Three years ago, we introduced the idea of actively praying for the souls in purgatory to our children.
Then, two years ago, we joined in the tradition of consciously seeking to gain indulgences for the dearly departed throughout the year, and, especially, throughout November. While, last year we began making an All Souls Prayer Box as part of Five Ways to Pray for All Souls.
Through these efforts, my children have learned a new (to them) way to practice our faith and to partake in a Spiritual Work of Mercy. They have also memorized the Eternal Rest prayer, which we pray together each time we pass a cemetery.
This year, we are continuing our tradition of praying for all souls regularly, and been making special daily efforts to visit a cemetery to pray between November 1 and 8 in the hopes of gaining plenary indulgences for the dearly departed. While doing so, we have added the Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by St. Gertrude the Great to our efforts.
Last year, I printed the St. Gertrude prayer out from the Catholic Company's website, but our family did not end up focusing on praying it daily as we were committing the Eternal Rest prayer to memory. This year, however, my youngest is excited by the idea that every time we pray St. Gertrude's prayer piously we may be helping to release 1,000 souls from purgatory! So, this prayer has become paramount to our daily treks to local cemeteries.
I have also made a simple copywork sheet set which includes the St. Gertrude Prayer in both cursive and print along with blanked lined sheets to copy the prayer onto. My children will be using these this week and, in case your children might like to as well, I am sharing it freely here.
Enjoy using them, and, if you have a particular soul you'd like my family to include in our prayers, just let us know.
All Saints in Heaven, pray for us. All Souls in Purgatory, we pray for you.
