<---The mistery of the Virgin of Guadalupe
Popes have encouraged this veneration but from time to time have also taken steps to reform it. Overall, there are significantly more titles, feasts and venerative Marian practices among Roman Catholics than any other Christian traditions.
Pope Benedict XVI maintains that the Virgin Mary possesses divine motherhood which she continues to bestow as intercessory "graces associated with God's blessing".
November is the month of devotion to our Heavenly Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. And, what is usually done during this month?
We join for praying in family.
why?
The bible says us:
Is anyone among you suffering? Pray!. James 5: 13.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have, and the most important activity that a Christian can do.
Sometimes we talk about prayer as if it were the latter, the lower tool.
Prayer should lead our list of priorities.
The world is desperately in need of prayers.
Prayer opens the door for God to do glorious things in our lives and that of others. A dynamic prayer life softens hearts, moves mountains, and takes you to an entirely new and deeper relationship with God.
In addition:
When we started a life of prayer we join God to accomplish His purposes on earth, and achieve what without prayer could not have been achieved.
Start your prayer praising the name of God and thanking him for his creation among which you find you.
Worshipping God for his creative genius is a form of prayer.
When we recognize the greatness of our God, His closeness to us, and His love for us we can not do anything but answer the deepest expression of worship.
Bring to God your requests and submit them to Him.
Every day ask God for wisdom, guidance, strength, provision and especially ask him to do his will in your life.
If we pray everyday, we'll be a winner in our life.
THEOTOKOS: MOTHER OF GOD
It is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God.
Less literal translations include Mother of God. Roman Catholics and Anglicans use the title Mother of God more often than Theotokos. The Council of Ephesus decreed in 431 that Mary is Theotokos because her son Jesus is one person who is both God and man, divine and human.
The English term Mother of God is mostly used as an imprecise translation of Theotokos, and frequently requires explanation. The other principal use of Mother of God has been as the precise and literal translation of Μήτηρ Θεού, a Greek term which has an established usage of its own in traditional Orthodox and Catholic theological writing, hymnography, and iconography. In an abbreviated form ΜΡ ΘΥ it often is found on Eastern icons, where it is used to identify Mary.
A hymn normally sung as part of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom includes both titles in close proximity, in both cases referring to Mary, showing that the titles are not synonymous: "It is truly fitting to call you blessed, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and wholly pure and the Mother of our God.
WHY WE MUST PRAY TO VIRGIN MARY?
The reasons are many.
That is why Catholics we pray to Virgin Mary. Is really powerful the intercession of Mary?
Yes it is!.
The intercession of Mother Mary is very powerful as Jesus cannot neglect what His mother requests. This can be proved by the first miracle Jesus did at the wedding at Cana. - (John 2:1-11). Mother Mary told Jesus “They have no more wine.” And what was the final result? He turned water into wine.
Mother Mary was blessed with Holy Spirit abundantly. We can see this as we read “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:39-41) ; just by Virgin Mary’s greeting.
The Catholic Church´ veneration to the Blessed Virgin Mary (the mother of Jesus) is based on dogma as well as Scripture. The incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God.
From the Council of Ephesus in 431, which dogmatized this belief, to the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II's encyclical Redemptoris Mater, the Virgin Mary has come to be seen and venerated not only as the Mother of God but also as the Mother of the Church.
For this reason we pray to Mary as our Mother.
She has a huge power, which comes from God himself.
Jesus Christ himself has favored her with extraordinary gifts, and she wants to distribute among us, her children.
Let us recall that: a single Hail Mary daily prayed in her honor, moves in heaven a power that we can not imagine. Never forget that!
THE POWER OF ONE HAIL MARY
A prayer for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.
Traditional version:
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 our death.
Amen.
Newer version with ecclesiastical approval:
HAIL MARY, full of grace.
Our Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
and flood the whole humanity,
with the blessings of your Flame of Love,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The Hail Mary is based on these passages from the Bible: Luke 1:28-35, and 42-48.
Luke 1:28-35
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:42-48
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary’s Song
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
Millions of Catholics often say the Hail Mary. Some repeat it hastily not even thinking on the words they are saying. These following words may help some say it more thoughtfully. They can give God's Mother great joy and obtain for themselves graces that she wishes to give them.
One Hail Mary well said fills the heart of Our Lady with delight and obtains for us indescribably great graces. One Hail Mary well said gives us more graces than a thousand thoughtlessly said.
The Hail Mary is like a mine of gold that we can always take from but never exhaust. Is it hard to say the Hail Mary well? All we have to do is to know its value and understand its meaning.
St. Jerome tells us that "the truths contained in the Hail Mary are so sublime, so wonderful that no man or Angel could fully understand them."
St. Thomas Aquinas, the Prince of Theologians, "the wisest of Saints and holiest of wise men," as Leo XIII called him, preached for 40 days in Rome on the Hail Mary, filling his hearers with rapture.
Father F. Suarez, the holy and learned Jesuit, declared when dying that he would willingly give all the many learned books he wrote, all his life's labors, for the merit of one Hail Mary prayerfully and devoutly said.
St. Mechtilde, who loved our Lady very much, was one day striving to compose a beautiful prayer in her honor. Our Lady appeared to her, with the golden letters on her breast that said: "Hail Mary full of grace." Our Lady said to her: "Desists, dear daughter, from your labor for no prayer you could possibly compose would give me the joy and delight than the Hail Mary."
A certain man found joy in saying slowly the Hail Mary. The Blessed Virgin in return appeared to him smiling and announced to him the day and hour that he should die, granting him a most holy and happy death. After death a beautiful white lily grew from his mouth having written on its petals: "Hail Mary."
Cesarius recounts a similar incident. A humble and holy monk lived in the monastery. His poor mind and memory were so weak that he could only repeat one prayer which was the "Hail Mary." After death a tree grew over his grave and on all its leaves was written: "Hail Mary."
These beautiful legends show us how much devotion to Our Lady was valued, and the power attributed to the Hail Mary devoutly prayed.
Each time that we say the Hail Mary we are repeating the very same words with which St. Gabriel the Archangel saluted Mary on the day of the Annunciation, when she was made Mother of the Son of God. Many graces and joys filled the soul of Mary at that moment.
Now when we say the Hail Mary we offer anew all these graces and joys to Our Lady and she accepts them with Immense delight. In return she gives us a share in these joys.
Once Our Lord asked St. Francis Assisi to give Him something. The Saint replied: "Dear Lord, I can give You nothing for I have already given you all, all my love." Jesus smiled and said: "Francis, give Me it all again and again, it will give Me the same pleasure."
So with our dearest Mother, she accepts from us each time we say the Hail Mary the joys and delight she received from the words of St. Gabriel.
Almighty God gave His Blessed Mother all the dignity, greatness and holiness necessary to make her His own most perfect Mother. But He also gave her all the sweetness, love, tenderness and affection necessary to make her our most loving Mother. Mary is truly and really our Mother.
As children when in trouble run to their mothers for help, so ought we to run at once with unbounded confidence to Mary.
St. Bernard and many Saints said that it was never, never heard at any time or in any place that Mary refused to hear the prayers of her children on earth.
Why do we not realize this most consoling truth?
Why refuse the love and consolation that God's Sweet Mother is offering us?
Is it our lamentable ignorance which deprives us of such help and consolation.
To love and trust Mary is to be happy on earth now and afterwards to be happy in Heaven.
Dr. Hugh Lammer was a staunch Protestant, with strong prejudices against the Catholic Church. He wanted to know the true about Mary and why catholics admire her so much. One day he found an explanation of the Hail Mary to the read it.
He was so charmed with it that he began to say it daily.
Insensibly all his anti-Catholic animosity began to disappear. He became a Catholic, a holy priest and a professor of Catholic Theology in Breslau.
A priest was called to the bedside of a man who was dying in despair because of his sins. Yet he refused obstinately to go to confession. As a last recourse the priest asked him to say at least the Hail Mary after which the poor man made a sincere confession and died a holy death.
In England, a parish priest was asked to go and see a Protestant lady who was gravely ill, and who wished to become a Catholic. Asked if she had ever gone to a Catholic Church, or, if she had spoken to Catholics, or if she had read Catholic books? She replied, "No, no." All she could remember was that, during her childhood, she had learned from a little Catholic neighbor girl the Hail Mary, which she said every night. She was Baptized and before dying had the happiness of seeing her husband and children baptized.
St. Gertrude tells us in her book, "Revelations" that when we thank God for the graces He has given to any Saint, we get a great share of those particular graces.
What graces, then, do we not receive when we say the Hail Mary while thanking God for all the unspeakable graces He has given His Blessed Mother?
The Hail Mary or "Ave Maria" (in Latin) is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and familiar prayers of the Universal Church. Though many Christians do not realize this, the Hail Mary is very much rooted in Scripture.
Let me say first that prayer is, by definition, a call, cry, plea, or petition made to God. It does not necessarily have to be found explicitly in the Bible. Prayer is always a dialogue with God, and many of our most treasured prayers, including the Hail Mary, are assuredly inspired by or find their basis in Scripture.
The words of the Hail Mary are as follows: "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 our death. Amen."
As may be easily recognized, the prayer can be said to have two parts, the first being a salutation, or greeting, and the second a petition, an earnest or urgent request.
Who was it that greeted Mary by saying, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee?" It was not a pope, a bishop, or church leader; it was the archangel Gabriel, the one who "stands before God" (Luke 1:19). Luke tells us the splendid and wondrous story of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38).
Although translations may vary, there can be no doubt that this first statement of greeting in the Hail Mary comes to us from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:19).
Gabriel said these words, and he was a messenger sent directly from God.
Thus, it is uncomplicated to see how the early Christians would adopt these beautiful words by the angel as soon as devotion to Mary sprang forth in the Church.
The second part of the greeting also comes from Scripture. Let us recall the words of Elizabeth when Mary visited her. When she heard Mary's greeting, Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Luke 1:42).
The Christians later added the name of Jesus in order to identify more exactly that He was the "fruit of Mary's womb." Thus, it is evident that the first half of the Hail Mary is taken directly from words found in the Bible, words spoken by the angel of the Lord and by Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, who also was chosen by God to give birth to John the Baptist, the one who would prepare the way for the Savior.
Something else in the account of the Visitation leads us into the second half of the Hail Mary, which we said is a petition. The first thing we notice, though, is that this part begins by declaring Mary to be holy.
Again, we see in Luke's Gospel that the Blessed Virgin says this about herself in her Canticle or "Magnificat" "from now on will all ages call me blessed" (Luke 1:48).
The word "blessed" and "holy" have the same meaning.
Very interesting also in Luke's narrative is that he recounts Elizabeth as saying, "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Luke 1:45).
The Greek word for Lord is "Kyrios" and this word is used many times in the New Testament to refer to God the Father (Luke 1:6; Luke 1:9; Luke 1:11).
There is substantial evidence, therefore, that the believers in Christ came to recognize Mary as the Mother of God. The Church, at the Council of Ephesus, later declared this officially in 431 AD.
Finally, we come to the very last part, "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." Wanting to make the Hail Mary truly a prayer, a petition was eventually added, and thus it appeared in its completed form by the mid-sixteenth century.
The Hail Mary is without question a very biblically rooted prayer, a salutation and petition to the Blessed Virgin from whom the Redeemer of mankind was born. It is a prayer for all Christians.
Source: Holysouls.com
VIRGIN MARY’S PLAN FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
November is the month of complete forgiveness and reconciliation.
The Most Holy Virgin Mary has inspired to Myriam van Nazareth a special plan of prayers for the month of November. Mary emphasized the extraordinary importance of this Plan in the following revelations. The revelations are followed by the actual Plan.
MARY SAID TO MYRIAM on October 22, 2006:
The month of November is approaching. November is the month of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. I want to rule in all souls in a particular way, yet I can only do this in a fruitful way to the extent to which they give Me the opportunity to clean the temple of their souls thoroughly.
The major media for the purification of the soul are:
- Love of neighbor who is noble and self-denying.
- The sincere and unconditional forgiveness.
- The generous benevolence.
- The search of silence and inner peace.
- The effort to be humble in everything and everyone.
- Be kind to any person, as if you are talking to God.
- The constant daily prayer.
- The humble prayer, recognizing that without God we can do nothing.
- Attending without missing Mass on Sundays and during the week if possible.
- Approaching the sacraments of confession and communion.
- Perform corporal works of mercy and spiritual.
"For this reason I invite emphasizing the souls consecrated to Me putting completely clear its relations with its neighbor, with all his acquaintances and relationships of his life, both past and present.
Clarify all aspects of the past and all traces and memories of past contacts, including the most fleeting, is like a total remodeling of the foundations of the temple of the soul and through which this temple will strengthen against hurricane winds and earthquakes life.
In the course of the next few days I shall give you a Plan that I would like to be followed strictly according to My wishes. Each soul is to pray and to make sacrifices for the benefit of the various categories of fellow people, according to the Plan I will suggest.
The intention is this: that the soul should reach make peace with all of her fellow people. It is not necessary that she should visit all these people, nor that she should try and get into contact with them in any special way: the process of cleaning all of these relationships is to be achieved within the confines of one’s own heart.
If the prayers and sacrifices are laid down at My feet in genuine love and inspired by the will to truly forgive, reconcile, and wish that true hail should be bestowed upon the fellow people concerned, My power will multiply the original strength of these intentions and make a fire of purification rain down upon the souls”.
MARY SAID on, October 31, 2006: “The Plan of prayers I have suggested to My faithful ones, constitutes a large-scale offensive against our mutual enemy, Satan. The souls can hardly imagine the true extent of this Plan.
Actually its effects are tantamount to a spiritual fire which will rain down upon thousands of souls. Throughout her life, each soul comes into contact with thousands of other souls. All of these partake in the effects of this Plan of prayers. The only condition is, that My faithful ones should finish this Plan conscientiously and with genuine love.
The more the soul longs to have the fire and light of Divine Love infused in her fellow people through these prayers and sacrifices, the more strength she will develop. The merits of the soul that lovingly carries out this programme throughout the month of November, can not be conceived, and are able to release tremendous waves of Mercy from God’s Heart.
Thus My servants by grace of God it will be created flames of conversion which the demons will see horrified and even it will be more terrible than the fires of hell. The celestial court will consider these flames of conversion to be the concrete fruit of their incessant pleadings of prayer for the benefit of mankind.
Mankind itself will experience them as an oven into which the merciful God will throw many sins and vices in order to forget them forever.
Consider this: the soul who reconciles herself for thirty days on end with all fellow people with whom she has ever been in contact, will be forgiven by God for many of her own sins, in order that the word of the Our Father may come true, where it says that God forgives the soul to the extent the latter is willing to forgive those who have trespassed against her.
This Plan of prayers is so great that resistance from Satan will be proportionally great.
Therefore, tell the souls they should carry out this programme together with God’s angels. I promise a special protection to those who are driven by the genuine will to accomplish it”.
MARY’S PLAN OF PRAYERS FOR NOVEMBER
(the second half of the month is identical to the first half)
No matter whether the persons concerned are still alive or not, because reconciliation goes beyond the limits of death, because for God does not exist for the time barrier, transcends all boundaries, all the times.
God knows everything, sees everything, nothing is hidden to his eyes. Past, present and future passes before his eyes without any problems.
God has all power over all things at all times in all ways, and He is Omnipotent.
Meaning of sacrifice offered to God and the person concerned.
- Deprive yourself for eating something appetizing.
- Visiting the sick or prisoners, paying a visit during one hour, or more.
- Visiting the geriatrics and attending grandparents who are without family.
- Depriving yourself of watching TV and start praying.
- No smoking for a day, or smoke less. No drinking alcohol or drink less.
- Do not go to shows where is attempt against chastity, or goes against the moral doctrine, or the Christian doctrine.
- Read the Bible or spiritual reading for half an hour or more.
- Fulfill the daily duties at work, home, or office; obeying those in authority over us.
November 1:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s spouse, even if both souls have separated.
November 2:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s parents.
November 3:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s own children; if one has not got children: for children for whom nobody ever prays or makes sacrifices.
November 4:
Prayers and sacrifices for brothers and sisters; if one has not got brothers or sisters: for people who do have brothers or sisters, but whose brothers or sisters never pray for them.
November 5:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
November 6:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s relatives in further degrees of relationship (uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins etc.).
November 7:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s in-laws.
November 8:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s neighbours, both from the past and the present.
November 9:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s friends and acquaintances in the present.
November 10:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s colleagues at the office or factory, both past or present, and one’s business partners, if any.
November 11:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s friends and acquaintances from the past.
November 12:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s school teachers and one’s professors, if any.
November 13:
Prayers and sacrifices for all members of the clergy with whom one has ever been in contact.
November 14:
Prayers and sacrifices for all and any other people with whom one has ever been in contact, even in passing, and who do not belong to any of the above categories.
E.g.: bus drivers, conductors, ticket collectors, postmen or women, shop personnel, janitors, counter clerks, school headmasters, parents or brothers or sisters of school friends, tax auditors, police officers, army staff, wardens at prisons or prison camps, hospital personel, staff in bank and post offices, market salesmen, traffic participants, persons in the street, lawyers and judges...
November 15:
Prayers and sacrifices for so-called enemies and all people with whom one has ever had, or is still having, any negative or unpleasant contacts.
(The second half of the month is identical to the first half)
November 16:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s spouse, even if both souls have separated.
November 17:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s parents.
November 18:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s own children; if one has not got children: for children for whom nobody ever prays or makes sacrifices.
November 17: Prayers and sacrifices for one’s parents.
November 18:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s own children; if one has not got children: for children for whom nobody ever prays or makes sacrifices.
November 19:
Prayers and sacrifices for brothers and sisters; if one has not got brothers or sisters: for people who do have brothers or sisters, but whose brothers or sisters never pray for them.
November 20:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
November 21:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s relatives in further degrees of relationship (uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins etc.).
November 22:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s in-laws.
November 23:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s neighbours, both from the past and the present.
November 24:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s friends and acquaintances in the present.
November 25:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s colleagues at the office or factory, both past or present, and one’s business partners, if any.
November 26:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s friends and acquaintances from the past.
November 27:
Prayers and sacrifices for one’s school teachers and one’s professors, if any.
November 28:
Prayers and sacrifices for all members of the clergy with whom one has ever been in contact.
November 29:
Prayers and sacrifices for all and any other people with whom one has ever been in contact, even in passing, and who do not belong to any of the above categories.
E.g.: bus drivers, conductors, post men or women, shop personnel, janitors, counter clerks, school headmaster, parents or brothers or sisters of school friends, tax auditors, police officers, army staff, wardens at prisons or prison camps, hospital personel, staff in bank and post offices, market salesmen, traffic participants, persons in the street, lawyers and judges...
November 30:
Prayers and sacrifices for so-called enemies and all people with whom one has ever had, or is still having, any negative or unpleasant contacts.
HOW IS THE DAILY PROGRAMME TO BE CARRIED OUT?
We pray for ourselves in order to get grace to start and end this noble task: Getting things straight with other souls, can only be fruitful insofar as one strengthens the foundation of one’s own soul first.
That´s why we must pray everyday, with a clean heart, and ask for benefits for soul or souls concerned.
Whenever at least one of the persons referred to is deceased, we also pray for the benefit of the deceased.
Moreover we will each day offer all and any sacrifices and trials to Mary for the benefit of the soul(s) for whom we are praying on the respective days.
Recall: on November 1 and 2, are very important days for catholics: All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Offer God sacrifices and prayers for the benefit of our deceased, and prayers for All Saints.
DECADE FOR THE NEEDS OF A FELLOW MAN*
(Note: although this prayer was written in the singular form, we pray it for the benefit of all persons contained in the day’s category)
Dear Mother Mary, Mediatrix and Mother of all people, to You I entrust ...
(name/here: category within the Plan of prayers). Do watch over him from now on until the hour of his death.
Our Father...
On account of Your Immaculate Conception, o Mary, obtain for him a strong resistance against all evil, all sin and all temptation.
Hail Mary...
On account of Your life within the Holy Family at Nazareth, o Mary, obtain peace within his family and within all of his relationships.
Hail Mary...
On account of Your life as the Mother of the persecuted and unappreciated Jesus, o Mary, give him the light to remain strong against all gossip, slander, hate, envy and jealousy.
Hail Mary...
On account of Your meeting with Jesus bearing His Cross, o Mary, obtain for him the strength, the willingness and the devotion to accept and bear all his burdens and crosses with love and patience.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of Your sorrows near the Cross of the dying Jesus, o Mary, obtain for him the necessary strength in all days of illness, pain, tiredness and exhaustion.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of Your Sorrows on Holy Saturday, o Mary, do give him support and comfort in all days of sorrow and emotional suffering.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of the infusion of the Holy Spirit in You and the apostles, o Mary, obtain for him a continuous guidance and inspiration by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of Your uninterrupted prayer for the young Church of Christ after His Ascension, o Mary, obtain for him a pious life in the state of grace.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of Your blessed Assumption into heaven, o Mary, make him feel Your Presence in the last hour of his life, and obtain for him a peaceful death.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of Your Coronation in heaven, o Mary, may Your intercession obtain him eternal bliss in heaven.
Hail Mary...
Glory be to the Father...
May the Divine Providence hear my prayer through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians.
Amen.
BLESSING TO MY FELLOW MAN*
I wish you the Peace of Christ and the Love of Mary.
May the Father bless you abundantly.
May the Holy Spirit enlighten your spirit with Divine Wisdom, light your heart with the fire of Divine Love, and alleviate all your physical ailments.
May God’s angels guide you day and night.
May you receive the strength to fight all evil around you and within you, the understanding to turn away from all misguidance and temptation, the determination to leave any wrong track, and the courage to break all pride which prevents you from doing the right thing.
May you obtain the grace to avoid sin henceforth, and to continue the path of your life in a state of grace.
May you obtain all this through the powerful mediation and intercession of Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and Advocate for all souls.
PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE FROM MY PAST*
Dear Mother Mary,
In years gone by, so many people were led onto the path of my life by Divine Providence.
Their names are written in the Book of my life.
Many names I have never known, others have been hidden from my sight by the dust of time. Many of them no longer live in my heart.
Today I consecrate all of them to Your Immaculate Heart, so that You may do for them everything that I, through ignorance or indifference, have failed to do.
May my prayer make up for everything I then failed to do.
May it make up for anything I have done wrong unto them.
May it help them settle towards God the debt of their sins.
May it obtain forgiveness for those who have done wrong unto me.
May it obtain strength and comfort for those who are still alive.
May it bring forward the hour of contemplation of God’s Countenance for those who have passed away.
May it fill their souls as if by a kiss from an invisible friend, an act of charity that yet brings our meeting in days of yore to fruition on the path of their lives, which Eternal Wisdom has taken away from mine.
For ending let us pray 3 Hail Mary…
SEVEN HAIL MARYS FOR A HOLY LIFE*
Dear Mother Mary,
Because, as the Mediatrix of all Graces, You have been granted all power over God’s sanctifying gifts, I beg You:
Through the intercession of the merits of Your word of consent to the angel when he asked whether You were willing to become the Mother of the Messiah, do obtain for me the grace of living in total consecration to You to serve God’s Plan of Salvation for the souls.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of the merits of Your eternal virginity, do obtain for me the grace of a perfect chastity.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of the merits of Your perfect Love, do obtain for me the grace of being able to give unconditional, pure Love to God and to my fellow creatures, in self-sacrifice and willingness to serve.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of the merits of Your eternal sinlessness, do obtain for me the grace of a great resistance against all temptation and of protection against all sin, aberration and deception. Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of Your merits as the Mother of Sorrows, do obtain for me the grace of a great ability to bear all trials and crosses of life in true acceptance, love and dedication. Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of the merits of Your unshakable faith in God’s omnipotence, do obtain for me the grace of an imperturbable faith in the infallibility of Divine Providence in everything that crosses the path of my life.
Hail Mary...
Through the intercession of the merits of Your life in the spirit of the angels, do obtain for me the grace of being able to break the many worldly influences on my soul, body, feelings, thoughts and wishes, and to enter the spheres of Divine Life.
Hail Mary...
SELF-SACRIFICE FOR THE COMPLETE REDEMPTION OF A DECEASED*
Dear Mother Mary,
I beg You to use Your power of intercession with Divine Mercy, so that the soul of ..... (name of the decease) may soon be allowed to be with You in Paradise together with God and Angels.
As a payment for this grace I put my whole being and the path of my life entirely at Your disposal, in total, unconditional and eternal consecration.
May the sacrifice of all my sufferings till the complete redemption of this soul.
*Prayer made by Myriam van Nazareth.
LIFE OFFERING
Private revelations.
"As to private revelations, it is better to believe than not to believe in them; because if you believe and find they are true, you will be happy because you believed, as our Holy Mother the Virgin Mary asked.
And if they turn out to be false, you have received all the blessings as if they were true, because you believed they were true."
(Pope Urban VIII, 1636)
The Most Holy Virgin favored with abundant locutions and extraordinary visions, during several years, Sister Natalia Magdolna (1901-1992), Hungarian nun, born near Pozsony (in present Slovakia), pertaining to the congregation of Sisters of the Good Shepherd of St. Mary Magdalente of Kecskemet.
Her life was full of supernatural graces and an intense communication with God. She died in odour of sanctity at an advanced age.
The promises that we next offer, are selected from several messages that Jesus and Mary communicated to her, and that were published in the book "The Victorious Queen of the World" by Ediciones Xaverianas, S.A. of C.V. - Bird. Hard-twisted Juan and Arias 694 - Meadows Providence - A.P.1/133-44100 Guadalajara, Jal. (MEXICO).
Fr. Jeno Krasznay, Spiritual Director of Sister Maria Natalia for some time, famous European theologian and Auxiliary of Bishop Isvan Hasz, declared these mystical experiences as legitimate, as well as the visions and messages, after a long period of investigation and examination.
MESSAGE OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN:
Our Heavenly Mother requests, especially to the mothers of family, to offer, for love, their lives for the intentions of her Immaculate Heart, so that She will be able to save more and more families from going to hell.
The Virgin specifically says: "The pain burns In the heart of many mothers. Their hearts are oppressed by the spiritual state of their children, by its immoral conduct, the destiny of their lives after death. For love towards them, moved by compassion.
I reached with my requests the five promises. Let them be consoled, offering to deliver all the events of their lives".
For this end, it proposes the life offering, that must be made with full awareness and seriousness, offering it for the greater Glory of God and of the well being of the Holy Church.
Encouraging us with great promises, that someone has catalogued as the most generous ever made by Most Holy Mary to date. Let us not despise them!
ECCLESIASTICAL APPROVAL:
The divulgation either of the messages or revelations, or the Promises and Offer of Life, enjoy competent license of the Hierarchy of the Church.
Mons. Gabriel Diaz Cueva, Aux. Bishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador), on July 16, 1987, extended "Imprimi Potest" to the diffusion of these divine manifestations.
Additionally on June 15, 1988, the “Imprimatur” was granted by Fr. Agustín Gutiérrez, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
The "Nihil Obstat" was issued by Fr. Alberto Valenzuela, S.J. Censor, delegate to this end.
CLARIFICATIONS:
It is sufficient to make this offer once, if made with the necessary dispositions of humility and love. However, it is possible to be renewed frequently.
Thus the Redeemer confirmed it to Sr. Maria Natalia Magdolna:
"If anyone, my daughter, makes but a single time the Offer of Life, you understand, my daughter, a single time, in a moment of Grace, the fire of heroic love was ignited in its heart. With this it sealed all his life! Its life, although they do not think consciously about it, already belongs to the Sacred Hearts ".
And He added: "Although a soul has made another offer, this one encompasses everything and is over them. This will be, then, the crown, the most precious dressing and the symbol of its spiritual nobility in Heaven ".
It is also possible to make other private and personal offers independently of this one.
LIFE OFFER
"Prodigy of Love of Our Mother of Mercy, the Most Holy Virgin Mary”.
PRAYER OF THE LIFE OFFER:
"My Beloved Jesus:
In front of the Most Blessed Trinity,
in front of Our Mother of Heaven, and of all the heavenly Court,
I offer, according to the intentions of your Eucharistic Heart and those of the Immaculate Heart of Most Holy Mary:
all my life,
all my holy Masses,
communions,
good deeds,
sacrifices and sufferings,
uniting them to the merits of your Most Holy Blood and death in the cross:
- To adore the Most Holy Glorious Trinity.
- To offer atonement for our sins and offenses.
- For the unity of our Holy Mother Church.
- For our priests.
- For good priestly vocations.
- And for all the souls until the end of the world.
Receive, my Jesus, my offer of life and grant me the grace to persevere faithfully until the end of my life.
Amen ".
EXTRAORDINARY PROMISES OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN TO THOSE THAT MAKE THIS OFFER OF LIFE:
1ª. Nobody amongst the members of its family will be condemned even when the external appearances would make it appear so, because before its soul leaves the body, it will receive, in the depths of its soul, the grace of the perfect repentance.
2ª. On the day of their offer the members of their family that were in Purgatory, will leave there.
3ª. At the hour of death I will be at their side and I will take their souls, without passing through Purgatory, to the Presence of the Most Holy Glorious Trinity where, in the house made by the Lord, they will be eternally happy with Me.
4ª. Their names will be inscribed in the Heart of Jesus, burning with Love and in the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.
5ª. By his offer of life, together with the merits of Jesus, they will save many souls from condemnation. The merit of their sacrifices will benefit the souls until the end of the world.
RECOMMENDATION:
Do not let anyone in your family can go to hell for not doing this simple offer of life and love. You do not want none of your family, friends and acquaintances are condemned. Will you leave to your own parents even in Purgatory with such torment? Don´t you want to go through purgatory, right?
Pray then this offering, renewing it occasionally in your heart. Eternally you will bless the day and the hour when you offered to God, making the offering of life.
No doubt any that the Almighty God will fulfill these promises that makes you Our sweet and generous Heavenly Mother. Do not fall for this deception, that Jesus always keeps his promises
All Saints' Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas, often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In the Western calendar it is the day after Halloween and the day before All Souls' Day.
In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries.
In the Catholic Church and many Anglican churches, the next day specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Christians who celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day do so in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual bond between those in purgatory (the 'Church Suffering'), those in heaven (the 'Church triumphant'), and the living (the 'Church militant').
Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways; for example, in the Methodist Church, the word "saints" refers to all Christians and therefore, on All Saint's Day, the Church Universal, as well as the deceased members of a local congregation, are honoured and remembered.
ALL SAINTS' DAY IN UK AND US
Many churches in the US and UK celebrate All Saints' Day to honor all the saints, particularly those who do not have their own special feast day, on November 1.
Some eastern churches in the United States celebrated this day on the first Sunday after Pentecost. It is also known as All Hallows Tide, All-Hallomas, or All Hallows' Day.
According to some sources, the idea for All Saints' Day goes back to the fourth century when the Greek Christians kept a festival on the first Sunday after Pentecost (in late May or early June) in honor of all martyrs and saints. Other sources say that a commemoration of “All Martyrs” began to be celebrated as early as 270 CE but no specific month or date is recorded. Pope Gregory IV made All Saints' Day an authorized holiday in 837 CE.
It is speculated that the chosen date for the event, November 1, may have been an attempt to supplant the pagan Festival of the Dead (also known as Samhain or the feast of Saman, lord of death).
All Saints' Day, which is celebrated globally, is closely tied with All Souls’ Day, which was first instituted at the monastery in Cluny in 993 CE and quickly spread among Christians. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are also closely linked with Halloween, which is a shortened for the name “All Hallows' Even”.
LITANY OF THE SAINTS
To pray All Saints' Day and any day of the year. With Plenary Indulgence.
To gain it you must be in a state of grace. To gain a plenary indulgence you must perform the act with a contrite heart, plus you must go to confession (one confession may suffice for several plenary indulgences), receive Holy Communion, and pray for the pope's intentions. (An Our Father and a Hail Mary, and pray for the pope's intentions are sufficient, although you are free to substitute other prayers of your own choosing.) The final condition is that you must be free from all attachment to sin, including venial sin.
If you are not in state of grace you can also gain a partial indulgence, you must repent with a contrite heart and ask for pardon to God.
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 GHOST, have mercy on us.
HOLY TRINITY, ONE GOD, have mercy on us.
HOLY MARY, pray for us.
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, pray for us. HOLY VIRGIN OF VIRGINS, pray for us.
ST. MICHAEL, pray for us.
ST. GABRIEL, pray for us.
ST. RAPHAEL, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY ANGELS AND ARCHANGELS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY ORDERS OF BLESSED SPIRITS, pray for us.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, pray for us. ST. JOSEPH, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS, pray for us.
ST. PETER, pray for us.
ST. PAUL, pray for us.
ST. ANDREW, pray for us.
ST. JAMES, pray for us.
ST. JOHN, pray for us.
ST. THOMAS, pray for us.
ST. JAMES, pray for us.
ST. PHILIP, pray for us.
ST. BARTHOLOMEW, pray for us. ST. MATTHEW, pray for us.
ST. SIMON, pray for us.
ST. THADDEUS, pray for us.
ST. BARNABAS, pray for us.
ST. LUKE, pray for us.
ST. MARK, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY APOSTLES AND EVANGELIST, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY DISCIPLES OF OUR LORD, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY INNOCENTS, pray for us.
ST. STEPHEN, pray for us.
ST. LAWRENCE, pray for us.
ST. VINCENT, pray for us.
SS. FABIAN AND SEBASTIAN, pray for us.
SS. JOHN AND PAUL, pray for us.
SS. COSMOS AND DAMIAN, pray for us. SS. GERVASE AND PROTASE, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY MARTYRS, pray for us.
ST. SYLVESTER, pray for us.
ST. GREGORY, pray for us.
ST. AMBROSE, pray for us.
ST. AUGUSTINE, pray for us.
ST. JEROME, pray for us.
ST. MARTIN, pray for us.
ST. NICHOLAS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY BISHOPS AND CONFESSORS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY DOCTORS, pray for us.
ST. ANTHONY, pray for us.
ST. BENEDICT, pray for us.
ST. BERNARD, pray for us.
ST. DOMINIC, pray for us.
ST. FRANCIS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY PRIEST AND LEVITES, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY MONKS AND HERMITS, pray for us.
ST. MARY MAGDALEN, pray for us.
ST. AGATHA, pray for us.
ST. LUCY, pray for us.
ST. AGNES, pray for us.
ST. CECILIA, pray for us.
ST. CATHERINE, pray for us.
ST. ANASTASIA, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY VIRGINS AND WIDOWS, pray for us.
ALL YE MEN AND WOMEN, SAINTS OF GOD, make intercession for us.
BE MERCIFUL, spare us, O Lord!
BE MERCIFUL, graciously hear us, O Lord!
FROM ALL EVIL, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM ALL SIN, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THY WRATH, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM A SUDDEN AND UNPROVIDED DEATH, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THE DECEITS OF THE DEVIL, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM ANGER, HATRED, AND ALL ILL WILL, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THE SPIRIT OF FORNICATION, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM LIGHTNING AND TEMPEST, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THE SCOURGE OF EARTHQUAKE, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM PESTILENCE, FAMINE, AND WAR, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM EVERLASTING DEATH, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THE MYSTERY OF THY HOLY INCARNATION, O Lord, Deliver us.
THROUGH THY COMING, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY NATIVITY, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY BAPTISM AND HOLY FASTING, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY CROSS AND PASSION, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY DEATH AND BURIAL, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY HOLY RESURRECTION, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THINE ADMIRABLE ASCENSION, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST, THE PARACLETE, O Lord, deliver us.
IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, We Sinners beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST SPARE US, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST PARDON US, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO BRING US TO TRUE PENANCE,
We Beseech Thee hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GOVERN AND PRESERVE THY HOLY CHURCH....
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO PRESERVE OUR APOSTOLIC PRELATE AND ALL ECCLESIASTICAL ORDERS IN HOLY RELIGION. We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO HUMBLE THE ENEMIES OF THY HOLY CHURCH,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCH SAFE TO GIVE PEACE AND TRUE CONCORD TO CHRISTIAN KINGS AND PRINCES, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GRANT PEACE AND UNITY TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO BRING BACK TO THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH ALL THOSE WHO HAVE STRAYED AWAY, AND LEAD TO THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL ALL UNBELIEVERS, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO CONFIRM AND PRESERVE US THY HOLY SERVICE,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST LIFT UP OUR MINDS TO HEAVENLY DESIRES,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST RENDER ETERNAL BLESSINGS TO ALL OUR BENEFACTORS,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST DELIVER OUR SOULS AND HOSE OF OUR BRETHREN, RELATIVE, AND BENEFACTORS FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GIVE AND PRESERVE THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GIVE ETERNAL REST TO ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE GRACIOUSLY TO HEAR US,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
SON OF GOD, We beseech Thee, hear us.
LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Spare us, O Lord.
LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Have mercy on us.
CHRIST, HEAR US.......
CHRIST, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.......
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US.......
CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON US.......
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US.......
Our Father, etc, (In Secret.)
V- And Lead Us Not Into Temptation.
R- But Deliver Us From Evil.
Psalm LXIX:
Incline unto my aid, O God.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek my soul.
Let them be turned backward and blush for shame that desire evils to me.
Let them be presently turned away blushing for shame that say to me, "Tis well, 'tis well."
Let all that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; and let such as love Thy salvation say always, The Lord be magnified. But I am needy and poor: O God, help me.
Thou art my helper and my deliverer; O Lord, make no delay.
Glory Be To The Father, etc.
V- Save Thy servants.
R- Trusting in Thee, O my God.
V- Be unto us, O Lord, a tower a strength.
R- From the face of the enemy.
V- Let not the enemy prevail against us.
R- Nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt us.
V- O Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
R- Neither reward us according to our iniquities.
V- Let us pray for our chief bishop: (name)
R- The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.
V- Let us pray for our benefactors.
R- Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy name's sake, to reward with eternal life all those who do us good.
V- Let us pray for the faithful departed.
R- Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
V- May they rest in peace.
R- Amen.
V- For our absent brethren.
R- Save Thy servants who hope in Thee, O my God.
V- Send them help, O Lord, from Thy holy place.
R- And from Sion protect them.
V- O Lord, hear my prayer.
R- And let my cry come unto Thee.
LET US PRAY:
O God, Whose property is always to have mercy and to spare, receive our petition, that we and all Thy servants who are bound by the chain of sin, may, by the compassion of Thy goodness, mercifully be absolved.
Hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayers of Thy supplicants, and pardon the sins of those who confess to Thee, that, in Thy bounty, Thou mayest grant us both pardon and peace.
In Thy clemency, O Lord, show Thy unspeakable mercy to us, that so Thou mayest both loose us from all our sins and deliver us from the punishments which we deserve for them.
O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people, who make supplication to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thine anger, which we deserve for our sins.
O almighty and eternal God, have mercy on Thy servant (N)., our chief bishop, and direct him according to Thy clemency, in the way of everlasting salvation, that, by Thy grace, he may desire the things that are pleasing to Thee, and perform them with all his strength.
O God, from Whom are all holy desires, righteous counsels, and just works, give to Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that, our hearts being disposed to keep Thy commandments, and the fear of enemies taken away, the times, by Thy protection, may be peaceful.
Inflame, O Lord, our reins and hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit; that we may serve Thee with a chaste body, and please Thee with a clean heart.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired.
Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance; that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and through Thee be happily ended.
O almighty and eternal God, Who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all who Thou foreknowest will be Thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech Thee that they for whom we have purposed to offer our prayers, whether this present world still detains them in the flesh or the next world hath already received them divested of their bodies, may, by the intercession of Thy saints and the clemency of Thy goodness, obtain pardon and full remission of all their sins. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R- Amen.
V- O Lord, hear my prayer.
R- And let my cry come unto Thee.
V- May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.
R- Amen.
V- And my the souls of the faithful departed throught the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R- Amen.
In Western Christianity, this day is observed principally in the Catholic Church, although some churches of Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches also celebrate it.
The Eastern Orthodox Church observes several All Souls' Days during the year. The Roman Catholic celebration is associated with the doctrine that the souls of the faithful who at death have not been cleansed from the temporal punishment due to venial sins and from attachment to mortal sins cannot immediately attain the beatific vision in heaven, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass.
In other words, when they died, they had not yet attained full sanctification and moral perfection, a requirement for entrance into Heaven. This sanctification is carried out posthumously in Purgatory.
The official name of the celebration in the Roman Rite liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church is "The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed".
Another popular name in English is Feast of All Souls. In some other languages the celebration, not necessarily on the same date, is known as Day of the Dead.
The Western celebration of All Souls' Day is on 2 November and follows All Saints' Day. In the ordinary form of the Roman Rite, if 2 November falls on a Sunday, the Mass is of All Souls, but the Liturgy of the Hours is that of the Sunday. (Though Lauds and Vespers for the Dead in which the people participate may be said.)
In the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite and in the Anglican Communion, All Souls Day is instead transferred, whenever 2 November falls on a Sunday, to the next day, 3 November.
The feast of All Saints achieved great prominence in the ninth century, in the reign of the Byzantine Emperor, Leo VI "the Wise" (886–911). His wife, Empress Theophano—commemorated on 16 December—lived a devout life.
After her death in 893, her husband built a church, intending to dedicate it to her. When he was forbidden to do so, he decided to dedicate it to "All Saints", so that if his wife were in fact one of the righteous, she would also be honored whenever the feast was celebrated. According to tradition, it was Leo who expanded the feast from a commemoration of All Martyrs to a general commemoration of All Saints, whether martyrs or not.
All SOULS' DAY IN UK AND US
All Souls’ Day in the United Kingdom and United States is dedicated to prayers for the dead. The Day of the Dead is also celebrated on this day. Many western churches annually observe All Souls’ Day on November 2 and many eastern churches celebrate it prior to Lent and the day before Pentecost.
It is a day of prayer for deceased souls. Many Christians visit cemeteries where their loved ones are buried. Some cemeteries offer candles to be placed on these graves. The candles are blessed and marked with the names of the deceased to be placed at the designated grave sites. The Catholic Church remembers deceased members of the congregation on this day.
All Souls’ Day is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom.
All Souls’ Day was first instituted at the monastery in Cluny in 993 CE and quickly spread throughout the Christian world. People held festivals for the dead long before Christianity. It was Saint Odilo, the abbot of Cluny in France, who in the 10th century, proposed that the day after All Saints’ Day be set aside to honor the departed, particularly those whose souls were still in purgatory.
It was historically customary for poor Christians to offer prayers for the dead in return for money or food (soul cakes) from their wealthier neighbors. During the 19th and 20th centuries children would go “souling” in a similar fashion to carol singing, in which they would ask for alms or soul cakes. There was also a superstition that All Souls' night was a time for the dead revisited their homes. Therefore some people would leave lit candles outside their homes to help to guide the deceased souls. Meals and wine were also left as refreshments.
Today the souls of the faithful departed are commemorated. Although All Souls’ Day is observed informally by some Protestants, it is primarily a Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox holy day.
The Day of the Dead celebrations can be traced back to the various indigenous groups, such as the Aztecs and other pre-Hispanic civilizations, from as far back as 3000 years ago. Skulls were collected and used during rituals to symbolize death and rebirth.
Prayer for the souls in Purgatory is a requirement of Christian charity, and it helps us to call to mind our own mortality. This indulgence for a visit to a cemetery encourages us to spend even the briefest of moments in prayer for the dead. A good prayer to recite to earn the indulgence is Eternal Rest.
To obtain the plenary indulgence visit a cemetery from on November 1-November to the 8, any of these days. We can gain only one indulgence per day, and it must only apply to the deceased. We must receive Communion and sacramental Confession (and have no attachment to sin, even venial). Communion must be received each day we wish to gain the indulgence, but we only need to go to Confession once during the period.
And, as with all plenary indulgences, we must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (one Our Father and one Hail Mary) each day we perform the work of the indulgence.
Plenary on November 1-November 8; partial the rest of the year. Applies only to the souls in Purgatory.
The Gift of the Indulgence:
An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, any prayer, even if only mentally, for the departed.
The indulgence is plenary each day from the 1st to the 8th of November; on other days of the year it is partial.
THE FLAME OF LOVE OF IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.
NOVEMBER, MONTH OF EFFECT OF GRACES FROM THE FLAME OF LOVE THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.
This is the month where the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, produces more effect, with abundant graces in: the souls in Purgatory, the dying and the conversion of sinners:
Isabel de Kindelmann seer of the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary said to Jesus:
I also asked the outpouring of graces from the Flame of Love of the Blessed Virgin for the suffering souls in Purgatory.
The Lord Jesus allowed me to feel, what a soul from purgatory feels when leaving the place of atonement.
At that very moment a soul from purgatory just leaving, and I felt in my soul an indescribable relief. At that time, by sheer grace of God, my soul is immersed in an immeasurable happiness, that it is impossible to describe, is when the soul comes to the beatific presence of God.
At last the soul can see Him without veil, exactly as He is!.
Then I prayed with all devotion of my soul for priests dying. Meanwhile a very distressing feeling flooded my interior. These are trials that the Lord Jesus gives to soul so you can gather with Him. During my deep contemplation as a fine sigh, as a breath of the Holy Virgin, surprised my soul:
Blessed Virgin: "Your compassion for the poor souls in Purgatory, my little one, has moved both my maternal Heart, I give you the grace you asked.
If at any time of day, referring to my Flame of Love, any who prays on my honor "Three Hail Marys", each time, a soul will be liberated of the terrible suffering from Purgatory.
Moreover, I will increase the graces, and in the month of the deceased (the month of November), by praying each Hail Mary, "10 souls" will be released from suffering from Purgatory.
The suffering souls, must also feel the effect of the grace of the Flame of Love of my motherly heart."(October 13, 1962)
Praying for souls from purgatory is an act of charity we can do.
Take advantage of this month of november, and we make spiritual works.
Both of you will feel the benefits, the soul and you.
INCREASE YOUR DESIRE FOR MY FLAME OF LOVE
This same day, the Blessed Virgin spoke also to me:
B.V.- I am also asking you, my little carmelite, to increase unceasingly in you the desire for my Flame of Love!" You know what great pain I have because of my country. The families, yes, the Hungarian families are torn, and live as if their soul is not immortal. By my Flame of Love, I want to revive love once more in homes, I want to reunite dispersed families.
Be as numerous as possible, because in this manner, many, many souls will unite to my Flame of Love.
Help me, as it is up to you that this Flame should light up at last! Let the Hungarian families pray heartily and fervently in order that we could thus hold back in a collective effort the Hand of Justice of My Divine Son"
FASTS FOR THE SACERDOTAL SOULS IN PURGATORY
September 28th, 1962.
Today, fast day, I offer it for souls in purgatory, specially for the sacerdotal souls. The Lord Jesus was saying that He cannot resist the prayer of the Blessed Virgin. He told me, engraving it deep into my subconscious:
JesusChrist: "As you are quenching that so great desire I have for souls, my little one, do you know how I will reward you? From now on, thanks to that fast you have kept after I had asked you, the soul of a dead priest, in the octave following his death, will be liberated from the fires of the purgatory. And whoever keeps that fast will obtain this grace in favour of a suffering soul.
(Note: If that one died in the grace of the Lord). All in tears, I was listening to his words full of Majesty and Mercy: we can help so efficently the souls suffering in purgatory. It wrung my heart when He gave me this new and great grace and, going out of the church after the holy mass to go home, He said, whispering in my heart:
J.C.- "I too am going with you, and I will stay with you the whole day: let our lips implore together the Eternal Father to obtain mercy".
Profoundly adoring, I said to Him:- Adored Jesus, to live in my heart this grace with You, and by your lips implore together the Eternal Father! - Coming back home thus, my soul submerged in adoration, my heart began beating so hard, under the effect of the grace, that I almost burst… Then I implored Him: - I wish so much, adored Jesus, that your so great grace should as soon as possible be known publicly, and the greatest number of people feel profoundly your intimate desire.
The Lord Jesus asked me to write down specially in what manner we can help souls:
J.C.- "Owing to the respect of fast I am asking, the souls of priests, eight days after their death, will be liberated from purgatory".
(Note : the severe fast : during one day, one must take only bread and water).
THE VIRGIN’S ADVICE ON FASTING
Let us not feel hungry, but let us eat bread in abundance and drink water! We can put salt on our bread. We can take vitamins, drugs and whatever is absolutely necessary to our condition, but not for feasting.
B.V.- "Those who regularly keep fast, it is sufficient for them to keep it up to six in the evening (06:00 PM.) In this case, let them recite a rosary of five mysteries this very day for souls".
COMMENT: To see how efficient a means for us is fasting, we find some examples in the Gospel. Let us think of the curative action of disciples, in Saint Marc 9, 14. The Disciples of Jesus asked Him: "Why could we not eject this devil"? He said them:
"This kind of devil can be expelled only by prayer and fast" (9, 28).
In these times, this kind of devil wants to undermine souls.
ITS EFFECT OF GRACE WILL SPREAD ALSO ON THE DYING
September 12th, 1963.
After my holy confession, the Lord Jesus inundated me with hard torments, and these sufferings alternated. Once, I had to suffer because doubts were assailing me, another time because, on the request of the Blessed Virgin, I had to suffer the agony of the dying and their struggle against Satan.
The Blessed Virgin told me again:
B.V- "You see, my little one, if the Flame of Love of my Heart lights up on earth, its effect of grace will spread also on the dying. Satan will become blind and, with the help of your prayer during your nightly vigil, the terrible struggle of moribunds against Satan will come to an end, and under the soft light of my Flame of Love, even the most hardened sinner will become converted".
And while she was telling me that, my sufferings increased so much that I almost burst in tears because of the pain.
ON ALL PEOPLE AND NATIONS BAPTIZED AND NON-BAPTIZED
September 16th, 1963.
The Blessed Virgin spoke again:
B.V.- "My little one, I extend the effect of grace of the Flame of Love of my Heart on all people and nations, not only on those who live in the Holy Mother the Church, but on all souls marked with the sign of the blessed Cross of my Divine Son".
Posterior annotation in the diary: "Also on the nonbaptized!" -(These things, the Blessed Virgin repeated them on September 19th and 22nd also)
THE PRAYER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
Through the messenger of Her Flame of Love, the Blessed Virgin Mary is asking to make known to the world a new prayer, a new Hail Mary. She said to Elizabeth:
“From now on, any time you pray to Me, add the following request:
Mother of God, spread the effect of grace of Thy Flame of Love over all of humanity, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
With this prayer, you will blind Satan.”
The Virgin Mary also requests that the Hail Mary be recited as follows:
“Hail Mary,
full of Grace,
the Lord is with Thee,
blessed are Thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
and spread the effect of grace of Thy Flame of Love over all of humanity,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.”
Let us not forget to pray the Rosary this way. The Virgin Mary also made the following promise:
“Whoever prays three Hail Mary in honour of My Flame of Love releases a soul from Purgatory. Whoever prays one Hail Mary in honour of My Flame of Love during the month of November, releases "10 souls" from Purgatory.”
The Blessed Virgin Mary promises that the souls that is released from Purgatory by our prayer, they will help us from Heaven in our efforts to save more souls
SUBLIME MISSION: PROPAGATE THE FLAME OF LOVE ALL OVER THE WORLD!…
May its propagation be the main aim of your life. HELP ME TO SPREAD THIS DEVOTION MOST HOLY MOTHER, by this love with which the Holy Spirit filled you, save me from falling in sin, and ordain that I live and die in your holy company.
Glory to God...
Implore unceasingly the Most Holy Virgin with this prayer:
"Holy Mary,
Mother of God, pray for us sinners, "And Flood the whole humanity with the blessings of
your Flame of Love",
now and at the hour of death.
Amen.!.
Each time you pray, invoking the FLAME OF LOVE for whole humanity, SATAN BECOMES BLIND and loses his domination on souls: "HELP ME TO SAVE MILLONS OF SOULS ".
My FLAME OF LOVE will blind Satan in the very measure that you propagate it in the whole world.
FINALLY MY IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH!
Amen, Amen, Amen!.
