"I encourage Catholics to pray fervently for the dead, for their family members and for all our brothers and sisters who have died, that they may obtain the remission of the punishments due to their sins and may hear the Lord's call: 'Come, O my dear soul, to eternal repose in the arms of my goodness, which has prepared eternal delights for you"'.
~ Pope John Paul II

January 22, 2010

Repetita Juvant

Repetita juvant! ... Repetition is beneficial.

Since beginning this journey, I have discovered two other blogs (shown on my sidebar) which seem to share a mission with my own: The Friends of the Poor Souls and Grateful for Purgatory. I've spent the past week or so exploring the archives of these sites... trying to determine if I had anything new to say. I mean, these two sites are TREMENDOUS resources! Allow me to give an overview:

  • Friends of the Poor Souls is the web presence of a non-profit apostolate founded on September 15, 2004. Their stated purpose is "helping release the Poor/Holy Souls from Purgatory." They seem to accomplish this through encouraging a devotion to the holy souls by publishing prayers for the holy souls, teaching the faithful how to avoid purgatory through the granting of indulgences and so forth. Since late 2006 the site has primarily been used to publish the newsletter of the FPS Apostolate and has included descriptions by their readers of encounters with the Poor Souls and an encouragement to join as a Prayer Warrior in support of our faithful departed.

  • Grateful for Purgatory has a recent online presence of a "Roman Catholic wife, mother, and grandmother" who also maintains the sister blogs Venite Adoremus Dominum, dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration -- Eucharistic Adoration for Priests, in honor of the present Year of the Priest -- and Grateful for Life, dedicated to the unborn and the pro-life cause. GFP has been online since All Saints Day 2009 and since that time has published prayers and saying of the saints on the Holy Souls as well as current news, funeral sermons, and the like on the same subject.


What can I do, then, which has not already been done by these two (and no doubt many others yet unfound)? Perhaps nothing. Perhaps much. Both sites are written in a style that is somewhat off-putting for someone new to the game. Perhaps a former Southern Baptist, Texan Catholic has something to add -- some perspective or some voice -- that can be of benefit to someone. The souls suffering in Purgatory -- our parent, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and priests -- need our help, but the truth is that they are forgotten. Catholics of all stripes are compelled to take up devotion to the holy souls as an act of charity for we may well be one step behind them.

Repetita Juvant! If one voice crying in the wilderness is not heard, perhaps another will do.

3 comments:

  1. I just discovered your new blog. God bless you for following the inspiration of the Holy Spirit on behalf of the souls in Purgatory and for the benefit of those who will become informed through your posts. There can never be too many voices calling attention to the Souls in Purgatory and their need for assistance! I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to inspire and guide us and all those who try to be faithful to His inspirations.

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  2. One Grateful Heart - Thank you for your encouragement. I hope to continue to look in your direction for inspiration, material, and your prayers. Also, thanks for being my first comment.

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  3. Michael, great Pope John Paul II quote and graphics! I know you will have much to offer your readers and a perspective uniquely your own, inspired by the Holy Spirit. You remain in my prayers.

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