[Salvation]

Prayers for the faifthful departed are said at every Mass.

[Sock]

I Corinthians 3:

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:

13 Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is.

14 If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. (D/R)

[JMJ333]

Ever heard of the "heroic act in favor of the souls in purgatory?"

I found a prayer and explanation in a book by Joan Carroll Cruz about it. It is an act of charity of unselfish offering to God all the satisfactory value of one's prayers and good works--plus the value of any that may be offered for you after one's death--for the benefit of the souls in purgatory.

[The explanation says]The "satisfactory value" of a good work is its value with regard for making up for our sins and reducing our stay in purgatory. However the "meritorius value" of our good works is inalienable, i.e. our merits, which give us a right to an increase of glory in heaven, cannot be applied to anyone else. Moreover, a person who has made the act may still pray for himself, friends and other intentions.

Its revocable at will and is not a vow. By making this act with purity of intention, one is relying on the mercy of God and the prayers of the communion of saints to assist his soul after death.

The heroic act was approved and encouraged by Pope Benedict XIII (1724-1730)

And the prayer goes as such:

Oh God, for your greater glory, and to imitate as closely as possible the generous heart of Jesus, my redeeemer, and also to testify my devotion to the blessed virgin Mary, who is also the mother of the souls in purgatory. I place in your hands all my satisfactory works, as well as the fruit of all those which may be offered for my intention after my death, that you may apply them to the souls in purgatory according to your wisdom and good pleasure. Amen.

Thought that was interesting. =)

[Desdemona]

I'm just wondering how many of my relatives I'm going to see there.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

As the sacraments on earth provide us with a process of transformation into Christ, so purgatory continues that process until the likeness to Him is completed.

IOW, the work that the bible tells us was completed and finished on the cross wasn't really completed and finished.

Becky

[rising tide]

Calvin had a mother whipped because she was found praying at the grave of her deceased son. Yikes! Where can I read more about this incident?

[Litany]

"O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy Mercy."

Whenever I say this prayer I always believe that I am praying for the souls in Purgatory.

[Dajjal]

Souls in Purgatory bump

[restornu]

Please no flaming but the LDS do Baptism for the Dead.

[billbears]

curious bump

[The_Reader_David]

The Orthodox also pray for the dead, but have not any use for the invented notion of purgatory. I refer all interested to the excellent book The Soul After Death for an uncompromising exposition of the traditional Orthodox Christian teaching on the matter. The book includes an English translation of the "Refutation of the Latin Chapters Concerning Purgatorial Fire" by St. Mark of Ephesus.

O Holy Theotokos, pray that we may be delivered from the gloomy toll-houses!