The Heroic Act

[Shin]

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a hero as “a mythological or legendary figure of great strength or ability; or a man admired for his achievements and qualities.” A hero goes above and beyond the call of duty to help others. It is someone who has made a sacrifice for the benefit of those who could not help themselves.

There are heroes in the Catholic Church. They are the canonized saints. It is true, that all people who enter Heaven are saints, but the canonized saints have done something that is extraordinary and have been made role models for future generations of Christians.

All of us can become heroes while on earth. It won’t necessarily lead to our canonization, but it would definitely help those in need and also bring us closer to Jesus. An opportunity has been given to us by the Church to help the souls in Purgatory. It is the Heroic Act of Charity.

Through the Heroic Act, we give all of the indulgences from our prayers, our sufferings, and our works of charity for the benefit of the souls in Purgatory. Also, the indulgences from the prayers offered after your death will go to the souls in Purgatory. Even though we give the holy souls the value of our indulgenced acts, we still keep the blessings of what we have done which will bring us glory in Heaven.

The Heroic Act of Charity has been approved by Popes Benedict XIII (1728), Pius VI (1788), and Pius XI (1852). The Sacred Congregation of Indulgences made a decree regarding it on December 18, 1885 and it was confirmed by Pope Leo XIII the next day:

The Heroic Act of Charity in favor of the souls detained in purgatory consists in this, that a member of the Church militant (Christifidelis), either using a set formula or simply by an act of his will, offers to God for the souls in purgatory all the satisfactory works which he will perform during his lifetime, and also all the suffrages which may accrue to him after his death. Many Christians devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, acting on the advice of the Theatine Regular Cleric Father Gaspar Olider, of blessed memory, make it a practice to deposit the said merits and suffrages as it were into the hands of the Blessed Virgin that she may distribute these favours to the souls in Purgatory according to her own merciful pleasure.

Now, you might be thinking, “What a great idea, but what will happen to me when I die and I don’t have any indulgences to get me out of Purgatory? Will I suffer enormously there because of the Heroic Act?” This objection is not taking into account God’s love and mercy for us:

“lf anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16: 24.25

We would be blessed by God for making this sacrifice. St. Gertrude the Great (who was revealed the prayer to release 1000 souls from Purgatory) made this heroic act. When she was close to death, the sins she had committed came to her mind along with the fact that she gave all of her indulgences to the souls in Purgatory. The devil tormented her by showing that she would suffer a great deal in Purgatory because she didn’t have anything to help her get out sooner. At that point, Jesus appeared to her and said, “Be assured, My daughter, your charity towards the departed will be no detriment to you. Know that the generous donation you have made of all your works to the holy souls has been singularly pleasing to Me; and to give you a proof thereof, I declare to you that all the pains you would have had to endure in the other life are now remitted; moreover, in recompense for your generous charity I will so enhance the value of the merits of your works as to give you a great increase of glory in Heaven.”

In the past, there were a series of indulgences that benefited those who made the Heroic Act of Charity, but these indulgences have not been mentioned in the Enchiridion of Indulgences (Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary; June 29, 1968) so they may not be in effect at this time. This should not it any way prevent us from performing this Act.* The goal here is to help the souls in Purgatory any way we can.

If you would like to make the Heroic Act, you can in your own words offer the indulgences of all your prayers, your works of charity, and your sufferings for the benefit of the souls in Purgatory. This includes the benefits of all of the prayers said for you after death. If you have a problem with saying this in your own words, use the following prayer:

“Lord Jesus, King of infinite Mercy, I give all of the indulgences that would have been mine through my prayers, acts of charity, my own sufferings, and for the prayers said for me when I pass into eternity to free my brothers and sisters from the pains of Purgatory. Have mercy on them and bring them into glory in Your eternal presence in Heaven. Amen.”

Praying for the dead is a spiritual work of mercy. With the Heroic Act of Charity, we can help the poor souls in a much more effective way. We highly recommend that all Catholics who love the souls in Purgatory do this act of mercy.

(From Holy Souls Online, Jul-Aug-Sep 1999)

• Although the Church’s regulations on Indulgences have been changed, perhaps we may still hope to obtain these same Indulgences from God if we ask Him for them with great confidence.

 

[Monica4316]

Is this in any way similar to the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary? (only more specific… for souls in Purgatory…)

If a person has made their Total Consecration… all their works, prayers, etc, already belong to Our Lady, to be used in whatever way she chooses… which might be for souls in Purgatory, or for sinners… I guess this Heroic Act also adds indulgences to the list…

I think this is a good thing to do if it’s done with love for other souls

I feel like for me, doing this might involve some pride, ie wanting to be heroic before God, etc… maybe a similar alternative, for those who are consecrated to Mary, would be to offer all the indulgences to her using this prayer, and *then let her decide * then we can’t boast of anything at all, it is all Our Lady’s decision. I like the humility of this, at the same time we’re still giving up our indulgences for help other souls in Purgatory.

 

[poetryforjesus]

I tend to agree with Monica on this. As one still waiting to enter the church, I have no clue about what indulgences are and why there is a need for them. Is the teaching and practice on indulgences infallible? No one in our parish talks about this sort of thing.

 

[Shin]

It does seem similar in some ways doesn’t it? Since it is total consecration even if indulgences are not mentioned specifically, they would be given I would think, though indulgences in a certain sense are not ‘ours’ but are ‘given to us’ at first, after they are given they are considered something we have some decision over where to apply.

All prayers in any case should implicitly contain, ‘If it is pleasing to God’. And if it is pleasing to Our Lady, it is pleasing to God, and vice versa.

A person who has already given over his whole self and all his works to Our Lady, would I think be simply asking that she consider his wishes in this matter, wishes I think inspired by God, making a request of her who has the custody of all. She may be waiting for this request and quite pleased by it, and have already implemented it.

Indulgences are De Fide, that is dogma, a required belief. Just like Purgatory.

They are the merits of the penances of the saints and Christ. Every sin has a penance due it. The penance given by the priest in the confessional is not the complete penance, which is traditionally much larger than is often given today.

This is why we hear of penances and indulgences of ‘100 days’ ‘quarantines’ ‘pilgrimages’ this is how much penance various sins require.

As Catholics we can both do our own penance and the penance due others in their sins. What we do not do in penance, if we die and are going to go to Heaven through Purgatory, we make it up in Purgatory.

So to give up all one’s penance for the sake of the souls in Purgatory rather than oneself is in many ways a heroic act because relieving the suffering souls is a great thing but risking taking upon such suffering more greatly oneself is also a great thing.

Divine Mercy Sunday is coming up and there are some promises of relief from penance accompanying that devotion as well that people should try and avail themselves of in pious hope.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

I give all prayers and sacrifices to Mary, and I ask that some of these be given to the souls in Purgatory, but the souls in Purgatory aren’t my focus. I’m far more concerned with giving everything I can to sinners on Earth, because they are the ones in danger of ending up in Hell.

 

[Shin]

I give all prayers and sacrifices to Mary, and I ask that some of these be given to the souls in Purgatory, but the souls in Purgatory aren’t my focus. I’m far more concerned with giving everything I can to sinners on Earth, because they are the ones in danger of ending up in Hell.

My personal thoughts on the matter are as follows… I tend to pray more for the holy souls, as I consider that who can pray better for sinners? a saint in Heaven or myself on earth? And so I pray for the holy souls to enter into Heaven more swiftly, and be freed from their great torments. The holy souls cannot pray for themselves… so someone must be of help to them…

Everyone prays for sinners but far fewer pray for the holy souls. But those who have this devotion are always among the most devout souls I have ever met.

A saint once said she received more help and answers to her prayers from the holy souls than from the saints, because the holy souls were so grateful.

“Son, when I am dead, lay this body anywhere; let not the care of it in any way disturb you. This only do I request of you, that, wherever you be, you remember me at the Altar of the Lord.”

St. Monica to St. Augustine

“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.”

2 Mach. xii, 46.

'St. Bridget declares in her Revelations, and her testimony is quoted by Benedict XIII., that she heard a voice from the depths of the Purgatorial flames pronouncing these words: "May those be blessed, may those be rewarded, who relieve us in these pains! " And on another occasion: “Lord God, show Thy Almighty power in recompensing a hundred-fold those who assist us by their suffrages, and make the rays of the divine light to shine upon us.” In another vision the saint heard the voice of an angel saying: “Blessed be upon earth those who, by their prayers and good works, come to the assistance of the poor suffering souls!” ’

‘Blessed Peter Lefevre, of the Company of Jesus, so well known for his devotion towards the holy angels, had also a special devotion towards the souls in Purgatory. " Those souls," he said, "have bowels of Charity, which are ever open to those who still walk amidst the dangers of this life; they are filled with gratitude towards those who assist them. They can pray for us, and offer up their torments to God in our behalf. It is a most excellent practice to invoke the souls in Purgatory, that we may obtain from God, through their intercession, a true knowledge of our sins and a perfect contrition for them, fervour in the exercise of good works, care to produce worthy fruits of penance, and in general, all virtues, the absence of which has been the cause of their terrible chastisement.’

'St. Magdalen de Pazzi learned from our Lord to offer to the Eternal Father the Blood of His Divine Son. It was a simple commemoration of the Passion. She did it fifty times a day, and in one of her ecstasies she saw a large number of sinners converted, and of souls delivered from Purgatory by this practice. “Each time,” He added, “that a creature offers to my Father the Blood by which she has been redeemed, she offers Him a gift of infinite value.”

Fr. F.X. Schouppe, ‘Purgatory’

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great

Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St. Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy 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.”

 

[Lief_Erikson]

I hadn’t thought of this, Shin . Just shows how ignorant I am about Purgatory! Truly, we would be much more fit and capable of bringing souls to God here on Earth if we have souls from Purgatory praying for us and those we are trying to help.

So in a roundabout fashion, devotion to the souls in Purgatory can be another very good way of seeking the conversion of sinners. Thanks for enlightening me about this!

Even if this was not the case, though, I think the Church should have a number of us on Earth devoutly committed to helping the souls in Purgatory. For they do truly need help.

 

[DS59]

I pray the Heroic Act of Charity to Our Lady daily.

O Mary, Mother of the Church Suffering, grant me the privilege and the grace of being your apostle
in helping the souls in purgatory.
To this end, I beg you to unite all my prayers, works, and sufferings with the virtues, expiations, and merits of Jesus
and with your own;
and thus united apply them according to your will, to alleviate their sufferings.

For the same end I beg you to accept the infinite fruits of all the Masses of
which I shall assist, together with all the Masses, prayers, works, and expiations
which may be offered for me during my life and after my death.

Only let me assure you, my dear Mother, that I desire to give you all that I can
“and more than I can” that you may thus help your beloved children in their exile of suffering.
Mother of Fair Love, grant that my offering may lead me to enter truly and advance continually in the
secret paths of divine love. Amen.

I pray for the souls in purgatory in my daily Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

I also use the book Praying in the Presence of the Lord for the Holy Souls by Susan Tassone.

 

[Shin]

Even if this was not the case, though, I think the Church should have a number of us on Earth devoutly committed to helping the souls in Purgatory. For they do truly need help.

It’s easy to forget, I know well myself, how charity is never a zero sum game! What you give always multiplies to so many others!

 

[poetryforjesus]

It’s easy to forget, I know well myself, how charity is never a zero sum game! What you give always multiplies to so many others!

Thank you, Shin, for this thread. I never thought it was so necessary to pray for those in purgatory. It seemed to me that since they are already destined for heaven, there is little need to help them. What you have posted all makes good sense. This is a lot for me to learn.

 

[Shin]

Thank you, Shin, for this thread. I never thought it was so necessary to pray for those in purgatory. It seemed to me that since they are already destined for heaven, there is little need to help them. What you have posted all makes good sense. This is a lot for me to learn.

Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini!

Have Mercy on the Suffering Souls
from the Manual of the Purgatorian Society

Hear ye not the spirits’ moaning
From the depths of cleansing fire?
Know ye not the burning anguish
Of these souls – their hearts’ desire?

Hear them cry in bitter sorrow,
Sighing, weeping in their pains,
While they call on us who love them,
“Break our heavy prison chains!”

Though their lives on earth were holy,
And their virtue manifest,
Yet some stains of imperfection
Still prevent their perfect rest.

And they weep in mournful numbers,
Pleading for our fervent pray’r,
OH, take pity on their sorrow,
Let their solace be your care.

Place your pray’r, your pious off’ring
For these suffering souls, so poor,
In the hands of our dear Mother,
Of sweet Mary Virgin pure.

With a mother’s love and mercy
She will lead them to her son;
And their pain shall turn to glory
There, before the Heav’nly throne

 

[poetryforjesus]

They are the merits of the penances of the saints and Christ. Every sin has a penance due it. The penance given by the priest in the confessional is not the complete penance, which is traditionally much larger than is often given today.

This is why we hear of penances and indulgences of ‘100 days’ ‘quarantines’ ‘pilgrimages’ this is how much penance various sins require.

As Catholics we can both do our own penance and the penance due others in their sins. What we do not do in penance, if we die and are going to go to Heaven through Purgatory, we make it up in Purgatory.

So to give up all one’s penance for the sake of the souls in Purgatory rather than oneself is in many ways a heroic act because relieving the suffering souls is a great thing but risking taking upon such suffering more greatly oneself is also a great thing.

Please help me understand what penance is. You say every sin has a penance due it. To me it seems when we sin, we have to face the consequence of that sin and go through a lot more trouble in order to do the right thing and restore the integrity of things. As I’ve experienced, sinners have to overcome a great deal more in order to right their wrong. Is this responsibility to right one’s wrong what you call penance? Or is penance something extra we do above and beyond what is needed to make things right?

It seems that one’s cross is already heavy enough to do the right thing at all moments. Is the idea of penance adding to the cross which each of us is already called to bear?

 

[Lief_Erikson]

It’s easy to forget, I know well myself, how charity is never a zero sum game! What you give always multiplies to so many others!

I’m still more concerned about the souls of sinners on Earth .

I would spend many years in Purgatory if the result was that souls were saved on Earth as a consequence of prayers being made for sinners that otherwise would have been made for me. For my salvation would be guaranteed, even if I would be in anguish, and the long-term benefit, that other souls would be saved, would be far more important than my suffering.

However, I do believe you’re right that it’s not an either/or situation, and helping the Body of Christ in Purgatory is helping the Body of Christ on Earth. My personal focus could not change easily, though. I’m extremely intent on evangelism; I feel that’s my mission.

I very much appreciate that God calls some people to focus on the conversion of sinners and others to focus on helping the poor souls suffering in Purgatory. I love the diversity of His work in the Body of Christ, and I know it is an extremely good and pious act to help a soul in Purgatory. I’m glad you also showed me that it brings help to souls on Earth.