How to pray for souls in Purgatory

[McCall1981]

I have a couple of questions on how we go about praying for those souls in Purgatory.

1. When we pray for souls in Purgatory, what specifically are we praying for? By this, I mean, I have assumed that we’re essentially praying that these souls will more quickly get out of Purgatory and into Heaven, but the more I think about it, the more this seems to be praying against the will of God. After all, God knows exactly how long each soul should be in Purgatory so isn’t praying for souls to move onto Heaven more quickly than God plans directly contradicting God’s will? If we pray for a generalized relief from their suffering, isn’t that also counter productive since their suffering is what gets them Heaven? So, what exactly are we praying for when we pray for souls in Purgatory?
2. This is related to the first question, but what “benefit” do the souls in Purgatory get when we pray for them? (“Benefit” probably isn’t the right word, but you know what I mean).

I ask becasue I’d like to pray for souls in Purgatory, but I don’t really know how to do it. Any help would be appreciated

 

[Elizah_Nagombi]

Gog is Just but merciful. Our prayers for the souls in purgatory must be from a genuine heart and we must make anointment through his Son Jesus sorrowful passion while praying. To answer you question: Our prayers does benefit the souls in purgatory by easing their sufferings and bring them to heaven. That is to say, if one living soul is sacrificing its time and effort to pray, God listens to it. Also, only a living soul can pray and help a soul in purgatory, no other. A good prayer could be: “Eternal Father, through your Son’s sorrowful passion, have mercy on the souls in purgatory (namely). Look not on their sins but on the sufferings Jesus went through for them. Amen”
St. Faustina explains clearly in her diary ‘Divine Mercy in My Soul’, google it and download the pdf copy. If you cannot not get it ok email me: elizah_nagombi@hotmail.com

God bless.

 

[Bonnie]

I just pray for them - by name for particular people or just “those in purgatory.” I let God decide how those prayers are applied.

 

[themonk86]

I think reading from the Catechism might help you, especially paragraphs 958 and 1032.

When we pray for souls in Purgatory, what specifically are we praying for? By this, I mean, I have assumed that we’re essentially praying that these souls will more quickly get out of Purgatory and into Heaven, but the more I think about it, the more this seems to be praying against the will of God. After all, God knows exactly how long each soul should be in Purgatory so isn’t praying for souls to move onto Heaven more quickly than God plans directly contradicting God’s will? If we pray for a generalized relief from their suffering, isn’t that also counter productive since their suffering is what gets them Heaven? So, what exactly are we praying for when we pray for souls in Purgatory?

Praying for the souls in Purgatory really is about delivering them from their sins and not about getting them out quicker. Also it isn’t going against God’s will since He commends it in the Bible. And since God exists outside of time the way we are bound to it, so if you did pray for someone in Purgatory and it helped them get out “quicker” as you said then God would have already known about it. So I think the better way to understand Purgatory is a state of being where we are purified of our past sins. So once we have made that restitution we are allowed to heaven which is were God wants all of us to be.

his is related to the first question, but what “benefit” do the souls in Purgatory get when we pray for them? (“Benefit” probably isn’t the right word, but you know what I mean).

The benefit would be that we help them expiate their sins.

Hope this helps and God Bless!

 

[AnneTeresa]

These are really good answers. I’ve also wondered while praying for souls in purgatory. I hope it is ok to ask here, since it’s related.

That is, when praying for someone in purgatory, what if they are already gone from there? What happens to those prayers then? Sometimes I find myself praying for people wondering about whether they are really there, and even thinking maybe I should be asking THEM to pray for ME. How do you know which way to pray?