Prayers for souls in purgatory... what about the others?

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dch1983

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I’m having a little trouble with part of the concept of purgatory. My question isn’t regarding its existence. I understand that it is a good thing to pray for souls in purgatory or offer a mass for the deceased. But what does the Church teach about the souls who have no mass offered in their name or who do not have many family/friends praying for their soul while in purgatory? It sounds like those who have more “friends on earth” praying for them are better off than those who don’t and that, somehow, God rewards a soul by delivering it from purgatory sooner than a soul who is not being prayed for as regularly. Basically, what does the Church teach about the souls in purgatory who are not prayed for by many family and friends or who do not have masses offered in their name? The idea of the Lord rewarding a soul for these prayers while denying another for a lack of prayers creates a very confusing image of God for me…

Hope that made sense…
 
dch1983 said:
I understand that it is a good thing to pray for souls in purgatory or offer a mass for the deceased. But what does the Church teach about the souls who have no mass offered in their name or who do not have many family/friends praying for their soul while in purgatory?
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The same thing it would teach about people here on earth who do not have many family/friends praying for their soul: they would have a harder time. Of course, it doesn’t teach this positively; instead, it teaches that “the prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much” and that prayer is actually effective, which means that those people who have fewer people praying for them have less accomplished for them.

Praying for those in purgatory is no different than praying for those on earth. If it accomplishes good for those on earth, it accomplishes good for those in purgatory, and if a lack of prayer fails to accomplish good for those on earth, then it fails to accomplish good for those in purgatory.

Jeremy
 
This is why we don’t just pray for certain souls ALONE. Masses can be offered, and are offered, for ALL the souls in purgatory. God doesn’t favor souls according to who gets a Mass said for them once a year. I know lots of people who daily pray for the repose of the holy souls, including me. So, don’t worry about it. The Church isn’t denying prayers for any souls by offering prayers for particular souls when we are to pray daily for all the souls in purgatory, which is a part of the prayer of the Church, especially the Mass.
 
  • **“But what does the Church teach about the souls who have no mass offered in their name or who do not have many family/friends praying for their soul while in purgatory?” ***
Hello dch1983,

Don’t worry. The Saints are praying for them too. 🙂

Saint Augustin.
 
And millions of Catholics pray the Fatima Prayer every day as part of the Rosary:

“. . . and bring all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.”

This is one of the bits of popular Catholic piety I like the most (speaking as someone who generally finds the Liturgy far more appealing than popular Catholic devotions).

Edwin
 
Excellent! Thanks to the 4 of you for your responses, as they were all very helpful in their own way. One of the many beautiful and inspiring aspects of the Catholic faithful is your willingness - no, EAGERNESS - to pray for all, those you know and those you don’t. I guess this is a prime example. As I pray, read, and learn more on the road which is surely taking me to the Catholic Church, explanations of things such as these are quite settling to the heart and soul…
Thanks again!
 
dch1983 said:
Excellent! Thanks to the 4 of you for your responses, as they were all very helpful in their own way. One of the many beautiful and inspiring aspects of the Catholic faithful is your willingness - no, EAGERNESS - to pray for all, those you know and those you don’t. I guess this is a prime example. As I pray, read, and learn more on the road which is surely taking me to the Catholic Church, explanations of things such as these are quite settling to the heart and soul…
Thanks again!
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I think I can speak for all who responded and say you’re welcome! God bless you on your journey into his Church.

That’s what the Church is all about–bringing Christ to everyone, everywhere no matter their state in life, be they young or old, believer or non-believer, friend or foe, God loves everyone, so we pray for everyone and leave the rest to God.
 
Sorry I’m coming a bit late into this conversation, but I do mention in my rosary intentions for “all the souls in purgatory, especially those who have no one else to pray for them.” I do this for living people, too. I just hate the idea of there being people out there, living or deceased, who have no one to pray for them. I also know some other people who do this, too, so there are many of us out there who are praying for the “lost” and forgotten people, too. I try to obtain as many indulgences as I can during the day, and offer them up for those who are most needy in purgatory. Plus, I try to have a mass said at least once a month for the souls in purgatory. So really, just because their family members don’t have masses said for them, doesn’t mean that nothing is being done for them, either.
 
dch1983 said:
I’m having a little trouble with part of the concept of purgatory. My question isn’t regarding its existence. I understand that it is a good thing to pray for souls in purgatory or offer a mass for the deceased. But what does the Church teach about the souls who have no mass offered in their name or who do not have many family/friends praying for their soul while in purgatory? It sounds like those who have more “friends on earth” praying for them are better off than those who don’t and that, somehow, God rewards a soul by delivering it from purgatory sooner than a soul who is not being prayed for as regularly. Basically, what does the Church teach about the souls in purgatory who are not prayed for by many family and friends or who do not have masses offered in their name? The idea of the Lord rewarding a soul for these prayers while denying another for a lack of prayers creates a very confusing image of God for me…

Hope that made sense…
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Well, for starters, every morning I say the prayers from the pamphlet DAILY PRAYERS FOR THE CHURCH SUFFERING, published by REQUIEM PRESS.

Each day of the week is devoted to a certain class of souls. Sunday is for the souls most destitute of aid. They are also my rosary intentions

Susan Tassone has published 4 books and produced a CD on the topic. I have all of them, and use them. Susan asks us to include a sentence at the end of the traditional Fatime Rosary prayer…

“And console the souls in Purgatory, especially those most abandoned”
 
Andruschak said:
Well, for starters, every morning I say the prayers from the pamphlet DAILY PRAYERS FOR THE CHURCH SUFFERING, published by REQUIEM PRESS.

Each day of the week is devoted to a certain class of souls. Sunday is for the souls most destitute of aid. They are also my rosary intentions

Susan Tassone has published 4 books and produced a CD on the topic. I have all of them, and use them. Susan asks us to include a sentence at the end of the traditional Fatime Rosary prayer…

“And console the souls in Purgatory, especially those most abandoned”
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Thank you, again, for another good source. Where did you get the books? How much are they?

Also, I occasionally say the Litany for the Souls in Purtatory:
LITANY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
Short Form
Responses are in Italics

The just shall be in everlasting remembrance; He shall not fear the evil hearing.

Absolve, O Lord, the souls of the faithful departed from every bond of sin, And by the help of Thy grace may they be enabled to escape the avenging judgment, and to enjoy the happiness of eternal life.

Because in Thy mercy are deposited the souls that departed in an inferior degree of grace, Lord have mercy.
Because their present suffering is greatest in the knowledge of the pain that their separation from Thee is causing Thee, Lord have mercy.
Because of their present inability to add to Thy accidental glory, Lord have mercy.
Not for our consolation, O Lord; not for their release from purgative pain, O God; but for Thy joy and the greater accidental honor of Thy throne, O Christ the King, Lord have mercy.

For the souls of our departed friends, relations and benefactors, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those of our family who have fallen asleep in Thy bosom, O Jesus, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who have gone to prepare our place, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For priests who were our spiritual directors, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For men or women who were our teachers in school, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who were our employers or employees, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who were our associates in daily toil, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For any soul whom we ever offended, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For our enemies now departed, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those souls who have none to pray for them, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those forgotten by their friends and kin, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those now suffering the most, Grant light and peace, O Lord. For those who have acquired the most merit, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For the souls next to be released from Purgatory, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those who, while on earth, were most devoted to God the Holy Ghost, to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, to the holy Mother of God, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all deceased popes and prelates, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all deceased priests, seminarians and religious, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all our brethren in the Faith everywhere, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For all our separated brethren who deeply loved Thee, and would have come into Thy household had they known the truth, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those souls who need, or in life asked, our prayers, Grant light and peace, O Lord.
For those, closer to Thee than we are, whose prayers we need, Grant light and peace, O Lord.

That those may be happy with Thee forever, who on earth were true exemplars of the Catholic Faith, Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be admitted to Thine unveiled Presence, who as far as we know never committed mortal sin, Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be housed in glory, who lived always in recollection and prayer, Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be given the celestial joy of beholding Thee, who lived lives of mortification, self-denial, and penance, Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.
That those may be flooded with Thy love, who denied themselves even Thy favors of indulgence and who made the heoric act for the souls who had gone before them, Grant them eternal rest,
O Lord.
That those may be drawn up to the Beatific Vision, who never put obstacles in the way of sanctifying grace and who ever drew closer in mystical union with Thee, Grant them eternal rest O Lord.

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, And let perpetual light shine upon them.

LET US PRAY : Be mindful, O Lord, of all Thy servants and handmaids who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of grace. To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light and peace, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
 
dch1983 said:
The idea of the Lord rewarding a soul for these prayers while denying another for a lack of prayers creates a very confusing image of God for me…
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It’s not God’s fault. Non-Catholics do not believe in Purgatory and do not pray for their dead. Therefore, they suffer more and longer in Purgatory because they have no one praying for them or offering Masses.
 
Understand also that God doesn’t require our prayers in order to grant His mercy. He invites us to join in His work of salvation, but He does not require our assistance. Thus with prayer He invites us to will the best for others, but our prayers are for our benefit as much or more than they are for the benefit of those for whom we pray. When we pray we seek the sanctification of others, and by this we become sanctified ourselves. This is just another case where only by giving can we receive. It is another example of the paradox of love. It is another insight into the very nature of God.
 
Blinky said:
It’s not God’s fault. Non-Catholics do not believe in Purgatory and do not pray for their dead. Therefore, they suffer more and longer in Purgatory because they have no one praying for them or offering Masses.
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In that pamphlet about prayers for the CS, the Tuesday prayer is for those souls who would otherwise be the last to issue from the pains. So I would be hoping that Tuesday is when a lot of those non-Catholics get the good news
 
Blinky said:
It’s not God’s fault. Non-Catholics do not believe in Purgatory and do not pray for their dead. Therefore, they suffer more and longer in Purgatory because they have no one praying for them or offering Masses.
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They have me:) . I just had a mass said for the husband of one of my coworkers. He was an evangelical christian. I also made a plenary indulgence for him this weekend. I’ve also included him in my rosary intentions since he passed on. I also pray for all the souls in purgatory who have no one else to pray for them. I also have masses offered for them. So do many other people I know. So therefore, I’m not sure that they have that much more time in purgatory than Catholics. And many Catholics do not believe in offering masses for their deceased ones any more, so I’m not sure that being Catholic or having a Catholic family is going to necessarily get them out any sooner nowadays.
 
VociMike said:
Understand also that God doesn’t require our prayers in order to grant His mercy. He invites us to join in His work of salvation, but He does not require our assistance. Thus with prayer He invites us to will the best for others, but our prayers are for our benefit as much or more than they are for the benefit of those for whom we pray. When we pray we seek the sanctification of others, and by this we become sanctified ourselves. This is just another case where only by giving can we receive. It is another example of the paradox of love. It is another insight into the very nature of God.
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👍
 
Andruschak said:
In that pamphlet about prayers for the CS, the Tuesday prayer is for those souls who would otherwise be the last to issue from the pains. So I would be hoping that Tuesday is when a lot of those non-Catholics get the good news
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Where can I get a copy of that pamplet??? I feel one calling to me…🙂
 
But at EVERY Mass prayers are offered for ALL the departed faithful. It’s hardly like those with no relatives to pray for them get ignored by any means.

Of course additional prayers help as well 😉 As was pointed out by Mike though, they are for our benefit too. I sometimes ask the souls that I’ve prayed for to pray for me in return when they are released from Purgatory.
 
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