Brothers and sisters (Cf. 2 Cor. 1, 3-4),
let us praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
a gentle Father and the God from whom all consolation comes.
He comforts us in all our sorrows, so that we in turn may be able to offer others
in their sorrows the same consolation that we ourselves have received from God.
We gather here as a community, to honor Him, and to implore his mercy.
Through the powerful intercession of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, comforter and liberator of the souls in Purgatory, may we obtain for the souls in purgatory, liberation and emancipation.
Let us therefore join our hearts and minds in prayer
as we implore Gods help in this gathering.
Pause for silent prayer.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God,
you gave us St. Nicholas of Tolentine
our effective intercessor for the souls in purgatory.
With boundless charity he performed great and innumerable sacrifices
for the souls in purgatory
and offered daily the Holy Mass to relieve them.
Accept our petitions in behalf of the poor souls in purgatory
especially those for whom we now pray _____ (pause),
and obtain for them the salvation which they have longed for.
Grant us also the spirit of Christian love
towards the souls in purgatory so that,
moved by that spirit of love for them,
we may offer for them our humble prayers, sacrifices, and penances,
and particularly our masses, so that they may ascend soon into heaven,
to enjoy the eternal love and peace.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Gospel Reading (John 11: 21-27)
Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would never have died. Even now, I am sure that God will give you whatever you ask of him. Your brother will rise again, Jesus assured her. I know he will rise again, Martha replied, in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus told her: I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, though he should die, will come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? Yes, Lord, she replied. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God: He who is to come into the world.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Intercessory Prayer
L. Brothers and sisters, our faith tells us that Jesus is our resurrection and our life. Believing in His words of life, with confidence we now present to Him our humble petitions.
Let our response be: Grant them eternal life, O Lord.
L. For all Popes, bishops, priests and deacons who have died, we pray
R. Grant them eternal life, O Lord.
L. For all the deceased religious brothers and sisters, we pray
L. For all those who dedicated their lives to the service of the Church, we pray
L. For those who worked as our spiritual guides and counselors, we pray
L. For those who in their lifetime served as our mentors and teachers, we pray
L. For our departed members of the family, we pray
L. For our deceased friends and benefactors, we pray
L. For our brothers and sisters who died in their poverty and illness, we pray
L. For those who died by violence, war, famine and accidents, we pray
L. For those who died young, especially the children, the infants and the unborn, we pray
L. For those who died in their suffering, especially the abused, the abandoned, and the rejected, we pray
L. For widows, orphans and street children who died in their loneliness, we pray
L. For all those who died, and have no one to pray for them, we pray
L. Let Us Pray
O God, our merciful and compassionate Lord, with contrite hearts we beg You to have mercy on the suffering Church, especially on our beloved dead. Through Your boundless merits, and through the intercession of Your servant, Nicholas, may they obtain eternal rest, happiness and full communion with all the angels and saints in Your heavenly kingdom. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS
For the Poor Souls
Lord, have mercy on us. (repeat)
Christ, have mercy on us. (repeat)
Lord, have mercy on us. (repeat)
Christ, hear us. (repeat)
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
L. Holy, Mary, Holy Mother of God
R. Guide their souls to heaven.
All you holy angels and archangels
All you holy patriarchs and prophets
St. John the Baptist
St. Joseph
Sts. Peter and Paul
Sts. James and John
All you holy apostles and evangelists
St. Agatha and St. Lucy
St. Agnes and St. Cecilia
St. Stephen and St. Lawrence
St. Lorenzo Ruiz
All you virgins and martyrs
St. Augustine
St. Monica
St. Rita of Cascia
St. Nicholas of Tolentine
St. Ezekiel Moreno
St. Benedict
St. Dominic
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Theresa of Avila
St. Therese of the Child Jesus
St. Thomas of Villanova
St. John of Sahagun
All you holy men and women
All you saints of God
L. Let us now pray One Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory be for the poor souls in purgatory.
Concluding Prayer (Prayer to Saint Nicholas)
L. Let us pray
Into your hands, Father of Mercies,
we commend the souls in purgatory
in the sure and certain hope
that through the powerful intercession of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine,
and together with all who have died in Christ,
they will all one day rise with Him on the last day.
Merciful Lord,
turn towards us and listen to our prayers:
open the gates of paradise to the souls of purgatory
and help us, through the example of St. Nicholas,
to have the conviction of faith to the very end,
confident that those who believe are assured of eternal life.
Grant this through your mercy. Amen.
L. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
L. May they rest in peace.
R. Amen.
L. Saint Nicholas of Tolentine
R. Pray for us.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Nihil Obstat: Rev. Fr. Lauro V. Larlar, OAR, Prior Provincial
Imprimatur : Most Reverend Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D., Bishop of Cubao
