"How to Pray for the Faithful Departed" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

by Sister Mary Leonora WIlson, FSP
Published by Pauline Books & Media

Our faith teaches us that it’s everyone’s job to pray for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45). It’s not something we usually think about unless we’re attending a funeral, but it’s something we can find a way to do every day. The new book, Essential Prayers for the Dead, provides not only a collection of prayer options drawn from the Bible and the traditions of the Church, but also a brief, clear discussion of Purgatory and the role of the laity in helping those who have died through our prayers.

What’s in this book?

Sister Mary Leonora Wilson, FSP, lists 12 ways we can help our beloved dead through prayer. In this book, she has gathered prayers that can easily be incorporated into your family’s prayer routine or your personal devotions, and encourages practices such as arranging to have a Mass offered for a deceased loved one and making small charitable acts or acts of self-denial for those in Purgatory.

In this book, you’ll also find information about indulgences and how the gift of certain prayers and good works can be offered for souls in Purgatory, as well as the comforting knowledge that suffering souls can also pray for us.

The book includes psalms of comfort and penitence, prayers for our beloved dead, the Stations of the Cross for the souls in Purgatory, meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary for the souls in Purgatory, and much more.

Perfect during the Month of the Holy Souls and all year long

During November, the Month of the Holy Souls, we focus on praying for our deceased loved ones and the souls in Purgatory. But this is not something we should do for only one month of the year. The faithful departed need our prayers, no matter what the season.

Ask for Essential Prayers for the Dead at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Pauline Books & Media.

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

Short Stories from Catholic Teen Books Put the Hallowtide Focus on the Saints and Holy Souls

September 23, 2024September 22, 2024 franciscanmom1 Comment

Shadows: Visible and Invisible

by Leslea Wahl, Carolyn Astfalk, Corinna Turner, Antony B. Kolenc, Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, T. M. Gaouette
Published by Catholic Teen Books

Shadows: Visible and Invisible, the newest story anthology from Catholic Teen Books, is a must-read for teens during the spooky season. With powerful tales ranging from historical fiction to contemporary stories to sci-fi and speculative fiction, the authors gently nudge readers to appreciate the importance and efficacy of praying for souls at all times of year.

These are powerful stories. There’s definitely suspense, but readers won’t experience the kind of terror they may feel when reading secular horror books. Because each author carefully and gently makes the connection to the true origins of the Hallowtide triduum (All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween as it is now known, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day), the reader is left not with unsettling despair, but instead comforted that our prayers for souls — even the souls of people we don’t know — can and do make a difference.

What I love about the story anthologies from Catholic Teen Books is the variety of genres included in each volume, and the opportunity to get to know characters from the authors’ longer works. While all the stories in this book are standalones, many have a connection to other books by these authors, which make books like this an excellent introduction to the novels and novellas by the featured authors. A short story is also a great opportunity to try a new genre!

Recently, Leslea Wahl and Antony Barone Kolenc, two authors whose work is featured in this collection, appeared on an episode of the Catholic Momcast to talk about this book.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of this book and some Shadows swag! (US entries only)

From the publisher:

This fall, discover the true origins of Halloween and how your prayers can assist those in Purgatory.

Catholic Teen Books is excited to share its third anthology, Shadows: Visible & Invisible. This collection of short stories by 7 different authors is centered around the All Hallowtide Triduum of All Hallows Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. These fictional stories are meant to help teens learn more about the history of these important days on the Church calendar through engaging tales.

What’s in this book?

Shadows: Visible & Invisible by Leslea Wahl, Carolyn Astfalk, Corinna Turner, Antony B. Kolenc, Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, T. M. Gaouette.

Grace doesn’t know what it means to go “souling,” but she certainly wasn’t expecting it to be like this!

A storm drives William and his friends inside the dark church for shelter. Are animals making noises in the loft or is it something more sinister?

Trapped in the mountains by a blizzard and a pack of T. rex, Darryl, Joshua and Harry’s All Hallows’ Eve is looking dangerous enough–even before things take an eerie turn.

A medieval girl in a nunnery struggles with conflicts when another novice breaks her vows on the day of All Souls, revealing a shocking secret.

Vanessa doesn’t need anyone’s help, and she sets out to prove it by going alone to investigate strange lights in the cemetery.

When you live on a spaceship like Philip does, visiting the cemetery to pray for the dead always comes with the risk of joining them.

It’s another All Hallowtide, and on this All Soul’s Day, a young man finds himself at the cemetery yet again, but he’s not alone. Will tonight be the night, or will the torment continue?

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

On MyBookshelf: A Picture Book by Susan Tassone about the Holy Souls

October 2, 2023 franciscanmom1 Comment

Whether there’s been a death in the family or your children have simply expressed curiosity about what happens to us after we die, Susan Tassone’s picture book New Friends Now and Forever: A Story about the Holy Souls will help families deal with children’s inevitable questions with sensitivity, care, theological accuracy, and an emphasis on prayer. This sweet story demonstrates the importance of praying for our deceased loved ones and souls we’ve never met, as well as prayer for our family, friends, and our own cares and concerns.

Church teaching about Purgatory is presented in a comforting way, emphasizing God’s love and our ability to help souls get to Heaven. The book starts out with a note for grown-ups detailing five important truths about Purgatory:

Purgatory exists.
Purgatory exists because God loves us.
Purgatory isn’t a “punishment.”
The souls in Purgatory suffer the loss of the sight of God.
Purgatory isn’t a physical fire.

The note to grown-ups also underscores the importance of prayer for the souls in Purgatory and how parents can encourage their children to pray for the Holy Souls.

In New Friends Now and Forever, a family greets Mr. Ray, an elderly man from the parish, after Mass; he tells the children that he has been praying for the soul of his deceased wife. The children decide to be the gentleman’s prayer pal and to pray for his wife’s soul as well. The family prays together at meals, bedtime, at Adoration, and when passing by a cemetery. Over and over through the book, the prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is repeated. As the family continues to pray together, they eventually experience the loss of their friend Mr. Ray, and the power of that prayer is reinforced.

“Did You Know?” and Seek-and-Find pages complete this beautifully illustrated book. Artist Yorris Handoko created colorful, detailed images for this book that include families and friends in church, the Mass, and family activities as well as images that represent what Heaven might look like.

Reading New Friends Now and Forever as a family would be an excellent way to help children learn about All Souls Day, which the Church celebrates on November 2. The prayer for souls in Purgatory is right on the back cover of the book; find a way to incorporate that prayer into your family’s daily prayers during the month of November—and beyond! As you’ll learn by reading this book, there can never be too many prayers for the Holy Souls.

Ask for New Friends Now and Forever at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the EWTN Religious Catalogue, where you’ll receive a $5 discount off the purchase price.

Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Some links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

Praying for the Souls in Purgatory: A Rosary, a Novel, and a Prayer Book

November 1, 2020 franciscanmomLeave a comment

I was called on to sing at a funeral Mass one day this past summer, and after I read the obituary it became clear that the death was due to addiction. Sadly, this is not the first in that family to die in this way. These are not people I know, but they live in my neighborhood.

On the night before the funeral, I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night and that was on my mind. I couldn’t go back to sleep because I kept thinking about it, so I decided to pray a Rosary. On the bedside table, I had a knotted-twine Rosary made for me by a friend.

I dedicated that Rosary for the repose of the soul of that recently deceased young man.

As soon as I finished the whole Rosary, I went right off to sleep. I guess I was not being let off the hook — I needed to pray for him right that minute.

In the morning before the funeral, I got in touch with the friend who had made that Rosary for me, and asked her to pray too.

An urgent impulse to pray for a soul who has clearly struggled in life is not something we should ignore. And who better to intercede for such a soul than the Blessed Mother — our Mother?

As we commemorate the holy souls this month, let’s remember them in our prayers, especially in the Rosary.

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

Scared straight: but with Purgatory.

The story above reminds me of Theresa Linden’s novel, Tortured Soul, a compelling tale of a haunting — with a twist. Jeannie Lyons is pushed out of her family’s home by her older brother and into a remote cottage that also houses a gruesome “presence.” Afraid to be at home, but with nowhere else to go, Jeannie enlists the help of the sort-of-creepy guy her brother had once pushed her to date. This edge-of-the-seat story of guilt and forgiveness emphasizes the importance of praying for the souls of the deceased — and would make a great movie.

Tortured Soul reminded me deeply that the deceased need our prayers — not only our deceased loved ones and friends, but in particular those who have no one to pray for them. Maybe they were alienated from family during their lives, as depicted in Linden’s novel; maybe their loved ones don’t pray. But we can, and we should.

Susan Tassone’s The Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls in Purgatory focuses on the power of intercessory prayer for the needs of the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

The Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls in Purgatory contains more than prayers. You’ll also find essays on conversion, sin, penance, Purgatory and the spirituality of St. Faustina Kowalska. Organized by theme, the book leads the reader through learning and devotions.

Download a free set of printable bookmarks with the prayer for the holy souls, and make a commitment to pray for them every day.

Copyright 2020 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I was provided a free review copy of Susan Tassone’s book, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.

On Barb’s Bookshelf: “Tortured Soul”

May 18, 2019May 16, 2019 franciscanmom1 Comment

Scared straight: but with Purgatory.

Theresa Linden’s newest novel, Tortured Soul, is a compelling tale of a haunting, with a twist. Jeannie Lyons is pushed out of her family’s home by her older brother and into a remote cottage that also houses a gruesome “presence.” Afraid to be at home, but with nowhere else to go, Jeannie enlists the help of the sort-of-creepy guy her brother had once pushed her to date. This edge-of-the-seat story of guilt and forgiveness emphasizes the importance of praying for the souls of the deceased — and would make a great movie.

In the Catholic elementary school I attended, the principal used the PA system before and after lunch to lead prayers. Before lunch, it was the perennial “Bless us, O Lord … ” and after lunch, we prayed in thanksgiving and then for the holy souls.

We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, Almighty God, who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

As a middle-schooler, I thought it was kind of strange to pray for dead people after we’d finished our lunch and recess games. But I’d transferred from public school after fifth grade, and I was feeling late to the Catholic-school party in many ways, so I just went along with it, and didn’t think much about that prayer again … until this book reminded me of it.

Download a free set of printable bookmarks with the prayer for the holy souls, and make a commitment to pray for them every day.

Want to know more about praying for the souls in Purgatory? Theresa Linden explains the two reasons God desires our prayers for the suffering souls in an article at CatholicMom.com.

Enter for your chance to win a copy of Tortured Soul!

Pray for the Holy Souls — Window located in lower chapel of Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston, MA. Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I was given a free review copy of this book, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.

On Barb’s Bookshelf: St. Faustina Prayer Books

September 15, 2017September 22, 2017 franciscanmom2 Comments

Susan Tassone’s “St. Faustina Prayer Book” series focuses the power of intercessory prayer on two great needs: the Holy Souls in Purgatory and the conversion of sinners.

The St. Faustina Prayer Book for the Conversion of Sinners and The Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls in Purgatory contain more than prayers. You’ll also find essays on conversion, sin, penance, Purgatory and the spirituality of St. Faustina Kowalska. Organized by theme, the books lead the reader through learning and devotions.

Tassone explains the spirituality of St. Faustina in The Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

The essence of Divine Mercy is twofold. First, to totally trust in Christ’s mercy. And second, to show mercy to others, acting as a vessel of God’s mercy. (24-25)

Peppered with prayers from the saints, Bible quotes and instructions on Catholic teachings such as fasting and the spiritual works of mercy, Tassone’s books are not necessarily designed to be read straight through. I recommend using colorful flags to mark your favorite spots or hold your place in a novena. There are prayers you’ll find yourself returning to again and again. If you’re new to the Divine Mercy Chaplet, you’ll find instructions for this beautiful prayer practice in both books.

Tassone observes in the Introduction to The Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Conversion of Sinners,

Time and again, you sin. Time and again, I sin. Time and again, Jesus calls each of us to turn, to return, to our Heavenly Father and do His will. (19)

Whenever you have a few minutes, you can read one of the short essays in these books and then conclude with one of the many prayers. These small-format books fit easily in a handbag or briefcase and are perfect to take to Adoration.

Copyright 2017 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This post contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchase through these links helps support this blog. Thank you! I was given free review copies of these books, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.

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Tag: Purgatory

How to Pray for the Faithful Departed

Essential Prayer for the Dead

What’s in this book?

Perfect during the Month of the Holy Souls and all year long

Like this:

Short Stories from Catholic Teen Books Put the Hallowtide Focus on the Saints and Holy Souls