DAILY PILGRIMAGE
TO PURGATORY.
By a Missionary of the Sacred Heart.
CATHOLIC TRUTH SOCIETY of OREGON No. CTSOr/Pr133 (1933).
With the Permission of the Superiors.
Origin Of The Daily Pilgrimage To Purgatory.
In the writings of St. Margaret Mary, we find the following exhortation: “In
union with the divine Heart of Jesus make a short pilgrimage to Purgatory at
night. Offer Him all your activities of the day and ask Him to apply His merits
to the suffering souls. At the same time, implore them to obtain for you the
grace to live and die in the love and friendship of this divine Heart. May He
never find in you any resistance to His holy will, nor any wish to thwart His
designs in your regard. Fortunate will you be, if you succeed in obtaining
deliverance for some of these imprisoned souls, for you will gain as many
friends in heaven.”
This pious practice which St. Margaret Mary recommended to her novices for the
octave of All Souls, was introduced to the members of the Arch-confraternity of
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the year 1885. Since then many of the faithful
have made this pilgrimage daily. Our world-wide Arch-confraternity, therefore,
would seem to have been chosen by divine Providence to obtain comfort and
deliverance for many souls in Purgatory.
In a letter of recommendation, given on January 5, 1884, his Eminence,
Cardinal Monaco la Valette, Vicar General of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIII, sanctioned
the propagation of the “Daily Pilgrimage to Purgatory". On October 8 of
the following year, his successor, Cardinal Parochi deigned not only to honor
us with a letter of approbation, but also delivered a splendid sermon on this
practice in the church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Rome, in which it had
been introduced. May it please the divine Heart of Jesus to use this booklet as
a means of spreading this work of sympathetic love for the Poor Souls
everywhere. May this most benevolent of hearts extend to all who in any way
assist in its circulation, the fullness of His graces and blessings.
Advantages Of This Practice.
It is short . . . . . . . A “Daily Pilgrimage” . . . . . .
. . . It is requires little more of your time than an ordinary prayer, a
religious thought, or a devout ejaculation.
It is easy . . . . . . . It can be practiced by any one without effort,
regardless of age or state of life, at any time, and in any place.
It is comforting . . . . . . . . No more is required than to
descend in spirit for a few moments into Purgatory; to petition God to send
light, relief and peace to the holy souls: to relieve them of their sufferings,
and to hasten the hour of their deliverance.
It is holy . . . . . . . It is in accordance with the wishes
of the Sacred Heart; it increases His honor. He is our companion on this
pilgrimage. We share in his love, and receive from Him light, relief and peace
for the suffering souls.
It is generous . . . . . . . It offers to the Sacred Heart
every meritorious deed performed in the course of a day; prayers,
mortifications, good works, alms, suffrages of every kind, and places them at
His disposal on behalf of the Poor Souls.
It is inexhaustible . . . . . . . . It implores Our Lord and Savior
to apply to them the infinite merits of His Life, His Passion and Death,
and also those of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and all the
Saints.
It is efficacious . . . . . If only you knew with what ardent
desire these holy souls long for this new “remedy” which has such efficacy to
relieve their sufferings. For this is what St Margaret Mary calls the devotion
to the Sacred Heart.
It is meritorious . . . By
extending this act of brotherly love to the Poor Souls, our own merits are
increased in the same measure as the pious thoughts which it inspired, the good
disposition which it creates, the acts of virtue which it prompts.
It goes on increasingly . . . . . . At every moment of the
day and night, somewhere on earth members of the Arch-confraternity pray for
our departed friends according to our intention. There is an uninterrupted
sequence of holy Masses, Stations of the Cross, good works, prayers and
indulgences. Those whose death we mourn will never be forgotten.
It is approved by the
Church . . . . . . Many bishops have readily given their approval. His
Eminence, the Cardinal Vicar of his Holiness, Pope Pius XI, has recommended it
twice in a most explicit manner. The Holy Father himself has deigned to bestow
the richest privileges upon the altar of the Poor Souls in the Church of Our
Lady of the Sacred Heart in Rome.
It is favored by God himself . . . . . . Numerous spiritual
and temporal favors have manifested, again and again, how pleasing this
practice is to the Sacred Heart. One may use it with confidence as a means of
obtaining the conversion of a sinner, the restoration of health, or a special
grace. Very effective also is the promise to promote this devotion if a
petition be heard. If the Lord rewards in this life the gift of a cup of cold
water, given in His name to the poor, He certainly will reward, even more
generously, the help offered for His sake to the Poor Souls.
It is salutary . . . . . . By helping the Poor Souls, we
assure ourselves their perpetual gratitude; they will pray for us, especially
after their entrance into eternal happiness; in particular will they endeavor
to obtain for us the grace of a happy death.
“On awakening on this morning on the Sunday of the Good Shepherd. . . .” wrote
St. Margaret Mary about two hundred and fifty years ago, “two of my suffering
friends came to take leave of me. Today the Good Shepherd received them into
His eternal home. They left with untold joy and happiness. When I asked them to
remember me, they replied: “Ingratitude has never entered heaven.”
It deserves to be propagated . . . . . . O you my Christian
friends who read these lines, priests, religious or devout lay-people, help to
spread this devotion, It is so simple, and requires so little effort; moreover,
you will be rewarded for it. Let at least one tiny drop of water trickle into
Purgatory every day. If no one refuses to do so, many souls will be released,
and a refreshing stream of grace will flow without ceasing through that prison
of fire.
‘Daily Pilgrimage to Purgatory.
Preparation:
(Either one of the following acts or a similar one
will suffice.)
Prayer -
O St. Margaret Mary, whom the Lord has chosen to reveal to the whole world all
the treasures hidden in his merciful heart of Love! O, you who have heard how
the Poor Souls in Purgatory begged for this new remedy, the devotion to the
Sacred Heart which relieves them so effectively of their torments! O you who have
set free so many of these poor prisoners by practicing this devotion: obtain
for us the grace to make this Pilgrimage worthily in the company of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus. Amen.
Unite your own intentions with those of the faithful who make this pilgrimage
daily.
Consecration of the Day:
Divine Heart of Jesus, in making this pilgrimage with You as my Companion, I
consecrate to You all my thoughts, words and actions of the entire day. I pray You
to unite my small merits with Yours and to apply them to the Poor Souls,
especially the soul of Your servant, N. N. (Name the soul.)
Likewise, do I entreat you, holy souls, to help me obtain the grace to
persevere in love and loyalty toward the Sacred Heart, by submitting readily
and without complaint to whatever designs He may have in my regard.
Offering -
Eternal Father, we offer You the Blood, Passion and Death of Jesus Christ and
the sorrows of the most holy Mary and St. Joseph in payment for our sins, in
suffrage for the holy souls in Purgatory, for the wants of our Holy Mother the
Church and for the conversion of Sinners. Amen.
Ejaculation -
“May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere.‟” 300 days. {Wherever a number of days
indulgence is indicated, the new rules of the Church lay down that it is to be
recorded as a partial indulgence. This is also true if the indulgence is so
many years. Remember that God is never outdone in generosity!}
“Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
pray for us.” 300 days.
“St. Joseph, model and patron of those who love the Sacred Heart, pray for
us.”
300 Days.
Plenary Indulgence, once a month.
Preparatory Meditation:
Let us for a moment, in company with the Sacred Heart, descend in spirit into
the consuming flames of Purgatory.
How many of these souls are beginning their painful imprisonment this very
moment! I know many of them have been there for a long time and shall be there
for a longer time to come! And what a holy legion almost entirely purified and
cleansed at the present moment, shall rise to heaven this very day!
How happy the Poor Souls are! They have escaped hell forever. They are certain
to obtain eternal happiness. They are friends of God; they are saved. And yet,
how miserable they are at the same time. They must still suffer temporal
punishment for sins which have been already forgiven them. The gates of their
heavenly fatherland are still closed to them; they are sentenced to expiating
fire.
Behold them in their present plight! Listen to their lamentations! Speak to
them a word of friendship and sympathy, and hasten to their assistance!
Sunday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is there
anything you regret when you think of your life on earth?
I deeply regret wasted time. . . . I did not consider it so precious, so
fleeting, so irretrievable. For this reason, my life was worth only half of
what is might have been. Oh, had I but realized it then! Would that I could
return to earth, how differently I would use the time given me!
Precious time! . . . . . . Today I know how to appreciate you. You were
purchased with the blood of Christ: you were given me for the sole purpose of
loving God, sanctifying myself and edifying my neighbor. But alas! I have
abused you by committing sin; I have craved vanity, pleasures and trifles; I
have been dreaming dreams which now cause me bitter reproaches and remorse.
Precious time . . . . . . Wasted time . . . . . How heavily you weigh upon me
now! How it grieves me to have lost you through my own fault!
Fleeting time which passes so quickly on earth, but which drags so slowly in
this prison of fire, in this place of excruciating torments! Formerly, years
seemed like days to me. My whole life vanished like a dream.
Hours now seem like years, days like centuries. I must now suffer, weep, and
wait, until the last minute of wasted time is redeemed. Oh, how long shall my
exile last!
Irretrievable time! On earth, I relied on my last years to do penance; but the
thread of my life was severed at a moment when I expected it least! O precious
time! You were given me to acquire treasures and graces without number, but now
you are lost for me forever.
You, who still live on earth, do not waste the gift of time, which has cost
Jesus such a high price, and for which you too will have to suffer in Purgatory
if you imitate our carelessness.
You, who are privileged to live during a time which is pre-eminently devoted to
the Sacred Heart, during these last centuries when He has revealed to the world
His love in its fullness: intercede for us that we may obtain the merits of at
least one of these days, in which His grace is so freely and abundantly offered
you.
Pious Exercises.
Resolution.: -
Today I will do everything
possible to assist the souls of priests, religious and all those in Purgatory
who have been faithful to this devotion all their lives. I also recommend
myself to those who are entering heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
The sufferings of the souls in Purgatory are so great that a single day appears
to them like a thousand years.
Exercise -
Use a few moments of your time to make ejaculations in honor of the divine
Heart for the comfort and consolation of the Poor Souls.
Special Intention -
Implore the divine Heart of Jesus to grant relief to the most forsaken soul in
Purgatory.
Motive -
The greater the abandonment of a soul, the greater will be its gratitude
towards you. It will obtain for you the privilege never to be forsaken by God
through the withdrawal of His grace, and never to abandon Him by committing
sin.
Prayer -
O Lord God Almighty, I pray You, by the Precious Blood which Your
divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory and
especially that soul which is most destitute of spiritual aid; and vouchsafe to
bring it to Your glory, there to praise and bless You forever. Amen.
Our Father . . . . . . Hail Mary
(The Faithful who devoutly offer prayers for the Poor Souls, with the
intention of doing so for 7 or 9 successive days, may obtain:
An indulgence of three years once each day {a partial indulgence}; A plenary
indulgence on the usual condition at the end of their 7 or 9 days of prayer.)
Any form of prayer for the Poor Souls may be used.
De Profundis - Psalm 129: (Psalm 130 in the Hebrew.)
Out of the depths I have cried unto You, O Lord:
Lord hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If You, O Lord, shall mark our iniquities: O Lord, who can abide it?
For with You there is mercy; and by reason of Your law, I have waited on You, O
Lord.
My soul has waited on His word; my soul has hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even unto night: let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy; and with Him is plentiful redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Versicle. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
Response. And let perpetual
light shine upon them.
3 years. 5 years every day
in November. Plenary indulgence once a month.
Ejaculation: -
Sweet Heart of Jesus, make me love You
ever more and more.
300 days. Plenary indulgence once a month.
Monday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is
there anything you regret when you think of your life on earth?
I
deeply regret my extravagance in the use of earthly possessions. . . . My
fortune, my health, my talent, my position in the world, the influence I had,
my relatives, my servants, in a word, everything could have been of spiritual
benefit to me if only I had known how to use it for the greater honor of the
divine Heart. How many graces could I have drawn upon myself! This I neglected
to do, and at the hour of my death, all my possessions have come to naught.
Oh, were I but rich today in these my former possession! Would that I could use
them to hasten even for one moment, the hour of my deliverance; to increase,
even by one degree, the glory which God has in store for me; to awaken, if only
in one soul now living in the world, the devotion to the divine Heart of Jesus.
My friends, whose fortunes are still at your disposal, use them for the support
of your neighbor by generously giving alms to the poor. Use them for the
greater honor of God as pious offerings designated for the propagation of the
devotion to His Sacred Heart throughout the world.
Pious Exercises.
Resolution. -
Today I will do everything possible to assist the souls of the faithful
departed from all parts of Europe. I also recommend myself to those who are
entering heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
“The gates of heaven are opened by alms.‟ (St.
John Chrysostom homily 32 in Epistle ad Hebrews.)
Exercise -
Give an alms for the propagation of the devotion to the divine Heart of
Jesus.
Special Intention -
Pray for the soul which is nearest to heaven.
Motive -
The closer a soul is to the end of its sufferings, the more ardently will it long
for union with the Sacred Heart. Remove, therefore, by your prayers, the
obstacles still in its way. In return, it will obtain for you the grace to
sever the ties which now prevent you from giving yourself entirely to God.
Prayer -
O Lord God Almighty, I pray You, by the Precious Blood which Your
divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in Purgatory,
and that soul especially which is nearest to its entrance into Your glory; that
so it may forthwith begin to praise and bless You forever. Amen.
Our Father . . . Hail Mary.
Ejaculation. -
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!
300 days. Plenary indulgence once a month.
Tuesday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is there
anything you regret when you think of your life on earth?
I deeply regret my neglect of so many splendid graces. They have been offered
to me in such abundance at every moment of my life and with such loving
admonitions.
Spiritual regeneration,
vocation and sacraments;
the word of God,
holy inspirations and good examples;
graces to protect me in danger, to help me in temptations;
the grace of forgiveness for my sins,
of indulgences so easily gained . . . . . . What an incalculable number of the
most varied graces!
Some of them I have refused: others I have accepted with coldness;
unfortunately, I have misused most of them. I have preferred earthly
possessions to the eternal. How I have deceived myself!
Oh, could I but for one moment quench my thirst at the fountains of mercy,
flowing from the Sacred Heart! Unfortunately, these fountains are spurned by
sinners as they were by me.
You, who behold the inexhaustible stream of graces flow by, why do you not draw
from it a few drops for yourself!
Consider what St Margaret Mary says: “It is certain that everyone on earth
could obtain salutary graces without number, if he but had a grateful love for
Jesus Christ, such as is manifested by those who love and venerate His Sacred
Heart.”
Pious Exercises.
Resolution -
Today I will do everything
possible to assist the souls of the faithful departed from all parts of Asia,
particularly from the Holy Land of Palestine and from countries infested with
idolatry, schism and heresy. I also recommend myself to those who are entering
heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
“The benefit of a single grace is greater than all the material value
of the whole world.” (St Thomas, Summa, 1st part of the 2nd
part, Question 113, article 9, ad 2.)
Exercise –
In order to relieve the Poor Souls of their sufferings, I shall offer them
today, by way of suffrage, the benefit of some indulgence gained by prayers or
some devotional exercise in honor of the divine Heart of Jesus.
Special Intention -
Pray for the soul in Purgatory which is farthest from eternal rest.
Motive -
Let yourself be moved by the abandonment, resignation and humility with
which that soul bears its long suffering: it will be grateful to you. Happy
will you be, if it obtains for you the virtue of humility in this world, so
that you may be exalted in the next.
Prayer. -
O Lord Almighty, I pray You by the Precious Blood which Your divine Son
Jesus shed in the bitter crowning of thorns, deliver the souls in Purgatory,
and in particular that soul which would be the last to depart out of this place
of suffering, that it may not tarry so long before it comes to praise You in Your
glory and bless You for ever. Amen.
Our Father . . . . Hail Mary.
Eternal Father, I offer You the
Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for my sins, and in supplication
for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and for the needs of the Holy Church.
500 days. Plenary indulgence once a month if said daily.
Wednesday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is
there anything you regret when you think of your life on earth?
I
deeply regret the evil which I have done. In the world, evil seemed so easy, so
pleasant. In the midst of pleasures, I silenced the voice of conscience. Today
my faults weigh me down; their bitterness torments me; their memory persecutes
and tortures me.
Mortal sins, forgiven, but not atoned for, venial sins, small imperfections.
Too late to detest them in Purgatory! Just punishment must now take its course.
Oh, if I could return to life again! No promise, be it ever so tempting, no
riches, no flattery could induce me to commit even the smallest sin!
My friends, you who are still free to choose between God and the world, gaze
upon the crown of thorns, upon the cross, upon all the sufferings which
your sins have brought upon the Sacred Heart! Think of the sorrow which these
sins and faults will cause you in Purgatory, and you will be able to avoid them
without effort.
If you long for the grace to resist Satan when he tempts you, consider what St.
Margaret Mary says: “I cannot believe that persons consecrated to this divine
Heart will ever be lost; neither do I believe that they will fall into the
hands of Satan by committing a mortal sin, after having given themselves
entirely to Him. For they will make every effort to honor, love and glorify
this divine Heart, and to follow his designs in their regard willingly and
without reserve.”
Pious Exercises.
Resolution -
Today I will do everything possible
to assist the souls of the faithful departed from Africa, particularly from
those countries in Africa which were formerly Catholic, and are now returning
to our holy Faith through the work of devout missionaries. I also recommend
myself to those who are entering heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
“What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of
his own soul?” (Mathew 16:25.)
Exercise -
Make an act of contrition in union with the souls in Purgatory, before
a picture of the Sacred Heart.
Special intention -
Pray for the soul richest in merits.
Motive -
The more exalted a soul is in heaven, the more effective will be its
request for true love of God for you, without which there is no real merit.
Prayer -
O Lord God Almighty, I pray You, by the Precious Blood which Your divine
Son Jesus shed in the streets of Jerusalem, when He carried the Cross upon His
sacred shoulders, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that soul
which is richest in merits before You, that so, in that throne of glory which
awaits it, it may magnify You and bless You forever. Amen.
Our Father . . . . Hail Mary.
Ejaculation -
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.
Seven years for each invocation. Plenary indulgence once a month.
Thursday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is there anything you regret when you think of your
life on earth?
I
deeply regret the scandal which I have given! Oh, if I had to grieve over my
own faults only . . . If only I would have prevented, in the hour of my health,
the disastrous consequences of the scandal of which I was the cause. If only I
could detain from this place of darkness the many souls that followed my sad
example and listened to my pernicious teachings! But no! Through my fault, the
evil goes on, and perhaps, will spread over a period of years and centuries.
And now I have to give an account of all the sins for which I am to blame!
Oh,
were I but able to let my sad words resound unto the ends of the earth and to
wander through the world as a preacher of penance! With what untiring zeal
would I labor among souls in order to estrange them from evil and return them
to virtue. Oh you my friends on earth, who come to visit me in this dark prison
in order to let a ray of salutary light shine upon me: you shall find in the
Sacred Heart the surest and easiest way of bringing back to God as many souls
as I have led into sin by bad example!
Tell them, that “this divine Heart is a fortress and a sanctuary for those who
desire to escape divine justice by seeking refuge in Him. For the number of
sins committed at the present time is so great, that they challenge a just
Creator to punish the sinner swiftly and severely.”
Pious Exercises.
Resolution -
Today I will do everything possible to assist the souls of the faithful
departed from North and South America, especially those from my native town. {Say
this today, and on the day you pray for the souls from your own continent.} I
also recommend myself to those who are entering heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
“The Son of man will render to everyone according to his works.” (Mathew 16:27).
Exercise -
Give to someone a picture or a book treating of the Sacred Heart.
Special Intention -
Pray for the soul which had the greatest devotion to the Most
Blessed Sacrament.
Motive -
That soul will obtain for you the grace to receive Holy Communion
worthily at the hour of death as a pledge of your eternal salvation.
Prayer -
O Lord God Almighty, I pray You, by the Precious Blood of Your divine
Son Jesus, which He gave with His own hands upon the eve of His Passion to His
beloved Apostles to be their food and drink, and which He left to His whole
Church to be a perpetual sacrifice and live-giving food of His own faithful
people, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which was most
devoted to this mystery of infinite love, that it may with Your same divine
Son, and with Your Holy Spirit, ever praise You for Your love therein in
eternal glory. Amen.
Our Father . . . Hail Mary.
Ejaculation -
My Jesus! Mercy!
300 days. Plenary indulgence once a month.
Friday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is there anything you regret when you think of your
life on earth?
I
deeply regret my neglect of acts of mortification. How easy they would have
been on earth, but how difficult they are now in Purgatory. Here the smallest
suffering is more poignant than the most cruel torments on earth. In the world,
it meant only patience and resignation in the hardships and adversities of my
life; it meant only giving from my surplus to the poor, and devoting myself to
works of atonement; it meant only gaining Indulgences and performing works of
piety. Nothing could have been easier, and my Purgatory would have been
shortened considerably.
If God would but grant me the grace to exchange the years during which I must
still remain in this place of sorrow for as many years of life on earth! No
commands would be too severe for me; no pains could frighten me; the most
difficult works of penance would be sweet and give me comfort at the thought of
this consuming fire.
You, who now smart under the insignificant trials and hardships of this life!
You, who now earn your daily bread by the sweat of your brow, rejoice! The
smallest suffering endured in the spirit of atonement and offered to the Sacred
Heart in the spirit of expiation, will save you from a long and painful
Purgatory.
Pious Exercises.
Resolution -
Today I will do everything possible
to assist the souls of the faithful departed from the far distant countries of
Oceania, (the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans,) particularly from the
most difficult, severely tried Catholic mission districts. I also recommend
myself to those who are entering heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
“Bring forth therefore worthy fruits of penance.” (Luke 3:8.)
Exercise -
Offer to the Sacred Heart a little
act of mortification for the relief of the suffering souls in Purgatory.
Special Intention -
Pray for the souls for which you are most bound to pray.
Motive -
If you are indebted to these souls by an obligation of justice, do not
postpone it, because this may call down the wrath of God upon yourself.
Prayer -
O Lord God Almighty, I pray You, by the Precious Blood which Your divine
Son shed on this day upon the wood of the cross, especially from His most
sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and in particular that
soul for which I am most bound to pray; that no neglect of mine may hinder it
from praising You in Your glory and blessing You forever. Amen.
Our Father . . . . Hail Mary.
Ejaculation --
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Yours.
500 days. Plenary indulgence once a month.
Saturday.
Holy Souls in Purgatory, is there anything you regret when you think of your
life on earth?
I
deeply regret the little amount of charity I have shown towards the Poor Souls
during my life on earth. I could have been of such great service to them, since
a Catholic can bring so much light and peace to these poor, suffering
prisoners. I could have helped them by my prayers, mortifications, alms, good
works, holy communions and holy Masses, the latter, either by having them said
for the Poor Souls or by attending them, especially those celebrated in honor
of the Sacred Heart. I would have obtained numerous graces which would have
made it easier for me to avoid sin. Moreover, I would have deserved a much
shorter and less painful Purgatory, and now I would receive a much greater
share in the prayers which were said for us wherever there are Catholics.
Oh, could I but return to the world to help the Poor Souls! I certainly would
interest myself in their sad plight! What devout prayers would I say for them!
How solicitous I would be to awaken in the faithful the most tender sympathy
and pity for them.
Pious Exercises.
Resolution -
Today I will do everything possible
to assist the souls of the faithful departed from the mission fields of
Melanesia and Micronesia. (I will especially remember the many missions of the
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans,
particularly, New Ireland, New Britain, the Solomon, the Gilbert (Kiribati) and
Marshall Islands and New Guinea.) I also recommend myself to those who are
entering heaven at this moment.
Thought for the day -
Thus spoke the guilt-burdened brothers of innocent Joseph one to another: “We
deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother,
seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear;
therefore, is this affliction come upon us.” (Gen. 42:21).
Exercise -
Spread, as much as possible, the devotion “Daily Pilgrimage to
Purgatory." The Poor Souls will be grateful to you.
Special Intention -
Pray for the soul which had the greatest devotion to Our Lady of the Sacred
Heart.
Motive -
In doing so you cause the Mother of God great delight: she will obtain for
you, through the intercession of this soul, the grace of a true devotion to the
Sacred Heart.
Prayer -
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech You,
by the Precious Blood, which gushed forth from the side of Your Divine Son
Jesus, in the sight of, and to the extreme pain of His most holy Mother,
deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that soul which was the most
devout to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Queen of Heaven; that it may soon
attain unto Your glory, there to praise You in her, and her in You, in the world
without end. Amen.
Our Father . . . . Hail Mary.
Ejaculation -
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray for us!
300 days.
The Heroic Act of Charity In Favor of The Poor Souls in Purgatory.
The heroic Act of Charity is the most beautiful and most effective
manifestation of devotion to the Poor souls, as well as of love of God and neighbor
in general. For those of our associates who did not make it as yet, we give the
following explanation.
1. Purpose of meaning of Heroic Act of Charity.
The heroic act of charity on behalf of the souls in Purgatory consists of a
voluntary offering, made by one of the faithful in their favor, of all works of
satisfaction done in this life, as well as of all suffrages which shall be
offered after death. By this act he deposits all these works and suffrages in
the hands of the Blessed Virgin, that she may distribute them on behalf of those
holy souls whom it is her good pleasure to deliver from the pains of Purgatory,
and at the same time he declares that by this personal offering he forgoes on
their behalf only the special and personal benefit of those works of
satisfaction, so that, if he be a priest, he is not hindered from applying the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass according to the intention of those who give him
alms for that purpose.
Every meritorious act performed in the state of sanctifying grace and with a
good intention, gains for us the following spiritual privileges:
·
An increase in sanctifying grace
and heavenly glory.
·
Many graces of body and soul for
ourselves and for others.
· Remission of temporal punishment for our sins. Only this third fruit, the satisfactory or expiatory part of the works that we accomplish is conceded or applied to the souls in Purgatory, whereas the fruit of merit and impetration (of prayer), remains ours. The heroic act therefore does not prevent us from praying for ourselves or for others, nor to let others share in our good works.
Remarks.
In making the heroic act and desiring to gain the indulgences attached to it,
one foregoes in truth and in fact, without reservation of any kind, and without
exception, the special and personal benefits of all works of satisfaction and
suffrage, and deposits them as a voluntary offering to God in the hands of the
Blessed Virgin.
This act of charity is not a
vow and does not bind under sin. It may be revoked at any time. It stands to
reason, however, that, by doing so, one can no longer gain the indulgences
attached to the heroic act.
Indulgences.
The priests who have made this offering may enjoy the benefits of the
privileged altar personally every day of the year.
All the faithful who have made this act may gain:
1.
A plenary indulgence applicable only to the departed, every day that they
receive Holy Communion, provided they visit a church or public oratory and pray
for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
2.
A plenary indulgence every Monday, if they hear Mass in suffrage for the souls
in Purgatory and fulfill the usual conditions. The sick, old people, those
living in the country, travelers, prisoners, etc., who cannot hear Mass on
Monday may offer to this end that of the Sunday.
3.
All indulgences granted, or to be granted and gained by the faithful who have
made this offering, are applicable to
the holy souls in Purgatory, even when this faculty is not so expressed in
the formula or decree of the concession of such indulgences.
Motives For Making The Heroic Act.
1. You gain many indulgences.
2. Innumerable souls are quickly
released from Purgatory; heaven is filled with new saints, who will glorify and
praise God for all eternity, also on your behalf.
3. You will gain the special love of the Holy Trinity, of
Our Savior, and of all the saints and you have the promise of Our Lord applied
to you: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Mathew 5:7.)
4. After you have made the heroic act, the Poor Souls
will become your debtors; in heaven, they will labor that you may not be lost,
that you shall not suffer Purgatory at all, or at least be released from it
soon.
5. The Blessed Virgin receives an increase of signal veneration, since she will be proclaimed, loved, and invoked as the most loving Queen of the Poor Souls and sweet dispenser of our merits to them. There can be no doubt that she will have a special affection for those who love and honor her in this way, both while they are in this world and after they have passed into eternity.
Unnecessary Apprehension In Regard To The Heroic Act.
Do not be afraid that you will suffer any loss by this act of charity. Neither
need you fear that you yourself will be in danger of having to endure a long
and painful Purgatory. On the contrary, you can only gain by it, since you will
enjoy the special love of the Most Holy Trinity, of Our Savior, the Blessed
Virgin, and of all the saints. Who shall fare better in the end: he who relies
solely on justice of God, or he who heroically offers his merits to the Poor
Souls and trusts entirely in God’s infinite mercy and generosity? The latter,
without doubt. In making the heroic act of charity, therefore, you have nothing
to fear for yourself; you can only gain by it.
Nor need you fear that the souls of your relatives, friends and benefactors
will be slighted in the least. The Blessed Virgin does not distribute
arbitrarily the good works offered for the Poor Souls, but according to that
measure of charity and justice which God himself employs in the distribution of
His graces. She will therefore favor with your merits preferably those souls
towards whom you have special obligations.
Many persons, distinguished by their position, learning and holiness, have made
this heroic act in favor of the Poor Souls and will not regret it in eternity.
Follow their example, and likewise offer the atoning merits of your good works
for the comfort and deliverance of the Poor Souls.
No special formula for making the heroic act is prescribed. For your
convenience however, we herewith give the formula taken from the works of St.
Alphonsus de Liguori. Its briefness lends itself to a frequent and profitable
renewal of this act.
“Oh my God, in union with the merits of Jesus and Mary, I offer You for the
souls in Purgatory, all my satisfactory works, as well as those which may be
applied to me by others during my life, and after my death. And, so as to be
more agreeable to the Divine Heart of Jesus and more helpful to the departed, I
place them all in the hands of the merciful Virgin Mary.
Invocations for the Poor Souls.
We beseech You, O Lord, help the
souls detained in the fire of Purgatory, whom You have redeemed with Your
Precious Blood.
Dear Lord Jesus, grant them (or him) eternal rest.
300 days.
The Daily Pilgrimage To Purgatory — A Pious Union of Prayer,
Its Object.
“In union with the Divine Heart of Jesus make a short pilgrimage to Purgatory at night. Offer Him all your activities of the day and ask Him to apply His merits to the suffering souls. At the same time, implore them to obtain for you the grace to live and die in the love and friendship of this divine Heart. May he never find in you any resistance to His holy will nor any wish to thwart His design in your regard. Fortunate will you be, if you succeed in obtaining deliverance for some of these imprisoned souls, for you will gain as many friends in heaven.”
Its Purpose.
The purpose of this “Pious Union”
is to obtain relief and deliverance from Purgatory for the Poor Souls. Its
secondary aim is the attainment of personal holiness, the conversion of sinners
and the acquisition of the necessary spiritual and temporal graces.
Its Privileges.
a. Special protection of the
Sacred Heart, Who considers every act of charity towards the Poor Souls as done
to Himself.
b. Gratitude of the souls in Purgatory. “If only you knew,” writes St. Margaret
Mary, “with what great longing these holy souls yearn for this new ‘remedy’,
which relieves them so effectively of their sufferings. For this is what they call
true devotion to the Sacred Heart, especially the sacrifice of the holy Mass
offered in His honor.” In another place, the Saint says: “Ingratitude has never
entered heaven.”
c. A share in the prayers and good works of the associates.
d. The departed members of this “Pious Union,” particularly those who have been
specially recommended, receive unceasingly the fruits of the numerous holy
Masses, offered for the intention of this association.
Its Obligations.
a. Promise without binding
yourself in conscience, to meditate every day, no matter how briefly, on
Purgatory or some other pious practice, e.g. on some ejaculatory prayer to
which indulgences applicable to the Poor Souls are attached.
b. Send, if possible once a year, a holy Mass for the intention of this “Pious
Union”. Offer for the same intention all the Masses you attend, all the Holy
Communions you receive, all the good works you perform, particularly those
which have for their purpose the veneration of the Sacred Heart.
Remarks.
Help to spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart, so dear and beneficial
to the suffering souls.
Distribute this booklet: “Daily Pilgrimage to Purgatory.”
Enroll, if you have not yet done so, in the Arch-confraternity of Our Lady of
the Sacred Heart. All of its indulgences are applicable to the Poor Souls.
Indulgenced Prayers.
Eternal Father, I offer You the
Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for my sins, and in supplication
for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and for the needs of the Holy Church.
500 days. Plenary Indulgence once a month if said daily.
Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!
300 days. Plenary Indulgence once a month if said daily.
My Jesus mercy!
300 days. Plenary Indulgence once a month if said daily.
Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Yours!
500 days, once a day. Plenary indulgence once a month if said daily.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere!
300 days.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray
for us!
300 days.
St. Joseph, Model and Patron of those who love the Sacred Heart, pray for
us!
300 days. Plenary Indulgence once a month.
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