| Dear Friends of Carmel,
How blessed we are to be given by Holy
Mother Church direction and guidance in our life of
prayer. Each month is dedicated to a special devotion,
focusing the aspirations of our souls on the Mysteries
of Redemption and the needs of the Mystical Body of
Christ.
November is dedicated to praying for
the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Our newsletter this month
will not share much news, nor tell about new items on
our web site. We wish rather to encourage you to
remember to pray for the souls of the faithful departed,
who suffer their purification with peaceful longing for
the Beatific Vision. God has so ordained that by the
Communion of Saints, we can assist these suffering
souls.
The Carmelite custom on November 2nd is
to have a solemn procession with Gregorian chant and
prayers for the dead. We pray for deceased priests, of
all ranks in the Church; we pray for the Carmelite
religious who have gone before us; we pray for our
benefactors and relatives and for all the faithful
departed. This procession is one of our favorite
liturgical customs, since our Sisters here are very
devoted to the Souls in Purgatory.
The following story will be of interest
and help to us, as we pray for our dear ones in
Purgatory:
Once St. Gertrude prayed with
particular fervor for the faithful departed. On asking
Our Lord how many souls His mercy would deliver, she
received this reply: "My love urges Me to release the
poor souls. If a beneficent king leaves his guilty
friend in prison for justice's sake, he awaits with
longing for one of his nobles to plead for the prisoner
and to offer something for his release. Then the king
joyfully sets him free. Similarly, I accept with highest
pleasure what is offered to Me for the poor souls, for I
long inexpressibly to have near Me those for whom I paid
so great a price. By the prayers of thy loving soul, I
am induced to free a prisoner from Purgatory as often as
you move your tongue to utter a word of prayer!"
We share with you the following prayers
to offer for these souls. Remember, when we pray, we
work with God to accomplish His designs in the world and
in our own lives and the lives of those dear to us!
+ Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them eternal
rest!
+ Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let
perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
Amen.
+ Psalm 129 (130), called the "De Profundis" ("Out of
the depths")
+ O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory! Deliver the
souls of all the faithful departed from the painful
prison of Purgatory. We offer Thee, eternal Father, a
sacrifice of praise and of prayer. Accept it on behalf
of the souls we commemorate this day, and let them pass
from death to life!
+ Hail! Sacred Blood that flowed for the sins of the
world; wash away whatever stains may render Thy servants
unfit to be admitted into Heaven. O good and merciful
God, look on the Face of Thy Christ, in Whom Thou art
always well pleased, and permit the souls for which He
suffered to rest eternally in Thy divine presence.
+ O Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of our brethren who have passed out
of this life the remission of all their sins; that by
the intercession of Blessed Mary ever Virgin and all the
saints, and through our own devout prayers, they may
obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Who
live and reign world without end.
Amen. | 
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