In this Year of the Priest the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has made the gift of special Indulgences that can be gained on particular days throughout the year.
For the faithful, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the opening and closing days of the Year for Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, {Just passed} and on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.
Ladies would need to check with their diocesan website to see what other days have been established for the faithful of their diocese.
To see what the requirement for obtaining a Plenary Indulgence for the particular days in the Year of the Priest, you can refer to one of our previous postings on it.
People can obtain these Plenary Indulgences for themselves or they can choose to give that indulgence to a Holy Soul in Purgatory. If a Plenary Indulgence were to be given to a Holy Soul, then it would mean that the soul would be released from purgatory. If the indulgence was only partial {in the case of not fulfilling the requirements for a plenary indulgence, not being fully freed from venial sin for example} then the holy soul you are helping would have a part of their purgatory remitted unless it is enough to free them at that point if they are very close to Eternal Entry.
As spiritual mothers we wish to help and support priests, future ~ present ~ past. To all the priests who have supported our lives and the lives of our parents, grandparents, we owe a debt of thankgiving and appreciation, have we ever thought about that and shown it? It would be a beautiful thing to offer our gained indulgences, plenary or partial for these priestly holy souls, especially in this Year of the Priest. The indulgenced First Thursdays are a wonderful opportunity for that.
It is a human tendency to think, "well, I'd like to keep that indulgence for myself" but those who have devoted much prayer and sacrifice to helping the Holy Souls will tell you that you CANNOT be outdone in generosity! So many personal testimonies, and holy books on purgatory bear witness to this fact. What you give the Holy Souls, they will beg God to repay you a hundred fold.
St John Vianney once said: "If one knew what we may obtain from God by the intercession of the Poor Souls, they would not be so much abandoned. Let us pray a great deal for them, they will pray for us".
What I love especially are the stories of the Holy Souls coming to the aid of a holy soul devotees in their dying moments. When the momentous struggles begin between dying soul and satan. God in His justice and mercy allows the souls that they released from the pains of purgatory, come to their benefactors aid granting them peace and joy. Isn't that when we really need assistance? On our deathbeds? We can never be outdone in generosity.
It would be a fragrant bouquet indeed, to offer to Jesus, the Eternal High Priest in the Year of the Priest, the released souls of his priestly ministers upon earth, through the obtainment of these indulgences ~ those who were His hands, His mouth, His "Alter Christis" upon this earth.
A PRAYER FOR A DECEASED PRIEST
O God, Thou didst raise Thy servant, N., to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ, according to the Order of Melchisedech, giving him the sublime power to offer the Eternal Sacrifice, to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ down upon the altar, and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own holy Name. We beseech Thee to reward his faithfulness and to forget his faults, admitting him speedily into Thy holy presence, there to enjoy forever the recompense of his labours. This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE DEPARTED SOULS OF PRIESTS
O God, Who in the ranks of the Apostolic Priesthood hast caused Thy servants to be invested with the pontifical or priestly dignity; grant, we beseech Thee, that they also may be joined unto the everlasting fellowship of the same Thy priest. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Father Mark over at Vultus Christi also has a beautiful prayer for the faithful departed.
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