Catholic Fire

November 2 is All Souls' Day. Today Roman Catholics commemorate and pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, undergoing purification of their sins before entering heaven. The theological basis for this feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, cannot not yet attain the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, alms, deeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass. In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed were recorded on tablets. Later, in the sixth century, the Benedictine monasteries commemorated their deceased during Pentecost. In Spain, there was such a day on Saturday before before Pentecost, at the time of St. Isidore (d. 636). In Germany there existed a ceremony of praying to the dead on 1 October. St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) ordered the commemoration of all the faithful departed to he held ann...

On All Souls' Day, November 2, Roman Catholics commemorate and pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, undergoing purification of their sins before entering heaven. It is a great act of charity to pray the poor souls and it is very much needed. St. John Chrysostom instructs us: “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice (Job 1:5), why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them” (Homilies on 1 Corinthians 41:5 [A.D. 392]). St. James the Apostle says: “He who saves a soul saves his own and satisfies for a multitude of sins.” Finally, St. John Vianney said: "We must say many prayers for the souls of the faithful departed, for one must be so pure to enter heaven." Our Lord appeared in a vision to St. Gertrude, and emphasized the necessity of prayer for the poor souls: “My love urges Me to release the poor so...

November 2 is All Souls' Day. Today Roman Catholics commemorate and pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, undergoing purification of their sins before entering heaven. The theological basis for this feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, cannot not yet attain the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, alms, deeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass. In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were recorded on tablets. Later, in the sixth century, the Benedictine monasteries commemorated their deceased during Pentecost. In Spain, there was such a day on Saturday before before Pentecost, at the time of St. Isidore (d. 636). In Germany there existed a ceremony of praying to the dead on 1 October. St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) ordered the commemoration of all the faithful departed to he...

On All Souls' Day, Roman Catholics commemorate the faithful departed or those baptized Christians believed to be in purgatory . It is celebrated on November 2. In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were recorded on tablets. Later, in the sixth century,the Benedictine monasteries commemorated their deceased during Pentecost. In Spain there was such a day on Saturday before before Pentecost, at the time of St. Isidore (d. 636). In Germany there existed a ceremony of praying to the dead on 1 October. St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) ordered the commemoration of all the faithful departed to he held annually in the monasteries of his congregation. From there, it spread among the other congregations of the Benedictines and among the Carthusians to various dioceses. On this day, three requiem masses are celebrated: one for the celebrant, one for the departed, and one for the Holy Father. Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory English: V. Eternal rest grant unto ...