“By assisting them we shall not only give great pleasure to God, but will acquire also great merit for ourselves. And, in return for our suffrages, these blessed souls will not neglect to obtain for us many graces from God, but particularly the grace of eternal life. I hold for certain that a soul delivered from Purgatory by the suffrages of a Christian, when she enters paradise, will not fail to say to God: ‘Lord, do not suffer to be lost that person who has liberated me from the prison of Purgatory, and has brought me to the enjoyment of Thy glory sooner than I have deserved.’” – St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

To whom is St. Alphonsus referring in these eloquent words? The holy souls in Purgatory, whom the Church especially remembers during November, the month dedicated to the faithful departed.

As all of nature withers and decays around us in preparation to lie dormant all winter, we should remember our own inevitable death and last judgment. And if, after our deaths, we must await eternal life in Purgatory, wouldn't we hope that our fellow Christians still on earth would offer up prayers for us?

By the time a soul enters Purgatory, it cannot leave by its own efforts. We are the only ones who can help those suffering souls by praying for them and offering up sacrifices and indulgences.

So, how can we do this?

What Is Purgatory and Why Do Souls Go There?

Before we learn how to help the souls in Purgatory, we should remind ourselves what they're doing there.

Purgatory is not a punishment, but a place of mercy — a final cleansing before entering Heaven. No soul can stand before God with even the smallest stain of sin. If we die in a state of grace but still need purification from venial sin or temporal punishment, His mercy sends us to Purgatory to be made pure.

The holy souls in Purgatory do suffer, but they also know that, when their time comes, they will be in Heaven with Our Heavenly Father, so it's not a place of despair and torment like Hell. They rest assured in the hope that one day, their Savior will come and bring them home.

Why Our Prayers Matter for the Souls in Purgatory

The souls in Purgatory can no longer help themselves. They can’t gain new graces, but we can offer them help through our prayers, sacrifices, and indulgences. Out of love for the Mystical Body of Christ, we intercede for them, and in turn, they intercede for us before God once they enter Heaven.

Our prayers can ease their suffering and speed their entrance to heaven. We pray for the souls of the living before they die, so it's reasonable that we would continue to pray after their death.

Praying for them is also an opportunity for us to receive graces. We'll find greater favor with God if we offer up our suffering, indulgences, and prayers for them.

Four Powerful Ways to Help the Holy Souls This November

• Say a prayer for the repose of souls - The “Eternal Rest” prayer is simple but powerful:

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

• Pray a rosary at a cemetery - Nothing reminds us of eternity like walking among the departed and praying for them.
• Offer up suffering - Turn discomfort into grace by offering it for the purification of souls departed.
• Gain indulgences for the dead - The Church grants special indulgences in November for those who visit cemeteries and pray for the departed.

A Call to Mercy for the Holy Souls

This November, let us be instruments of God’s mercy for the souls who can no longer help themselves.

Pray for them devoutly, offer up daily discomforts for them, and gain powerful indulgences on their behalf.

And one day, when we too await Heaven’s gates, may a soul you prayed for kneel before God and whisper, "Lord, have mercy on the one who had mercy on me."

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.