I am deeply grateful to all who offered prayers at the time of my mother’s passing. Thank you for your kind expressions of sympathy; they meant a lot to my family and me. Right after my mom’s death, my mind was swirling as I was imagining her on her journey. That brought me to contemplate Heaven and Purgatory. The Church dedicates the month of November to the Holy Souls, our brothers and sisters who are on their way to Heaven. I thought I would offer a little teaching about Purgatory, a gift from God for our dear loved ones who have gone before us.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Purgatory as follows: All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name ‘Purgatory’ to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. (Catechism 1030-1031)

I think it’s clear from this definition, that Purgatory is a sign of God’s great mercy for us because God allows a time of purification for what is not perfect so that we can be with Him forever.

The tradition of praying for souls in Purgatory is long-standing and comes from Scripture (see 2 Maccabees 12:42-45) where we hear of a leader named Judas exhorting the people to live lives free from sin. Realizing that humanity is imperfect, Judas understands the value of making reparation for sin to help the people be prepared for the coming gift of resurrection.

We can see in this passage that praying for the deceased is beneficial because our prayers aid them in being delivered from their sins. Those in Heaven have no need for our prayers, but for those still seeking atonement for their earthly sins, the prayer is so important. Praying for those who have died expedites their time in Purgatory. These souls depend on the prayers of the faithful in Christ still on earth, in order to quickly complete the purification process and fulfill their yearning to see God face-to-face.

Purgatory is a hope-filled reality because those in Purgatory are assured of the reward of heaven. Their purification is a kind of struggle that is characterized by peace and joy because they know their purification is only bringing them closer to God, so they will soon be united with Him in heaven. Please join me in committing to pray for these holy souls who are on their journey to Heaven:

O Divine Heart of Jesus, I ask You to grant eternal rest to the souls in Purgatory, the final grace of salvation to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of faith to unbelievers, and Your goodness, blessings, and favors to me and to all my loved ones. To You, O most compassionate Heart of Jesus, I commend these souls. (Call to mind the names of your departed loved ones.) I offer You, on their behalf, all the graces granted for deeds of holiness, love and sacrifice, together with the spiritual merits of Your most Holy Mother Mary, and of all the saints and angels, and all the sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today throughout the world. Amen.