Opening Scripture:
“Then he took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice… Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved of their sin.” (2 Maccabees 12:43, 46)
Opening Prayer:
Lord, I offer this Rosary for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially all of my family and friends, the souls for whom no one prays, and that soul who currently suffers the most. I also offer this Rosary for the soul I hold closest to my heart today (state intention). We petition your Sacred Heart on their behalf, Lord, that they may be alleviated of their sufferings. We pray with great confidence in Your Divine Mercy. Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we beg the release of a great multitude of the sons and daughters that You so desperately wish to hold in eternal joy. And if it be Your will, Lord, may these prayers also atone for any stain of sin that may be present in me, that it may shorten any purgation due me at the time of my death. Eternal rest grant unto them, Oh Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.
The St. Gertrude Prayer:
(According to tradition, the Lord told St. Gertrude that each time she piously recited the following prayer, He would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory.)
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with all the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, those in the universal Church, and in my own home. Amen.
The Agony in the Garden:
Jesus suffered such Agony the night before He died that He sweat Blood. He saw into the future, all the beloved souls who would be separated from Him because of their sinful choices. I offer this mystery of the Rosary for all those holy souls in Purgatory who are currently agonizing over their temporary separation from God. May their purification be quick, and may they be joined with the Lord in eternal glory. By the merits of Jesus’ Agony in the Garden may the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen.
The Scourging at the Pillar:
Jesus suffered a brutal scourging of His sacred Body at the hands of obstinate and evil hearts, offering every lash for the salvation of humankind. I offer this mystery of the Rosary for all the holy souls in Purgatory that suffer because of their sins of the flesh -- especially sexual sins, immodesty, addiction, and gluttony of food and drink. I also offer this decade for those who committed sins against the Body of Christ (the Church) and all those who sinned against His Body by unworthy receiving the most holy Eucharist. By the merits of Jesus’ Scourging, may the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen.
The Crowning with Thorns:
Jesus was crowned with long sharp thorns as the soldiers mocked him and spat at him. He could have defended himself with one word. He could have summoned the angels to his defense. But he did not open his mouth. He endured ridicule for the sake of souls. I offer this decade of the Rosary for all the holy souls in Purgatory who suffer because of their pride and the sins it caused during their life. I pray for those who elevated themselves and put others down, those who committed sins of the tongue, who spoke out in condemnation and ridicule of their neighbor. By the merits of the crowning of Jesus, may the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen.
The Carrying of the Cross:
After his arrest and his Scourging and ridicule, Jesus was forced to carry a heavy cross to Golgatha. He persevered with physical, spiritual, and mental strength. He fell multiple times along the way but told the women and children not to weep for him and left Veronica with an imprint of his sacred face. I offer this mystery of the Rosary for all the holy souls in Purgatory who suffer because of physical and spiritual apathy, those who neglected their duties, their prayer life, and the service of others. I offer this decade for all those who rejected their crosses in life. By the merits of Jesus’ carrying of the Cross may the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen.
The Crucifixion:
Jesus was crucified, nailed to the Cross, and left to die. A criminal on his left mocked him from his Cross. Soldiers mocked him from the ground, casting lots for his garment and playing games. But Jesus prayed for them, “Father forgive them; they know not what they do.” I offer this decade of the Rosary for all the holy souls in Purgatory who now suffer because of the crimes they committed against the faith, for the ways they mocked God, His Church, and His sacrifice—for the ways they cast lots and played games with their salvation. By the merits of Jesus’ Crucifixion may the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen.
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