From November 1 to 8, Catholics can obtain a plenary indulgence each day for the souls in purgatory by visiting a cemetery and praying for the deceased, under the conditions set by the Church.
After honoring, on All Saints’ Day, the saints who enjoy the glory of Heaven, the Church invites the faithful to remember those who still await entry there. The souls in purgatory are assured of their salvation, but they must complete their purification before attaining eternal beatitude. No longer able to do anything themselves to shorten their sufferings, they can nevertheless be aided by our prayers, our sacrifices, and indulgences.
An indulgence is the remission, before God, of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. When it is plenary, this remission is total; when it is partial, it concerns only a portion of the punishment still to be expiated. The Church grants these indulgences by drawing from the spiritual treasury of the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and of the saints.
Two special opportunities are offered to us at the beginning of November:
- On November 2, the day of the commemoration of the faithful departed, a plenary indulgence can be obtained by devoutly visiting a church or oratory and reciting there an Our Father and a Creed.
- From November 1 to 8 inclusive, it is possible to obtain a plenary indulgence each day by devoutly visiting a cemetery and praying for the deceased, even mentally, without any particular formula being required.
To benefit from these indulgences, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, one must be in a state of grace, go to confession in the days before or after the act, receive Holy Communion, pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff, and be detached from all affection for sin, even venial sin. This last condition is important: if it is lacking, the indulgence obtained is only partial.
The same confession may serve for several plenary indulgences, while a Communion and a prayer for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff are necessary for each of them.
Visiting a cemetery thus takes on a much deeper meaning than the simple remembrance of our loved ones who have passed away. By praying for them and performing the works prescribed by the Church, we can truly contribute to their deliverance from the pains of purgatory.
Let us also think, in these first days of November, of the most abandoned souls, for whom no one prays any longer. We can come to their aid today, as we may ourselves one day need the prayers of those who survive us.
Who have no one else who prays for them
