Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

From the first days of November, the Church calls us into its sacred rhythm of remembrance and prayer. With our attention turned to the faithful departed, All Souls’ Day sets the tone for a reflective month. We are meant to consider not only those who have gone before us, but our role in accompanying them on their final journey home. 

When we pray for the souls in purgatory, we participate in an ancient practice that binds the Church Militant (us here on earth), Suffering (those in purgatory), and Triumphant (those in heaven) together in an act of love. Our children are given the opportunity to see how eternal our bonds really are and to reflect on the nature of sainthood. They may also have questions and fears related to purgatory and death. This month, embrace the opportunity to instill confidence in your child’s heart and mind when it comes to God’s promise for His people. 

A Focus on Prayer 

It is no secret that our culture does not do the best job acknowledging or exploring death in a realistic, thoughtful way. The Church might be the only place our child even encounters the topic outside of the unrealistic media. Adding purgatory into the mix—another topic often misrepresented in our culture—may feel intimidating. At its heart, purgatory is not about punishment but purification, a process where souls who die in God’s grace are cleansed of sin through mercy “so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030). 

In truth, our littlest ones may only need to understand the importance of prayer this month. Older children will benefit from understanding that God’s justice and mercy are not at odds but instead work together, two sides of His perfect love, to allow us union with Him. But even with older kids, we can keep the focus on prayer for now. As families, we can come to trust in these truths together: 

1. Our prayers truly help the souls in purgatory. 
2. Through God’s grace, we are not powerless in the face of death. 
3. When we pray, we participate in God’s mercy at work in the world. 
4. The souls in purgatory are praying for us. Find Cardinal Raymond Burke’s video here for more on praying for all souls. 

Never Alone 

Our faith is not one of isolation. Just before All Souls Day, we celebrate all the saints in heaven who remind us that the Church extends beyond what our imagination can comprehend. This celebration can embolden and prepare us to step into our role as the Church Militant, saying to the departed, “you are not forgotten. We are with you in prayer.” When we teach our children to pray for others, we teach them that they are called to participate in a community of compassion and selflessness. These prayers are proof of a love that is boundless and does not depend on what

can be given back to us. We also teach our children not to fear death, for the Lord has promised great things to us, and we look forward to our eventual communion with Him and our loved ones. For now, we exercise the privilege we have of continuing to love those who we can no longer see or touch here on earth. 

Remembering Our Loved Ones 

A devotion for those who have passed can be organically incorporated into our regular prayer routine or marked as a new tradition for your family during the month of November. A brief, child-friendly prayer before meals or at bedtime keeps our loved ones in our hearts: 

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. 

Encourage your children to pray for specific people, whether they loved them or learned about them in school. Whenever they express interest in pulling out old photos or ask questions about the lives of the departed, indulge them. Keep the memories alive. Visit a cemetery with flowers 

and encourage your children to write short prayers or letters to read or leave at the site. Light candles after Mass and arrange for Mass intentions if you’ve recently lost a loved one. Adolescents and teenagers might be ready to learn about an act of radical, selfless generosity: the Heroic Act of Charity, which offers the value of all their prayers, works, and indulgences for the benefit of the souls in purgatory. 

Introducing your children to saints who had a particular devotion to the Holy Souls, such as St. Gertrude the Great or St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, is another way to instill a sense of a faithful community in your children. Stories can be read aloud together before praying for the intercession of these saints in the lives of those you love. 

Consider devoting a corner in your home to the Holy Souls. This prayer corner does not need to be lavish: images of loved ones who have passed, a small candle, and perhaps some paper to write down your intention is more than enough. Children will be reminded to pray each time they pass this space, integrating it organically into their lives. Our children will never be immune from loss, and profound pain will touch their lives in many seasons. We can give them the foundation to use these moments as opportunities to grow closer to God through prayer. 

Quelling Anxieties and Journeying Forward 

Your children may start to consider the gift of life differently. Maybe they are inspired by imagining all souls who pray for them as they wait and long for heaven. What a gift we can give them by praying in return—What a responsibility and honor our loving God entrusts to us! 

They may instead seem haunted by the temporary nature of our earthly lives. If that’s the case, steer them toward truth: we are headed to the most beautiful eternal home, in communion with all the saints and souls departed. Remind them how good it feels to do good for others and how

the grace of God makes that possible. Remind them that the power of God’s love reigns above all else, and our trust in Him echoes through eternity by way of our prayers. We are bound to God and one another, Christ has defeated death, and we are headed, hand in hand, to the arms of the one Father. 

St. Gertrude the Great’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 sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home, and within my family. Amen.