Three Ways to Honor the Holy Souls this November—and Beyond

Sarah Damm suggests three ways to honor and pray for the holy souls in Purgatory this November and throughout the year. 

November tends to be a month that is easily overlooked. Perhaps because it is a month that focuses on things coming to an end.  

We see this in nature as the life cycle reaches its final act: glorious crimson and gold leaves turn brown, fall to the ground, and in a sense, die. We also see this as the liturgical calendar draws to an end and focuses on the Four Last Things: death, Heaven, Hell, and the final judgment.  

Yes, in November, all of heaven and earth seems to invite us into a month of memento mori, or a reminder of death. 

But considering our own death, or remembering those who have passed before us, is not easy. Rather, it can be quite painful, especially when grief is recent and raw. It does not help that the rest of the world is starting to prepare for Christmas, which is certainly a more festive and fun distraction.  

But it’s not Christmas, yet; it’s not even Advent. It’s November, and the natural and liturgical are focused on the end. Therefore, is it any wonder that the Church dedicates the month of November to the holy souls who have died but are not yet in Heaven?  

This November, instead of jumping into Christmas, what if we entered the month with an openness to what the Lord has for us? We just may discover beautiful ways to pray, significant traditions to honor, and a new connection with the suffering Church in Purgatory.  

The significance of November 

The Catholic Church gives each month of the year a unique dedication, which are linked to special prayers, specific feast days, and other Catholic devotions, and are a beautiful way to focus our prayer time and grow in our faith.  

November is dedicated to the holy souls who have departed from this life and are enduring a time of purification before entering Heaven. Sacred Scripture invites us to remember and pray for them: 

For if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin. (2 Maccabees 12:44-46) 

Ways to remember 

Below are three ways to remember, honor, and pray for the holy souls in Purgatory this November and throughout the year. 

Say a Prayer.

One simple way to pray for the holy souls in Purgatory is by reciting a short prayer each day during the month of November. Throughout the year, pray it immediately upon hearing about someone’s death. This prayer grants the holy souls in Purgatory a partial indulgence (explained below). 

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

Keep the Octave.

On each day, from November 1-8, faithful Catholics can earn a plenary indulgence for the holy souls in Purgatory. An indulgence removes all or part of the temporal punishment due to sins already confessed and forgiven. 

Two ways to gain an indulgence:  

• Specifically on All Souls’ Day, visit a Catholic church and recite one Our Father and the Creed
• Between November 1-8, visit a cemetery and pray for the faithful departed  

Indulgence requirements: 

To gain a plenary indulgence, a person must be baptized and in the state of grace. They also must be detached from all sin, including venial sin. Otherwise, the indulgence becomes partial. In addition, one must:  

• Go to the Sacrament of Confession (one confession covers many indulgences)
• Receive Holy Communion (once per indulgence)
• Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father by praying one Our Father and one Hail Mary 

Visit a cemetery.

Visiting cemeteries is especially significant in November, especially with the opportunity to gain indulgences for the holy souls. But visiting anytime of the year fulfills the corporal work of mercy to bury the dead and the spiritual work of mercy to pray for the living and the dead. 

Here are a few other things to do while visiting a cemetery:  

• Bring flowers to decorate the gravesite
• Bring some gardening tools to clean up the area around the grave
• Take time to pray as a family and share memories of your loved one  

This November, let us take time to memento mori and to pray for the holy souls in Purgatory in a special way. Through our prayers, may they enter Heaven soon and remember us in their prayers in return. 

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Copyright 2024 Sarah Damm
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