Do you pray to or for souls in Purgatory?

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Alma

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I believe there is Purgatory, but I do not quite see the point of praying to or for souls that are there.:confused:

Why pray to them?
If they are not yet in Heaven and are going through some kind of purification process, they may not be able to intercede for you (and it sounds selfish to even ask for their help while they are suffering). Or is it that they can still do some good and that will be noticed by God :clapping: who will take them out of Purgatory sooner?

Why pray for them?
They are surely going to Heaven. Can our prayers shorten the time they spend in Purgatory? 👋

Thank you for your comments ond this.

:blessyou:

Alma
 
Yes to both, pray for them, as they cannot pray for themselves, but only for others. Ask their intercession, they are praying for others anyway, they are still in the Church, its the Church suffering. Pray daily for all the poor souls in purgatory. I once heard someone say that your prayers will shorten their time in purgatory and then when they get to heaven, they will intercede more so for you, (those that prayed for them) makes sense doesn’t it? In other words, they’ll remember you. I think they probably pray for us all, wouldnt you?
 
What I want to know is who came up with all these notions of what does or doesn’t happen in purgatory?

:confused:
 
i pray for the dead. we don’t know if they are in purgatory or not.
it is supposed to shorten the time. as are indulgences.

i am seeing, through my life experience, that praying for one’s self is useless. prayer and fasting for others does indeed work.
 
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AlanFromWichita:
What I want to know is who came up with all these notions of what does or doesn’t happen in purgatory?

:confused:
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uuuuhhh, alan, the Church! (you know, the one Jesus founded)

-pray for souls in purgatory-offer the Holy Sacrafice of the Mass-gain indulgences for them by, receiving the Sacraments frequently and in the state of grace (devoutly).-perform “works of charity” and penance for them.—lots of saints writings refer to it to. there is even much information on this very site about it.
 
I try to say the prayer from St. Gertrude for souls in purgatory daily, but that’s about it. I am more inclined to offer sacrfices and more prayers for the conversion of sinners. Souls aren’t that comfortable in purgatory, but they have no danger of hell.
 
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allhers:
uuuuhhh, alan, the Church! (you know, the one Jesus founded)

-pray for souls in purgatory-offer the Holy Sacrafice of the Mass-gain indulgences for them by, receiving the Sacraments frequently and in the state of grace (devoutly).-perform “works of charity” and penance for them.—lots of saints writings refer to it to. there is even much information on this very site about it.
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Yes, I know. This stuff still smells fishy to me, though, because it sounds like God has complex mathematical formulas and participates in spiritual “bean counting.” Just sounds a bit too much like we’re personifying God and measuring His actions by human measures. It’s all very interesting, but I never looked deeply into it. Maybe if so, I’d change my mind, but for now I still resist – even at the risk that I may have to answer to God personally if I don’t agree with the Church.

Alan
 
There is an extraordinary book that deals with the souls in Purgatory called, “Get Me Out Of Here!” It explains the importance of praying for the souls in Purgatory.

From the Pieta Catholic Booklet: “**The more we work for Poor Souls on earth, the more others will pray for us, the more merciful will Christ be with us when we’re in Purgatory.”
**
Bible: 2 Machabees, Chapter 12, Verse 46: "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."

EVERY Mass I attend, I offer up the Mass for the Poor Souls in Purgatory. May God have mercy on them and on us.
 
Yes, I pray for the souls in purgatory. I pray for my ancestors (specifically, my parents) and I pray for the poor forgotten souls in purgatory who have no one to pray for them.
 
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Kyenta:
There is an extraordinary book that deals with the souls in Purgatory called, “Get Me Out Of Here!” It explains the importance of praying for the souls in Purgatory.

From the Pieta Catholic Booklet: "The more we work for Poor Souls on earth, the more others will pray for us, the more merciful will Christ be with us when we’re in Purgatory."

Bible: 2 Machabees, Chapter 12, Verse 46: "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."

EVERY Mass I attend, I offer up the Mass for the Poor Souls in Purgatory. May God have mercy on them and on us.
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I will also recommend “the Amazing secrets of the souls in Purfatroy and Interview with Maria Simma.”
by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje
 
Most certainly! One day I may be there and would want prayers said for me…!
It’s loving those not visible to us but still need extra cleansing and grace to make it ‘all the way’ to Heaven!
 
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AlanFromWichita:
Yes, I know. This stuff still smells fishy to me, though, because it sounds like God has complex mathematical formulas and participates in spiritual “bean counting.” Just sounds a bit too much like we’re personifying God and measuring His actions by human measures. It’s all very interesting, but I never looked deeply into it. Maybe if so, I’d change my mind, but for now I still resist – even at the risk that I may have to answer to God personally if I don’t agree with the Church.
Alan
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Does this help? vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2N.HTM

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030 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.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.
 
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Alma:
I believe there is Purgatory, but I do not quite see the point of praying to or for souls that are there.:confused:

Why pray to them?
If they are not yet in Heaven and are going through some kind of purification process, they may not be able to intercede for you (and it sounds selfish to even ask for their help while they are suffering). Or is it that they can still do some good and that will be noticed by God :clapping: who will take them out of Purgatory sooner?

Why pray for them?
They are surely going to Heaven. Can our prayers shorten the time they spend in Purgatory? 👋

Thank you for your comments ond this.

:blessyou:

Alma
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Hi Alma…Yes! In my daily prayer I pray for the souls in Purgatory and especially those most forgotten and abandoned…the nuns that taught us in primary school told us all about the purification undergone by the souls who pass on to Purgatory (where I surely shall be!)…a place where they know one day they will be in Heaven, the suffering for them involves the fact, we were told, that they are not there yet!

We were also told that those we have prayed for who move on to Heaven will surely pray for those who prayed them out of (or while they endured)Purgatory as it were; hence, my praying for them is not at all ultruistic!!! The nuns who taught us also told us that the souls now suffering in Purgatory were within the Mystical Body of Christ, The Church. They had saved their souls, as it were, but were not yet at that perfection asked for by Heaven.

I have great devotion for the souls in Purgatory…since I feel confident after death I shall transit there for a while…pre haps a long while…hence I hope someone will be praying for the most lost and abandoned.

Regads Barb
Bethany
South Aussie
Sunday 26.6.05 4.55 am
 
Yes, I pray for the souls who are suffering due to their lack of rest in the arms of God.

For unbelievers, that they may come to believe in Christ Jesus.

For the believing souls in the wayfaring state on earth (Church Militant), who are not assured of heaven as they are still at battle with evil, I pray that they may have final perseverence in faith.

For the souls suffering in purgatory who are assured of heaven (Church Suffering), I petition the Lord for mercy on their behalf, that they may soon be in the presence of God and have eternal rest from their suffering.

Since we are called to pray for one another, I don’t see why the Church Suffering ought to be an exception. Sacred Scripture teaches it is pious and efficacious to offer supplications on their behalf.

Primer on Indulgences
catholic.com/library/primer_on_indulgences.asp
In the Old Testament, Judah Maccabee finds the bodies of soldiers who died wearing superstitious amulets during one of the Lord’s battles. Judah and his men “turned to prayer, beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out” (2 Macc. 12:42).

The reference to the sin being “wholly blotted out” refers to its temporal penalties. The author of 2 Maccabees tells us that for these men Judah “was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness” (verse 45); he believed that these men fell asleep in godliness, which would not have been the case if they were in mortal sin. If they were not in mortal sin, then they would not have eternal penalties to suffer, and thus the complete blotting out of their sin must refer to temporal penalties for their superstitious actions. Judah “took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this . . . he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin” (verses 43, 46).
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2 Macc 12:45 explicitly tells us that supplications for the dead are a “holy and pious thought.”
 
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, AD 350:
"Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth. And I wish to persuade you by an illustration. For ***I know that many say, what is a soul profited, which departs from this world either with sins, or without sins, if it be commemorated in the prayer? For if a king were to banish certain who had given him offence, and then those who belong to them should weave a crown and offer it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant a remission of their penalties? In the same way we, when we offer to Him our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, though they be sinners, weave no crown, but offer up Christ sacrificed for our sins, propitiating our merciful God for them as well as for ourselves. (***Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,23:9,10 (c.A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:154-155)
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I pray a Rosary for “The Poor Souls in Purgatory” daily…Face it…we are probably all going there some for a little while…some for a long time… I would hope that someone would be praying for my soul…:yup:
 
Alan of Wichita,

A good start would to be to read the in the last Book of the O.T…

Read II Machabees XII 40 - 46.

“It is Holy and Wholesome to pray for the dead”. (v 46) Silver was taken back to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices for their sins.
 
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Annunciata:
I pray a Rosary for “The Poor Souls in Purgatory” daily…Face it…we are probably all going there some for a little while…some for a long time… I would hope that someone would be praying for my soul…:yup:
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Hi again Annunciata…beautiful tag!

…Amen to your Post…also the nun that taught me told me that as I pray for the Souls in Purgatory (especially the most lost and abandoned) so they in charitable gratitude pray for me…especially once they get to Heaven…true ultruism after all is known to be extremely rare!!! After all when we do good…we tend to feel good about it…and there is our reward! Rather reward stored in Heaven where it cannot decay for feeling good soon dissipates (decays)…

But Amen! Amen! to your Post

Barb smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_8_13.gif my mouse and keyboard still frustrates me no end…
 
My biggest fear is that because my extended family has been so modernized and don’t seek so much to learn our Faith, that nobody will be here to pray for my soul if I manage to get to purgatory!

I’ve even thought of putting in my will that some money MUST go to the church for the benefit of Masses for our souls! I so worry about that.

It seems the modern catholics don’t know enough about these things.
 
Sir Knight:
Yes, I pray for the souls in purgatory. I pray for my ancestors (specifically, my parents) and I pray for the poor forgotten souls in purgatory who have no one to pray for them.
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Yes. This is what I do. Remember at the JPII’s funeral when they sang “The Litany of the Saints”? It reminded me that all of us whether living or deceased are ALL members of Christ’s Church.
We must pray for and make sacrifices for one another whether we are still on earth or in Purgatory. It is very powerful to help someone out of Purgatory. We gain many graces for this effort.
 
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