Our Lady of Conception Aparecida, St.Rita of Cassia, St.Jude, St.Expedite & St. Edwiges, I URGENTly beg your PRAYERS and INTERCESSIONS on my behalf to the Lord ....

Oh! Dear Mother of God, Our Lady of Conception Aparecida!
Oh! Saint Rita of Cassia and Saint Jude worker of miracles
and helper of impossible causes pray for me.
Saint Expedite, Saint of urgent causes.

Saint Edwiges, the Saint of the needy,

you know how desperate I feel, 
please ask JESUS to help me.

I am currently going through storms in my life, I need your power intercession and prayer in overcoming the difficulties that I have been facing for several months which have become beyond my means and require urgent help. I have been diagnosed to be suffering from severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) whereby my sleep at night is disrupted over 600 times/8hours caused by obstruction of the upper airway (windpipe) when the throat muscles intermittently relax (repetitive pauses) and block my airway during sleep, despite the effort to breathe, and is usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. And now I need to buy CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) which cost RM5600~RM5800 to use every night to ensure my airways is always open for breathing. I am also have financial difficulties where I have backlogs with the banks and some people, which I unable solve due to the sum is huge and these people are chasing me each and every day, making me even more worried. Therefore, I put all my trust, hope and believe in the hands of God and Jesus, I know I am a sinner and may they show their mercy upon me. Only miracle from Jesus by the will of the Father in Heaven can heal and provide for my solution to the above mess that I have caused in my life. I want and vow to change my ways and character for the better, by the help from Jesus and the Father through your intercession and prayer, my Lady of Aparecida, St.Rita of Cassia, St.Jude, St.Expedite and St.Edwiges. I feel so hopeless, impossible, desperate and worried, I urgently need your miraculous intercession and prayer, which I truly believe will be answered, and the help needed soon come from Jesus with the will of Father.

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

be adored and glorified forever.

Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be Thy Name. 

Thy Kingdom come. 

Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. 

Amen.

Hail Mary,

Full of Grace,

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit

of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary,

Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now,

and at the hour of death.

Amen.

Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning,

is now,

and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Feast of Sts.Simon and Jude, Apostles ~ 28 October 2015

Sts.Simon and Jude intercede for us

The apostles Simon the Zealot and Jude Thaddeus son of James, shares the feast day because it is believed both were sent to Persia where they were martyred for the faith in the first century. St.Simon, a Zealot, a fighter for the freedom for the Jews from the Roman rule, to achieve a physical liberation from the tyranny and oppression of the Romans against the Jews. However, he left all that, when he followed Jesus, to be one of His chief disciples, the Apostles, and instead of fighting for the liberation of the body only and the Jews only, he became the agent of salvation for all mankind, and also for the salvation of both body and soul from sin and death. Meanwhile, St.Jude or St.Jude Thaddeus was also another Apostle of Jesus, often confused with Judas Iscariot the traitor of Jesus. However, while that Judas was unfaithful and got what he deserved, St. Jude or Judas Thaddeus remained faithful to the Lord, and he continued to preach the Good News together with St.Simon the Zealot. The 'Epistle of Jude' in the New Testament was written by St.Jude.

St.Simon is especially called upon when we face difficulty and contempt for our religious beliefs or the practice of our religion.

St.Jude is known around the world as the patron of causes despaired of… when everything seems hopeless, his prayers are often sought.

O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your name, graciously grant, through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude, that the Church may constantly grow by increase of the peoples who believe in you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Ephesians 2:19-22
Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

Luke 6:12-16
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Miraculous 3 day Prayer to The Holy Spirit

"And I will pray the Father, 

and he shall give you another Comforter, 

that he may abide with you for ever" 

(John 14:16)

Holy Spirit, you who makes me see everything 

and shows me the way to reach my ideal, 

you who gives me the divine gift to forgive 

and forget all the wrong that is done to me 

and you who are in all instances of my life with me. 

I, in this short dialogue, 

want to thank you for everything, 

and affirm once more 

that I never want to be separated from you 

no matter how great the material desires may be. 

I want to be with you and my loved ones 

in your perpetual glory. 

To that end and submitting to God's holy will, 

I ask from you.. (mention your favour). 

Amen

This prayer should be said for 3 consecutive days. After the 3rd day, your sincere wish will be granted no matter how difficult it may be. Promise to publish it on granting of your favour. The idea is to spread the wonder of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for Specific Souls in Purgatory

O Jesus, You suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of ....

Response: Jesus, have mercy!

My dear parents, grandparents and spouse,

My brothers and sisters and other near relatives,

My Godparents and sponsor of Confirmation,

My spiritual and temporal benefactors,

My friends and neighbours,

All for whom love or duty calls me to pray,

Those who have suffered disadvantages or harm through me,

Those who are especially beloved by You,

Those whose release is near at hand,

Those who desire most to be united with You,

Those who endure the greatest sufferings,

Those who are least remembered,

Those whose release is most remote,

Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,

The rich, who now are the most destitute,

The mighty, who now are powerless,

The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly,

The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,

The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven,

The tepid, who devoted little time to prayer,

The indolent, who neglected to perform good works,

Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,

The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,

Parents who failed to watch over their children,

Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,

Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,

The worldly-minded, who failed to use their wealth and talents in the service of God,

Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own,

Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,

Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,

The Popes, kings and rulers,

The Bishops and their counsellors,

The Priests and Religious of the Catholic Church,

My teachers and spiritual advisers,

The defenders of the holy faith,

Those who died on the battlefield,

Those who fought for their country,

Those who were buried in the sea,

Those who died of apoplexy,

Those who died of heart attacks,

Those who suffered and died of cancer or AIDS,

Those who died suddenly in accidents,

Those who died without the Last Rites of the Church,

Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours,

My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before your judgement seat,

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them with your Saints forever more because You are gracious.

Let us pray:
May the prayer of Your suppliant people, we beseech You, O Lord, benefit the souls of Your departed servants and handmaids, that You both deliver them from all their sins and make them partakers of Your redemption. Amen.

May the divine assistance remain always with us. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

* * * * *

3 things you may not have known about Purgatory

#1> It isn't merely a punishment. Rather, it's a merciful gift and a testimony of love given by God to make us "perfect images of Christ."

#2> The process of purgation can be long and painful, submitting to the purifying fire of Christ’s love, there’s nothing the souls can do to speed up the process or mitigate the pain. Therefore, we need to pray for our loved ones always.

#3> Though they can pray for themselves, the holy souls in Purgatory, as members of the body of Christ, can pray for us to obtain the graces we need to follow Christ more perfectly.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

The 3 Hail Mary Novena

The Three Hail Mary novena is a very beautiful prayer recited in honour of three of Mary’s special gifts given to her by God: her power, wisdom, and mercy. One of the first to recommend this practice was St.Anthony of Padua, and later St.Mechtilde (Matilda) and St.Alphonus Liguori. The words of this prayer are very powerful, and if prayed daily, will undoubtedly bring about noticeable changes in your life. Pray it sincerely every day, and you will begin to notice the special graces you will receive from the Blessed Mother.

First Hail Mary

Oh, Immaculate Mary, Virgin most powerful, I beseech thee, through that immense power which thou hast received from the Eternal Father, obtain for me purity of heart, strength to overcome all the enemies of my soul, and the special favour I implore in my present necessity.

[mention your request]

Mother most pure! Forsake me not, despise not my prayer, graciously hear me for God’s glory, thy honour, and the welfare of my soul.

To obtain this favour I honour thy power by reciting:

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Second Hail Mary

Oh Virgin Mary, my Mother, through that ineffable wisdom bestowed upon thee by the Incarnate Word of God, I humbly beseech thee, obtain for me meekness and humility of heart, a perfect knowledge of the Divine Will, and strength to accomplish it always.

Oh Mary, Seat of Wisdom; as a tender Mother lead me in the path of Christian virtue and perfection; enlighten and enable me to do what is most pleasing to thy beloved Son, and obtain my petition.

To obtain this grace I honour thy wisdom by reciting:

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Third Hail Mary

Oh, Mother of Mercy, Mother of penitent sinners, I stand before thee sinful and sorrowful, beseeching thee through the immense Love given to thee by the Holy Spirit for us poor sinners, obtain for me true and perfect contrition for my sins, which I hate and detest with all my heart, because I love God.

Mother most merciful, help me in my present necessity. Turn, then those eyes of mercy toward us, oh clement, oh loving, oh sweet Virgin Mary!

To obtain this precious gift, I honour thy loving mercy by reciting:

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Our Lady of Conception Aparecida, St.Rita of Cassia, St.Jude, St.Expedite & St. Edwiges, Please pray and intercede for me ....

Oh! Dear Mother of God, Our Lady of Conception Aparecida!
Oh! Saint Rita of Cassia and Saint Jude worker of miracles
and helper of impossible causes pray for me.
Saint Expedite, Saint of urgent causes.

Saint Edwiges the Saint of the needy,

you know how desperate I feel, 
please ask JESUS to help me.

I am currently going through storms in my life, I need your power intercession and prayer in overcoming the difficulties that I have been facing for several months which have become beyond my means and require urgent help. I have been diagnosed to be suffering from severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) whereby my sleep at night is disrupted over 600 times/8hours caused by obstruction of the upper airway (windpipe) when the throat muscles intermittently relax (repetitive pauses) and block my airway during sleep, despite the effort to breathe, and is usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. And now I need to buy CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) which cost RM5600~RM5800 to use every night to ensure my airways is always open for breathing. I am also have financial difficulties where I have backlogs with the banks and some people, which I unable solve due to the sum is huge and these people are chasing me each and every day, making me even more worried. Therefore, I put all my trust, hope and believe in the hands of God and Jesus, I know I am a sinner and may they show their mercy upon me. Only miracle from Jesus by the will of the Father in Heaven can heal and provide for my solution to the above mess that I have caused in my life. I want and vow to change my ways and character for the better, by the help from Jesus and the Father through your intercession and prayer, my Lady of Aparecida, St.Rita of Cassia, St.Jude, St.Expedite and St.Edwiges. I feel so hopeless, impossible, desperate and worried, I urgently need your miraculous intercession and prayer, which I truly believe will be answered, and the help needed soon come from Jesus with the will of Father.

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

be adored and glorified forever.

Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be Thy Name. 

Thy Kingdom come. 

Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. 

Amen.

Hail Mary,

Full of Grace,

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit

of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary,

Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now,

and at the hour of death.

Amen.

Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning,

is now,

and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Rosary ~ do not neglect it, if you are in need of the intercession and prayer by Mother Mary

When we recite the Rosary to Our Blessed Virgin Mary, reflect on the sacred mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mystery) of our salvation and the ministry life of Jesus (Luminous Mystery) and say each Our Father and Hail Mary with due reverence, praying for our particular intentions, all the while trying to create vivid mental images of Christ and Our Lady in our mind's eye. The Rosary is the prayer of the Gospels and if you make a habit of praying it everyday you will internalize the Gospels themselves.

Our Blessed Virgin Mary's intercessory power is strong before the throne of God because Jesus would deny His Mother nothing. And like any good mother, Our Blessed Virgin Mary wants to help her dear children on earth. Mary is the Mother of God and our Mother too.

"To this heavenly mother, we have offered the flowers of the month of May; to her we would also have fruit-bearing October dedicated with a particularly tender devotion. It is fitting that both parts of the year should be consecrated to her…" 

~ Pope Leo XIII, Augustissimae Virginis, 12 Sept, 1897 ~

“You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.”

~ Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche ~

“If families give Our Lady fifteen minutes a day by reciting the Rosary, I assure them that their homes will become, by God’s grace, peaceful places."

~ Father Patrick Peyton ~

"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot solve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. With the Holy Rosary we will save ourselves. We will sanctify ourselves. We will console Our Lord and obtain the salvation of many souls."

~ St. Lucia of Fatima ~

Prayer for Good Humour by St.Thomas More

"Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest. 

Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humour to maintain it. 

Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good 

and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil, 

but rather finds the means to put things back in their place. 

Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments, 

nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.” 

Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humour. 

Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy, 

and to be able to share it with others."

Pope Francis said that he prays the prayer for good humour by the English martyr St.Thomas More daily. Adding that good humour is very good for us and the prayer helps him.

Miracle Blessed Virgin Mary statue at Church of St.Thomas More, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Hail Mary, full of grace.

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Faithful of the parish and parish priest Rev. Father Raymond Pereira noticed and claimed that the Blessed Virgin Mary statue has grown taller by three inches from it's original height since it was purchased from Vietnam recently. They also claimed that the Blessed Virgin Mary's lips was moving and she smile while they were singing the "Ave Maria", and at times, her eyes were moving, her eyes was filled with tears and she shed tears. The statue was original made from poly-resin (fiberglass) which was placed in the grotto and bless by Rev. Father Raymond Pereira a week ago on the 7 October 2015. No official statement can be made until further confirmation is received from officials of the Roman Catholic Church which includes from the Diocese and Vatican level. Many faithful have been flocking to the Church of St.Thomas More, Subang Jaya to witness the miraculous statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary since the news were made known through media such as Facebook, Watsapp and the newspapers.

The Church of St Thomas More, is located in Sime UEP Industrial Park, Subang Jaya.
Address: No 12 Jalan TP5,
Taman Perindustrian UEP
47610 Subang Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
GPS: N 03 002.599' E 101 033.702'
Telephone: +603-8024 5125
Fax: +603-8024 5124
Email: saintthomasmoreparish@gmail.com

What is indulgence?

An indulgence is "the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned." To obtain this remission there are proper dispositions and certain conditions predetermined by the Church that must be met by the faithful. The remission is acquired through the intervention of the Church, who has the power to loose and bind granted through Jesus Christ. "As minister of the Redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfaction won by Christ and the Saints"(Enchiridion of Indulgences).

To understand this practice of indulgences, the Catechism explains:

It is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.

The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man." (1472, 1473)

An indulgence can either be partial or plenary. It is partial if it removes only part of the temporal punishment due to sin, or plenary if it removes all punishment.

To be able to gain an indulgence, one must have the intention to gain them, and perform the works at the time and in the manner prescribed.

To attain a plenary indulgence, three conditions must accompany the prescribed act:

1. the faithful must receive the sacrament of confession, either eight days before or after the pious act is performed,

2. receive Holy Communion on that day

3. and recite prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father (one Our Father and one Hail Mary is the minimum, but any other additional prayers may be added).

All attachment to sin, even venial sin, must be absent. If one's disposition is less than perfect or if some of the above conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence becomes partial.

One must also remember that one can acquire one plenary indulgence a day.

Source: http://saintmichaelusa.org/

All Saints Day (Solemnity of All Saints) ~ 1 November

All Saints Day, commemorates all saints the departed, canonized or beatified who have attained the beatific vision. It is a solemnity (Holy Day of Obligation) in the Roman Catholic Church. On this day of solemnity, we the faithful remember all saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history.

The feast of All Saints, on its current date, is traced to the foundation by Pope Gregory III (731~741) of an oratory in St. Peter's for the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world"

Almighty ever-living God, by whose gift we venerate in one celebration the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray, through the prayers of so many intercessors, an abundance of the reconciliation with you for which we earnestly long. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.


Reading 2

1 John 3:1-3
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

LITANY OF THE SAINTS 

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Response: Pray for us. 

Holy Mary,
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
St. Michael,
St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael,
All you holy Angels and Archangels,
All you holy orders of blessed Spirits,
St. John the Baptist,
St. Joseph,
All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets,
St. Peter,
St. Paul,
St. Andrew,
St. James,
St. John,
St. Thomas,
St. James,
St. Philip,
St. Bartholomew,
St. Matthew,
St. Simon,
St. Thaddeus,
St. Matthias,
St. Barnabas,
St. Luke,
St. Mark,
All you holy Apostles and Evangelists,
All you holy Disciples of the Lord,
All you holy Innocents,
St. Stephen,
St. Lawrence,
St. Vincent,
Sts. Fabian and Sebastian,
Sts. John and Paul,
Sts. Cosmas and Damian,
Sts. Gervase and Protase,
All you holy Martyrs,
St. Sylvester,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Augustine,
St. Jerome,
St. Martin,
St. Nicholas,
All you holy Bishops and Confessors,
All you holy Doctors,
St. Anthony,
St. Benedict,
St. Bernard,
St. Dominic,
St. Francis,
All you holy Priests and Levites,
All you holy Monks and Hermits,
St. Mary Magdalen,
St. Agatha,
St. Lucy,
St. Agnes,
St. Cecilia,
St. Catherine,
St. Anastasia,
All you holy Virgins and Widows,
All you Holy Men and Women, Saints of God, make intercession for us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.

Response: O Lord, deliver us.

From all evil,
From all sin,
From your wrath,
From sudden and unprovided death,
From the snares of the devil,
From anger, and hatred, and all ill-will,
From the spirit of fornication,.
From lightning and tempest,
From the scourge of earthquake,
From plague, famine, and war,
From everlasting death,
Through the mystery of your holy Incarnation,
Through your Coming,
Through your Nativity,
Through your Baptism and holy Fasting,
Through your Cross and Passion,
Through your Death and Burial,
Through your holy Resurrection,
Through your admirable Ascension,
Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
In the day of judgment,

Response: We beseech you, hear us.

We sinners,....
That you would spare us,
That you would pardon us,
That you would bring us to true penance,
That you would deign to govern and preserve your holy Church,
That you would deign to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all orders of the Church in holy religion,
That you would deign to humble the enemies of Holy Church,
That you would deign to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes,
That you would deign to grant peace and unity to all Christian people,
That you would deign to call back to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from the truth and lead all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel,
That you would deign to confirm and preserve us in your holy service,
That you would lift up our minds to heavenly desires,
That you would render eternal blessings to all our benefactors,
That you would deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relations and benefactors, from eternal damnation,
That you would deign to give and preserve the fruits of the earth,
That you would deign to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,
That you would deign graciously hear us,
Son of God,

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, 

have mercy on us.

All Souls Day (Feast of All Souls) ~ 2 November

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; 

And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

May they rest in peace. Amen.

All Souls Day, the commemoration of all the faithful departed follows All Saints Day which is celebrated on 1 November. The faithful departed are those who have died and especially those in Purgatory who are still being purified (going through cleansing of their venial sins and in temporal punishments for their mortal sins) before able to enter heaven and those who reached heaven. The living faithful remember the dead and offer prayers for the dead especially those souls in purgatory. Our prayers for souls in Purgatory can shorten their time there and also for the release of souls from purgatory to heaven. 

“The importance of All Souls Day was made clear by Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922), when he granted all priests the privilege of celebrating three Masses on All Souls Day: one for the faithful departed; one for the priest's intentions; and one for the intentions of the Holy Father. There are two plenary indulgences attached to All Souls Day, one for visiting a church and another for visiting a cemetery. (The plenary indulgence for visiting a cemetery can also be obtained every day from 1 November till 8 November, and, as a partial indulgence, on any day of the year.) While the actions are performed by the living, the merits of the indulgences are applicable only to the souls in Purgatory.”

Source: http://catholicism.about.com/

The Prayer of St. Gertrude, below, is one of the most famous of the prayers for souls in purgatory. According to tradition, our Lord promised her that 1000 souls would be released from purgatory each time it is said devoutly. 

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.

Reading 1

Wisdom 3:1-9
The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R.  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.


Reading 2

Romans 5:5-11
Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Or

Romans 6:3-9

Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 6:37-40

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

"In praying for the dead, the Church above all contemplates the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ, who obtains salvation and eternal life for us through his Cross."

Job: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold and not another” (Jb 19:25-27).

“We believe that the Church is necessary to salvation, for Christ is the one mediator and way of salvation and he becomes present to us in his Body which is the Church, but the divine design of salvation embraces all men. Those indeed who are in ignorance of Christ’s Gospel and of his Church through no fault of their own, who search for God in sincerity of heart, and who, acting according to conscience, strive under the influence of grace to fulfil his will, belong to his people, even though in a way we cannot see, and can obtain eternal salvation. Their number is known only to God” 

For the souls in purgatory, waiting for eternal happiness and for meeting the Beloved is a source of suffering, because of the punishment due to sin which separates them from God. But there is also the certitude that once the time of purification is over, the soul will go to meet the One it desires (cf. Ps 42; 62).

During the Eucharist, through the general intercessions and the Memento for the dead, the assembled community presents to the Father of all mercies those who have died, so that through the trial of purgatory they will be purified, if necessary, and attain eternal joy. In entrusting them to the Lord, we recognize our solidarity with them and share in their salvation in this wondrous mystery of the communion of saints. The Church believes that the souls detained in purgatory “are helped by the prayers of the faithful and most of all by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar” (Council of Trent, Decree on Purgatory), as well as by “alms and other works of piety” (Eugene IV, Bull Laetantur coeli).

I therefore encourage Catholics to pray fervently for the dead, for their family members and for all our brothers and sisters who have died, that they may obtain the remission of the punishments due to their sins and may hear the Lord’s call: “Come, O my dear soul, to eternal repose in the arms of my goodness, which has prepared eternal delights for you” (Francis de Sales,Introduction to the Devout Life, 17, 4).

Letter of his Holiness Pope St.John Paul II for the celebration of the Millennium of the commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, Vatican, 2 June 1998

to the Most Reverend Raymond Séguy, Bishop of Autun, Châlon and Mâcon Abbot of Cluny