Prayers for All Souls Day and its Octave

[Cathleen]

Celebrated Each Year on November 2

This day is for remembering and praying for the souls of the those in Purgatory. At Masses today (there will be three), the glorious Sequence "Dies Irae" (also used in Requiem Masses, i.e., Masses for the Dead) will be recited after the Epistle, Gradual, and Tract ("Dies Irae" means "Day of Wrath").

Between Noon of November 1 and Midnight November 2, a person who has been to confession and Communion can gain a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, for the poor souls each time he visits a church or public oratory and recites the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory be to the Father six times. This is a special exception to the ordinary law of the Church according to which a plenary indulgence for the same work can be gained only once a day.

Also, the faithful who, during the period of eight days from All Souls Day, visit a cemetery and pray for the dead may gain a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, on each day of the Octave, applicable only to the dead. Here is a simple invocation for the dead, called the "Eternal Rest" prayer:

Eternal rest grant unto him/her (them), O Lord;
and let perpetual light shine upon him/her (them).
May he/she (they) rest in peace. Amen.

Latin version:
Réquiem ætérnam:
Réquiem ætérnam dona ei (eis) Dómine;
et lux perpétua lúceat ei (eis).
Requiéscat (Requiéscant) in pace. Amen.




Catholics also pray this prayer anytime they pass a cemetery throughout the year.




From the Cathecism of the Catholic Church

67. Visit to a Church or Oratory on All Souls Day (Visitatio ecclesiae vel oratorii in Commemoratione omnium fidelium defunctorum)
A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who on the day dedicated to the Commemoration of all the faithful departed, piously visit a church, a public oratory or—for those entitled to use it—a semipublic oratory.

The above indulgence can be acquired either on the day designated above or, with the consent of the Ordinary, on the preceding or following Sunday or the feast of All Saints.

The above indulgence is contained in the Apostolic Constitution The Doctrine of Indulgences, Norm 15, with account being taken of proposals made to the Sacred Penitentiary in the meantime.

In visiting the church or oratory, it is required, according to Norm 16 of the same Apostolic Constitution, that "one Our Father and the Creed be recited." [ed. note : see Norm 25 of the Enchiridion].

From the
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter--
October 2005 Newsletter

Indulgences for the Poor Souls
Current regulations in force by Pope Benedict XVI

I On All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit any parish church or public oratory and there recite one Our Father and one Credo.



II On all the days from November I though November 8 inclusive, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit a cemetery and pray even if only mentally for the departed.

Conditions for both indulgences:

1. Only one plenary indulgence can be granted per day.

2. It is necessary to be in the state of grace, at least by completion of the work.

3. Freedom from attachment to sin, even venial sin, is necessary; otherwise the indulgence is only partial. (By this is meant attachment to a particular sin, not sin in general.)

4. Holy Communion must be received each time the indulgence is sought.

5. Prayers must he recited for the intentions of the Holy Father on each day tire indulgence is sought. (No particular prayers are prescribed. One Our Father and one Hail Mary suffice, or other suitable prayers.

6. A sacramental concession must he made within a week of completion of the prescribed work. (One confession made during the week, made with the intention of gaining all the indulgences, suffices.)

 

Even if you did not gain a plenary indulgence for a Holy Soul, you can gain a partial.
I once asked a Priest if it was more meritorious to pray for a holy soul in a cemetery than to pray for them at home, and the answer was 'yes', as there is an indulgence attached just by visiting a cemetery.

 

Don't forget your holy water bottle. It's not necessary, but the sprinkling in a cemetery with an "Eternal rest..., or simply Jesus Mercy" is highly indulgenced and a great relief for the Holy Souls.

 

Remember to pray for the souls of our loved ones who have preceded us in death and especially those in Purgatory who are forgotten and have nobody to pray for them to relieve their pains. They will remember us in their prayers and be eternally grateful for whatever prayers and sacrifices we offer up for them.

November 1-8th

The current ecclesiastical regulations in force are as follows:

On All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit any parish church or public oratory and there recite one Our Father and one Credo.

On all the days from November 1 though November 8 inclusive, a plenary indulgence applicable only to the poor souls is granted to those who visit a cemetery and pray (even if only mentally) for the departed.

Conditions for both indulgences:

Only one plenary indulgence can be granted per day.

It is necessary to be in the state of grace, at least by completion of the work.

Freedom from attachment to sin, even venial sin, is necessary; otherwise the indulgence is only partial. By this is meant attachment to a particular sin, not sin in general.

Holy Communion must be received each time the indulgence is sought.

Prayers must he recited for the intentions of the Holy Father on each day the indulgence is sought. No particular prayers are prescribed. One Our Father and one Hail Mary suffice, or other suitable prayers.

A sacramental concession must he made within a week of completion of the prescribed work. One confession made during the week, made with the intention of gaining all the indulgences, suffices.

Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine; et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.

http://www.sspx.org/Seasonal/indulgences_for_poor_souls.htm

[Dawn Marie]

Latin version:
Réquiem ætérnam:
Réquiem ætérnam dona ei (eis) Dómine;
et lux perpétua lúceat ei (eis).
Requiéscat (Requiéscant) in pace. Amen.