A prayer for the holy souls, and St. Martin of Tours
Dear friend,
November is the month the Church gives to the holy souls. This Sunday, November 8, is the last day of the special week when a visit to a cemetery can gain a plenary indulgence for a soul in purgatory. If you can, stop by the grave of someone you love, even for a few minutes.
This week’s prayer
At the graveside, or wherever you are, this short prayer is always enough:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
You’ll find more prayers for a parent, a spouse or a child in 7 Catholic Prayers When Visiting a Cemetery, and a longer prayer in Prayer for Souls in Purgatory.
Saints of the week
- Monday, November 9: The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the Pope’s own cathedral and “mother of all churches.”
- Tuesday, November 10: St. Leo the Great, the Pope who met Attila the Hun and turned him back from Rome.
- Wednesday, November 11: St. Martin of Tours, the soldier who cut his cloak in half for a freezing beggar, and later saw Christ wearing it in a dream.
- Thursday, November 12: St. Josaphat, bishop and martyr for the unity of the Church.
- Friday, November 13: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. citizen to be canonized and patron of immigrants.
New on the site
- St. Charles Borromeo: Life, Feast Day & Prayer: the cardinal who stayed in Milan to nurse the sick during the plague.
- 7 Christ the King Prayers: get ready for the feast on Sunday, November 22, with the Act of Consecration.
- Rosary for Monday: the Joyful Mysteries: a simple step-by-step guide with every prayer written out. There are matching guides for Tuesday and Thursday.
- 11 Catholic Prayers for Thanksgiving: grace before the meal and a blessing for the whole family.
This week we will pray for all your faithful departed. God bless you,
The 21st Century Catholic team