The November intention is for souls in purgatory and the dying.
Dear Crusaders and Friends,
The last will and testament of Archbishop Alexandre Vachon of Ottawa, Canada, was read in his Cathedral after his funeral. He died suddenly at the Dallas airport in 1952 but had penned in advance these words to his flock:
“My soul is in purgatory at this moment, and there it will remain until it has thoroughly satisfied for its faults and imperfections…. My soul suffers. It must be pure to go to heaven. It can do nothing for itself now, my dear spiritual children. Its future deliverance depends upon you! It cries to you from the depths of its suffering; have pity on me! You at least, my spiritual children, my brothers in the priesthood, my devoted friends, I beg you to pray at my tomb. Give my soul alms, a Mass celebrated or a Mass heard, or some sacrifice, a Rosary, a prayer. In purgatory the soul is the friend of God and intercedes for the members of the Mystical Body who are on earth. My soul prays for you whom it has loved so tenderly. In heaven gratitude will prompt it to pray for those who have asked my deliverance.”
The faithful on earth, through the communion of saints, can relieve the sufferings of the souls in purgatory by prayer, fasting, and other good works, by indulgences and by having masses offered for them.
This touching appeal from the pen of an Archbishop points out the consoling teaching of the Catholic Church that, as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we can help our fellow-members who are suffering in purgatory.
Note well what Archbishop Vachon wrote about how they could help him:
Pray at my tomb! - Visit a cemetery frequently during this month
A Mass heard! - Go to Mass frequently during this month and offer it and your Holy Communion for the souls in purgatory.
Some sacrifice! - Think of the sufferings of the souls in purgatory and make frequent acts of sacrifice in regards to things you like or dislike.
A Rosary! - Our Lady’s favourite prayer and, after the Mass, the one that helps the souls in purgatory the most.
A prayer! - We pray very often throughout the day; why not add the intention to each of our prayers this month of relieving the suffering souls.
Thus by your prayers, Communions, sacrifices and apostolate you will help the souls in purgatory to see the face of God.
Yours in Jesus & Mary,
Fr. Benjamin Campbell
