by Susan TassoneWhen we pray for the holy souls, we step onto a spiritual battlefield of charity that strengthens the entire Church.
We are not merely engaging in a private devotion. A Holy Mass offered for a soul may directly usher that soul into the Presence of God Almighty. (We don’t use that term enough: God Almighty.)
The saints tell us their suffering is worse than any illness or suffering on earth. They weep and moan over the loss of the sight of God. Visionary Vicka of Medjugorje stated in interviews: “They are so lonely that it is almost sickening to remember those moments I was there. . . . I know how desperately they need our prayers.”
The gratitude of the holy souls is proportionate to their joy, which is beyond measure. You helped give them God—the Beatific Vision. They are intensely grateful and immediately begin interceding powerfully for us, we are told by mystics.
This radical change does not go unnoticed why? Because praying for the holy souls directly populates Heaven.
Every soul released from Purgatory represents another eternal defeat for Satan. A suffering soul is transformed into a powerful heavenly intercessor who can assist those still fighting the spiritual battle on earth.
The devil works tirelessly to make the living forget the dead, knowing that a forgotten soul may remain in purgatory longer. When you break through that spiritual amnesia, you dismantle his work. Saint Faustina wrote of the devil’s hatred toward her because she had helped save many souls from his dominion.
By actively offering what I call the four pillars—Holy Mass, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and Eucharistic Adoration, together with the Eternal Rest prayer—you participate in a profound act of supernatural charity that forces the powers of darkness to retreat.
According to the testimony of other saints, the evil one becomes intensely angry when people pray for the “Church Suffering.” For releasing souls from purgatory directly frustrates the devil’s goal of obstructing immortal souls from reaching God.
When your prayers help souls complete their purification, you destroy that delay and disrupt his agenda.
One thing the souls in purgatory can do is intercede for us. It has been said that a soul’s guardian angel may reveal who is praying for that soul. The soul then responds by interceding for and protecting the person who offered the prayer.
The holy soul turns its prayers against the devil’s designs, assisting the living and helping to frustrate temptations.
When the soul is released from purgatory, it continues its powerful intercession throughout your life, until you are safely home in Heaven.
The devil hates it when one good deed begets another—multiplies. When you help pray a soul out of purgatory, that soul does not stop praying for you—even while it is still undergoing purification.
The devil realizes that, by attacking you, he may now have to contend with the prayers of the souls you have befriended and helped to free.
To offer sacrifices or gain indulgences for the dead, you may be moved to go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, pray more fervently, and turn away from sin.
In Saint Gertrude’s writings, Christ reportedly revealed that releasing souls gives Him “the highest pleasure.” Because the devil seeks to mock and oppose God, any act that brings Christ immense joy causes the evil one intense anguish.
Do not allow the enemy to convince you that your prayers are insignificant or that the holy souls can wait. Every moment of hesitation may be another moment in which a deceased loved one or friend remains in exile, and another moment in which the devil claims a petty victory of delay.
With a single Mass, a single Rosary, or a whispered Eternal Rest prayer, you possess the terrifyingly beautiful ability to help shatter chains and populate Heaven with saints who will intercede for you and your family lineage. Storm the gates of purgatory with your prayers, Masses, and Rosaries, and leave the devil empty-handed.
Let us empty Purgatory and give ultimate joy to our Savior!
In response to Our Lady’s urgent call please share these resources!
Join me on Thursday, November 5, at 7:30 PM at Women of Grace for a live presentation entitled, “Dead or Alive: Pray for the Holy Souls! In this 90 minute webinar, I’ll teach you the most powerful ways to pray for the poor souls, how to prepare your family to achieve eternal life, pray for healing for your deceased loved ones, why we can depend on the poor souls to pray for us in return, what happens to our prayers if our loved one has already reached heaven, and much more. Click here to register!
Act Now: Spiritual Graces and Protection While You Are Alive Many Catholics think of Holy Masses as something offered only after a loved one passes away. However, it is profoundly important to have Masses offered for yourself while you are still alive! Offering a Mass during your earthly life allows you to actively cooperate with God's grace, seek personal conversion, and build a fortress of spiritual protection around your daily life. It prepares your soul for eternity before you ever face judgment.
Mass Offerings through Women of Grace in partnership with Monsignor Matthew Odong and the priests of the Archdiocese of Gulu
• Non-Consecutive 30-Masses ($250 Offering): If the standard Gregorian stipend is out of reach, this alternate ensures 30 Masses will still be offered for your intention, though they will not be celebrated on consecutive days. • Living Intentions ($250 Offering): You can secure 30 Masses for yourself right now while you are alive to blanket your own soul in prayer.
Perpetual Mass Enrollment: Our Lady of Angels For an incredibly affordable option to cover your entire immediate and extended family in prayer, visit the official Our Lady of Angels Association website. For a one-time offering of only $30, you can secure a Perpetual Family Enrollment that includes:
• Husband and wife, their children, their grandchildren their brothers and sisters, and their parents. This beautiful enrollment ensures that your entire household is remembered in Holy Masses both while you are alive and long after your death.
Global Prayer: The Fraternity of Our Lady of Montligeon Another extraordinary spiritual treasure is the Fraternity of Our Lady of Montligeon. Based at the famous French sanctuary dedicated to praying for the Holy Souls, this worldwide spiritual fraternity allows you to enroll yourself, your living family, or your deceased loved ones.
By registering individuals on the Montligeon Fraternity Enrollment Portal (with a suggested minimal offering of $20):
• Enrollees are included in five daily Perpetual Masses celebrated for eternity at the shrine and worldwide. • If you enroll yourself while you are alive, the enrollment automatically carries over after your death! • Your intentions are joined to the daily prayers of millions of fraternity associates worldwide. Do not wait until it is too late—proactively cover your family in the ocean of divine grace flowing from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass today!
