On Friday, November 2nd, the Adolescents began a beautiful tradition in the classroom by praying for the poor souls that have gone before. Connected to our religion lesson on the three levels of the church: militant, suffering, triumphant – the adolescents learned that the poor souls in purgatory do not have anyone to pray for them. As a community, we began praying the Eternal Rest Prayer daily at meals which grants a partial indulgence for the poor souls in the month of November.
We also are completing a plenary indulgence by attending Mass, praying for the intentions of the Pope, visiting a cemetary (on Friday), and going to confession.
As we made our way out to the cemetary on Friday, I encouraged the adolescents to take it seriously – to reflect on the people who have gone before and whose remains were buried beneath us. We prayed a prayer of St. Gertrude where Jesus told her that every time she prayed it, 1,000 souls were released from purgatory. Then the adolescents meandered through the cemetary, kneeling in front of tombstones and praying for the souls of the faithful departed. Some said it made them sad. Others said it made them reflect on our mortality. Others said it made them reflect on how each person was special to someone – a wife, mother, father, sister – that each person belonged to someone and suffered a loss because of their death. It was a beautiful reminder of the temporary nature of this life and the beautiful promise of the Eternal life.
Please join us at home in praying for the poor souls with the Eternal Rest prayer and the Prayer of St. Gertrude.
Eternal rest grant unto them,
O Lord, and let perpetual light
shine upon them. May the souls
of all the faithful departed, through
the mercy of God, rest in peace.
“Eternal Father,
I offer You 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,
for those in my own home,
and in my family. Amen.”