THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IS DEDICATED TO THE

HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

Angel helping Holy Souls in Purgatory

The Saint Monica Sodality prays daily for your deceased family members during the month of November. This includes those who have died while you were petitioning St. Monica and St. Augustine on their behalf. Only God can know the heart of these dear souls and so we rely on God's mercy and continue to pray for them and all the Holy Souls.

You may write their names on the petition slips, along with those you are praying to return to the Catholic Faith, and place in the

St. Monica Sodality Petition Box on the table.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, WAS THE

COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

The Faithful Departed means these Holy Souls were in the "friendship of God", or in "a state of grace": unconfessed mortal sins were not on their souls. They will be going to their longed-for Heavenly home in a time determined by the justice of God.

          All confessed mortal sins have a temporal punishment which can be liken to a residue of impure matter that needs to be completely removed.  Holy Saints have been purified of this residue by their sacrificial life, either by the passing of years or in a single act of martyrdom. "That You purify me in this life and render me such that I may not stand in need of that purging fire". Saint Augustine.

          For those of us who do not reach this state on earth, a period of time is necessary for our purification before we can meet God face to face, to be holy as He is holy. This time, this place of purification is called Purgatory.

          Holy Souls are also called "poor souls" because they cannot ask for help for themselves as we now can, but they can and will pray for others.  During this month we are called to offer prayer, sacrifices, and alms in this holy exchange. For they in return can be petitioned to pray for us and our needs.

          Once they reach Heaven, and all souls in Purgatory will go to Heaven, they will be grateful to their benefactors and continue to intercede to God for us in this life and if needed, the time we might have in Purgatory.

THE VIRTUE DEDICATED for THIS MONTH is CHARITY

Charity is an infused supernatural virtue, one of the three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity (Love). It can be summed up in the prayer called an Act of Charity: O my God, I love You above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because You are all good and deserving of all love. For love of You, I love my neighbor as myself. Amen.

          We can see the connection of this virtue to the Holy Souls. They are most in need of the gifts God has given us and in justice to them and with devout acts of charity, we are obligated to offer prayer, sacrifice and alms.

THE POOR SOULS on EARTH

There are also poor souls on earth in great need of prayer:

Those who have turned away from God, or do not know God.  In St. Faustina's Diary of Divine Mercy (1397), Our Lord said:

"The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion of sinners".

October was dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and introduced us to the prayers of the rosary as a means of conversion. Prayer is powerful and has been given to us in the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, but the most powerful prayer this side of Heaven is the Holy Mass, for Jesus takes our prayers and unites them to Himself as an offering to the Father.

St. Monica, pray for us!  St. Augustine, pray for us!

St. Faustina, pray for us!

Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for us!

Holy Souls in Purgatory, pray for us!