Marie of St. Peter and Blessed Mother Pierina.
THE 9 PROMISES
1. By offering My Face to My Eternal Father, nothing will be refused, and the conversion of many sinners will be obtained.
2. By My Holy Face, they will work wonders, appease the anger of God and draw down mercy on sinners.
3. All those who honor My Face in a spirit of reparation will by so doing perform the office of the pious Veronica.
4. According to the care they take in making reparation to My Face disfigured by blasphemers, so will I take care of their souls which have been disfigured by sin. My Face is the Seal of the Divinity, which has the virtue of reproducing in souls the image of God.
5. Those who by words, prayers or writings defend My cause in the Work of Reparation, especially My priests, I will defend before My Father, and will give them My Kingdom.
6. As in a kingdom they can procure all that is desired with a coin stamped with the King’s effigy, so in the Kingdom of Heaven they will obtain all they desire with the precious coin of My Holy Face.
7. Those who on earth contemplate the wounds of My Face shall in Heaven behold it radiant with glory.
8. They will receive in their souls a bright and constant irradiation of My Divinity, that by their likeness to My Face they shall shine with particular splendor in Heaven.
9. I will defend them, I will preserve them and I assure them of Final Perseverance.
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"May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, on earth and in the hells, by all the creatures of God and by the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.”
Given to Sr. Marie de St. Pierre by Our Lord August 26, 1843
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Click HERE for a PDF print out of the Holy Face Chaplet
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Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus Christ,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Virgin Mary,
Pray for us.
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
Mary and Joseph worshipped with profoundest reverence,
have mercy on us.
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is the masterpiece of the Holy Ghost,
in which the Father was well pleased,
have mercy on us.
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
ravished with joy the angels, shepherds and Magi
in the stable of Bethlehem,
have mercy on us.
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
wounded with a dart of love the aged Simeon
and the Prophetess Anna in the temple,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
was bathed in tears in Thy Holy Infancy,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
at the age of twelve astonished the doctors in the temple,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is white with purity and ruddy with charity,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is more beautiful than the sun,
brighter than the moon and more brilliant than the stars,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is lovelier than the roses of spring,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is more precious than gold, silver and gems,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
wins all hearts by Its charms and grace,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is most noble in Its heavenly features,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is contemplated by the angels,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is the sweet delight of the saints,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
was the joy of Thy Virgin Mother and Thy foster-father,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is the ineffable mirror of the Divine perfections,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, the beauty of Whose adorable Face
is ever ancient and ever new,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, the modesty and mildness of Whose adorable Face
attracteth both just and sinners,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
appeaseth the Divine wrath,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is the terror of the evil spirits,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
is the treasure of grace and blessings,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
was exposed to the inclemency of the weather in the wilderness,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
was bathed with sweat in Thy journeys
and scorched with the heat of the sun,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, the expression of Whose adorable Face is wholly Divine,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
gave a holy kiss and blessing to the little children,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
sorrowed and wept at the grave of Lazarus,
have mercy on us,
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face
was brilliant as the sun and radiant with glory on Mount Tabor,
have mercy on us,
V. The light of Thy Face has been shed upon us, O Lord.
R. Thou hast given joy to our hearts.
O Adorable Face,
worthy of all reverence,
veneration and worship,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
sorrowful at the sight of Jerusalem
and shedding tears over that ungrateful city,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
bowed to the earth in the Garden of Olives
4 and covered with confusion for our sins,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
bathed in a bloody sweat,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
kissed by the traitor Judas,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
Whose sanctity and majesty smote the soldiers
with fear and cast them to the ground,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
struck by an infamous servant,
blindfolded and profaned by the sacrilegious hands of Thine enemies,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
defiled with spittle
and bruised by so many buffets and blows,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
Whose Divine look wounded the heart of Peter
with repentance, sorrow and love,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
humbled for us at the tribunals of Jerusalem,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
which didst preserve Thy serenity
when Pilate pronounced the fatal sentence,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
covered with sweat and blood
and forced into the mire under the weight of the Cross,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
the brow crowned with deep
and piercing thorns,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
wiped with a veil by a pious woman
on the way to Calvary,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
raised on the instrument of the most shameful punishment,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
Whose eyes shed tears of blood,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
Whose mouth was tormented with vinegar and gall,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
Whose hair and beard were plucked out by executioners,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
disfigured like the face of a leper,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
Whose incomparable beauty was obscured
under the fearful cloud of the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
covered with the sad shades of death,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
washed and anointed by Mary
and the holy women,
and covered with a shroud,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
enclosed in the sepulcher,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
all resplendent with glory
and beauty on the day of Thy Resurrection,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
all dazzling with light at the moment of Thine Ascension,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
hidden in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
which will appear at the End of Time in the clouds,
with great power and majesty,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
which will cause sinners to tremble with terror,
have mercy on us.
O Adorable Face,
which will fill the just with joy for all eternity,
have mercy on us.
V. O Lord, show us Thy Face,
R. And we shall be saved.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Let Us Pray.
I salute Thee,
I adore Thee,
I love Thee,
O adorable Face of Jesus my beloved,
noble seal of the Divinity!
With all the powers of my soul
I apply myself to Thee,
and most humbly pray Thee
to imprint in me all the features
of Thy Divine countenance.
R. Amen.
We beseech Thee,
0 Almighty and merciful God,
grant to us
and to all who venerate the countenance
of Thy dearly beloved Son,
all disfigured by our sins,
the grace to behold It throughout eternity
in the glory of Its majesty,
through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord,
Who is, with Thee and the Holy Spirit,
ever one God,
world without end.
R. Amen.
O my Jesus,
cast upon us a look of mercy!
Turn Thy Face toward each of us
as Thou didst to Veronica,
not that we may see It with our bodily eyes,
for this we do not deserve,
but turn It toward our hearts,
so that remembering Thee,
we may ever draw from this fountain of strength
the vigour necessary to sustain the combats of life.
R. Amen. -
JOYFUL MYSTERIES
1st Mystery – The Annunciation
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Who, having the divine nature, didst deign to take upon Thyself our likeness in order to conform us all to Thy semblance. Imprint more and more deeply in our souls, by a lively faith, the seal of Thy divine resemblance.
Pardon, mercy for all unhappy pagans who are enemies of the Gospel, and rebel to the grace of Thy Incarnation.2nd Mystery – The Visitation
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Divine Sun, Whose rays, though veiled, reaches him, who is one day to walk before Thy Face. May the light of Thy Face, which descended upon us at the moment of baptism, enlighten, warm and continually vivify our souls.
Pardon, mercy for all ungrateful men who desire to efface from their foreheads the mark of a Christian; for heretics who are not blessed by Thy luminous presence in the bosom of the True Church.3rd Mystery – The Nativity
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Little Infant laid in a crib. Thy Face, so full of graces, inspires angelic songs and ravishes the shepherds and the Magi. All Thy features wear an expression of benignity: O beauty of the Holy Face, O goodness of Jesus, captivate all hearts!
Pardon, mercy for the many indifferent men who misunderstand Thy sweet attractions, who shut their hearts to the excess of Thy charity.4th Mystery – The Purification
I adore Thee, O Jesus, presented in the Temple by the hands of Mary. Thou art the victim without spot, alone worthy of all the complaisance of the Father. May we like the holy old man Simeon, after having known and contemplated Thee with the eyes of faith, no longer cling to this world, but turn our eyes and our hearts to Thee alone.
Pardon, mercy for so many poor madmen, who are captivated and seduced by the figure of this world which passes away.5th Mystery – The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
I adore Thee, O Jesus, found again in the temple in the midst of the Doctors. How beautiful was the ray of divine light, emanating from Thy august Face upon those who listened to Thee! Make that wisdom, which Thou camest to bring down upon earth, and which Thou hast placed within the reach of all, shine upon us.
Pardon, mercy for the voluntarily blind who obstinately refuse Thy light, and for the victim of education without God.SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
1st Mystery – The Agony in the Garden
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, bowed to the earth under the weight of the sins of the world over which cover Thee with confusion. Take away from us all human respect, all culpable shame.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Face of Thy Son, covered with the sweat of agony, obscured by the shades of death; may Thy justice be appeased at the sight of so affecting a spectacle; mayest Thou have mercy on our country in spite of all the crimes that are committed against Thee therein.2nd Mystery – The Scourging at the Pillar
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, disfigured by the scourges of the executioners filled with fury against their innocent victim. Repair the injuries inflicted upon mu soul by sin, which, as a hideous leprosy, disfigures and withers it.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Bleeding Face of Thy Son in reparation for the innumerable, abominable sins, which imprint their shameful marks even upon the face of men.3rd Mystery – The Crowning with Thorns
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, ignominiously blindfolded, covered with spittle, crowned with thorns, wounded with blows. Efface from amongst us every trace of that devastating scourge, the impious and satanic pride of our epoch.
Eternal Father, I offer the Face of Thy Son which has become unrecognizable. Spare us, and our nation which has committed so many blasphemies, so many profanations, so many audacious revolts against Thee.4th Mystery – The Carrying of the Cross
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, miraculously impressed upon the veil of St. Veronica. May my soul bear the impress of the features of Thy humiliation, in order that it may be one day clothed with Thy glory!
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Face of Thy Son still wiped by so many faithful Veronicas, by so many reparatory souls. For the sake of these souls which are so pleasing to Thee, stay Thy chastisements, and do not hurl Thy avenging thunders upon out unhappy people.5th Mystery – The Crucifixion
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior on the Cross. Before Thee the sun is veiled, the earth is moved and is covered with darkness, all nature mourns. O features of my Dying Jesus, features of Crucified Love, the ineffable expression of which has ravished all the Saints! May Thou be imprinted deeply in my heart!
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Face of Thy expiring Son. Look on the Face of Thy Christ. May Thy bowels be moved, and may the flood of Thy Mercy inundate the whole earth.GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
1st Mystery – The Resurrection
Glory to Thee, O Lord, risen Jesus, Who didst appear with radiant Face to Thy mother, to the holy women, to the assembled disciples. It is no longer Calvary with its horrors. What beauty, what splendor, what gladness!
By that glory of Thy Face, give back to our souls the beauty of which sin has deprived them; give back to them their Christian characteristics.2nd Mystery – The Ascension
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, ascending to heaven, with Thy Face turned towards the shores of Thy blessed home. Thou wilt hereafter descend once more with the angry Face of the judge, and in presence of Thy Majesty, every proud head shall prostrate itself before Thee.
O Sweet Face of Jesus, going to prepare a place for us, charm our eyes, raise our gaze towards Thee! We desire to belong to the generation of those who, thirsting, seek the Face of the God of Jacob.3rd Mystery – The Descent of the Holy Ghost
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father. Thou wilt appear continually before the Face of God to plead our cause. A thousand and a thousand thanksgivings for that perpetual intercession.
After having obtained the full effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, pray to Thy Father to let the same Holy Spirit reign over us, let it brood upon the face of the great waters, upon the nations of the earth agitated, like an Ocean, by the tempests of atheism.4th Mystery – The Assumption
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, the new Solomon coming to meet Thy mother. How beautiful Thou art, how gracious, how full of infinite amiability in presence of the holy ark introduced by Thee into the heavenly Jerusalem amidst celestial songs!
O smiling Face of Jesus, appear to us at the hour of death, and may the horrible form of the devil disappear at Thy aspect.5th Mystery – The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, crowning Thy mother, and making her sit down beside Thee. The eyes of all the Blessed are fixed on Thy Face and on that of Thy mother. Those two Faces shine like two suns and shed joy throughout the whole of Paradise.
O Jesus, O Mary, grant us the grace so greatly to be desired, the grace of graces, that of contemplating you hereafter face to face in the eternal vision of the elect. -
Revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden.
1) I will grant peace to their families.
2) They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.
3) I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
4) I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of My divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5) I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6) I will visibly help them at the moment of their death — they will see the face of their Mother.
7) I have obtained this grace from My divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to My tears and sorrows will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and My Son will be their eternal consolation and joy. -
According to St. Alphonsus de Liguori in his book The Glories of Mary, it was revealed to Saint Elizabeth at the request of Our Lady, that Our Lord promised four principal graces to those devoted to Her Sorrows:
1) That those who before death invoke the divine Mother in the name of Her Sorrows will obtain true repentance of all their sins;
2) That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations, and will protect them especially at the hour of death;
3) That He will impress on their minds the remembrance of His Passion;
4) That He will place such devout servants in Mother Mary’s hands to do with them as She wishes and to obtain for them all the graces She desires. -
Prayer:
Dear Mother Mary, your heart was pained so much on your earthly pilgrimage by the sufferings your family and your nation endured. A sword of sorrow pierced your loving heart each time you experienced the pain of sin which wounded your innocent Son and all those around you. We need you, Mary, to be with us in our sorrows, that we may not give up or despair, but keep hoping in God’s love for us, and in the fulfillment of His promises. We too want to console your tender heart, so pained by our sins, which continue so grievously against your Son today. Sweet Mother of Sorrows, we love you. Amen.
First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35)
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted, and your own soul a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35)
O sweet Mother, how your tender heart was pained to hear, so soon after His birth, that your beloved Son would suffer as a sign of contradiction to so many evil forces in the world. Mother, please help us have the courage to stand strong with you beside your Son against the evils that hurt so many around us. Mother, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled.
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21)
When [the wise men] had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. (Matthew 2: 13-14)
Mary, you trustingly followed Joseph into an unknown land, fleeing the danger that threatened the very life of your precious child, the little Lord Jesus. How your tender heart must have been pained to hear, of the little babies whose lives were taken by violence at the massacre of the Holy Innocents. Mother, please help us to have the courage of Joseph as we protect the littlest ones in the womb, tiny babies and children so dependent on our care. Mother, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled.
Third Sorrow: The Loss of Jesus for Three Days (Luke 2:41-50)
…As they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. (Luke 2:43-45)
Dearest Mother, Jesus was lost to you for three days. You and Joseph searched without rest, anguished in mind and heart, until you found Him in the Temple, and light broke through the clouds which hid Him from you. Mother, sometimes we struggle with darkness when we can’t find Jesus, our minds pained by so many worries and troubles. Please help us to keep seeking Him in hope, awaiting His faithful coming, His light piercing through our darkest moments. Mother, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled.
Fourth Sorrow: The Meeting of Jesus on the Way to Calvary (John 19:17)
And carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. (John 19:17)
Oh Mary, you saw Him, Him for whom your heart beat pure love all the days of your life, Him who was the reason for your every breath. As Jesus carried the heavy cross, you embraced Him, held Him in your arms one last time, comforted Him. Oh Mother, help us console one another in our sufferings, letting love move us to action as you did. Thank you for accepting the Father’s Will in your life so that we could have life. Mary, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled.
Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:18-30)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son. Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19: 25-27)
O death, where is your victory! This was the greatest moment of triumph over sin and evil, the moment when Love conquered all. Mother, help us to put far behind us the fear of death, knowing you stand beside us to intercede for us with your Son “now and at the hour of our death”. We can run forward without fear with you at our side and Jesus before us! Oh Mother of Sorrow, Mother of Hope, no evil can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! Mary, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled.
Sixth Sorrow: Jesus Taken Down from the Cross (John 19:39-40)
They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. (John 19:40)
Sweet Mother of Sorrows, how lovingly you held the Sacred Body of your Son in your arms, the same Body you lavished with tender love and care during His infancy, childhood, and adulthood. Mother, our world is so in need of the pure love found in the home of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Make our families and our hearts homes of holy love. Mary, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled.
Seventh Sorrow: Jesus Laid in the Tomb (John 19:39-42)
Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by. (John 19: 41-42)
What grief must have filled your pierced heart, dear Mother, as you laid your own Child to rest. Yet, your grief was balanced by hope. You believed the promises of God, the words of your Son, that He would rise again. This hope gave you strength to reach out to those around you who were suffering. In your own moment of intense pain, you stretched out your hands to the needy. Oh Mother, how beautiful your heart is. Help us console the sorrowful and comfort the afflicted in our midst – bringing hope to the hopeless by our love for them! Mary, we want to console you. Fill us with LOVE HIMSELF as you are filled
