Heroic Act of Charity
for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Saint Gregory delivers the Soul of a Monk - by CRESPI, Giovanni Battista - from S. Vittore, Parese . . . . In this 1617 Painting by Giovanni Crespi, an Angel prepares to carry the Soul of a Monk, and others, from Purgatory to Heaven, in response to the Mass said for the Repose of their Souls by Saint Gregory

"It is therefore a Holy and Wholesome Thought to Pray for the Dead, that they may be Loosed from Sins" - 2Maccabees 12:46

For there is no-more Worthy Offering, no-greater Satisfaction for Washing-away Sin, than to offer yourself Purely and Entirely-to God, with the Offering-of the Body-of Christ in Mass and Communion.  - Thomas à Kempis

 

The term (Purgatory) does not indicate a Place, but a Condition of Existence. Those who, after Death, exist in a State of Purification, are already in the Love of Christ Who removes from them the Remnants of Imperfection.

Pope John Paul the Great

 

Heroic Act of Charity
for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

from the Raccolta

The Heroic Act of Charity (Raccolta-140) is made by Offering for the Faithful Departed all of your works in this life, as well as the Prayers offered for you after your Death. All of these are put in the Hands of the Virgin Mary to use for the Benefit of the Holy Souls. This Act has great Benefits. One who has made it can gain many Indulgences, Innumerable Souls are Released in this way from Purgatory, it obtains the special Love of the Holy Trinity, Our Lord, the Saints and Our Blessed Mother. It gives great Honor to the Blessed Virgin and is not in any way to be Feared, as God is never, never outdone in Generosity.

We might also consider that we, too, when we are called before God, might find ourselves Escorted to Purgatory, knowing that unless we are Remembered on Earth by the Church Militant, our Sufferings are without Relief for the Period Consigned to us by the Almighty. And would we not, in that moment, desire with all of our Soul, that someone would make this Heroic Act of Charity on our Behalf that we might, as Members of the Church Suffering, be Freed from Suffering and enter into Eternal Bliss? What we do for the least of our Brothers, God shall do for us.

We can never outdo God in Generosity. Let us, then, resolve to amend our own lives, and never forget the Existence of Purgatory for the Vast Majority who do not go to Hell, will most likely pass that way. To make that time shorter, become Generous Benefactors for our Departed Brothers and Sisters, fully confident that at the Moment of our Death, this very Heroic Act of Charity will gain for us a Speedy Entry into Eternal Joy where we can finally Unite with the Church Triumphant. This is the true "Communion" of the Communion of Saints which is the very Backbone of the Church.

It is time for all of us to take our Roles seriously as "Soldiers of Christ", as Members of the Church Militant and, as Soldiers begin to attempt to do Heroic Acts for others beginning with the Heroic Act of Charity and to do unto others as we would have done unto us.

The Heroic Act of Charity leaves us Perfectly Free to Pray for those Souls in whom we are Most Interested; the Application of Prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is subject to the disposition of the Adorable Will of God. This Heroic Act does not oblige under Pain of Mortal Sin and can at any time be Revoked. It may be made without using any Particular Formula; it suffices to have the Intention and to make it from the Heart.

 

Heroic Act of Charity

O my God, in union with the merits of Jesus and Mary, I offer Thee for the Souls in Purgatory, all my Satisfactory Works, as well as those which may be applied to me by others during my life and after my death. And so as to be more agreeable to the Divine Heart of Jesus and more helpful to the departed I place them all in the hands of the merciful Virgin Mary.

Amen

 

Normal Conditions for Plenary Indulgence

To gain indulgences, whether plenary or partial, it is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed.  [i.e. one must be a Catholic, not excommunicated or in schism].

A Plenary Indulgence can be gained only once a day. In order to obtain it, the Faithful must, in addition to being in the State of Grace:

Have the Interior Disposition of Complete Detachment from Sin, even Venial Sin;

Have Sacramentally Confessed their Sins;

Receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the Indulgence only Holy Communion is required);

Pray for the Intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.

It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the Sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the Prayer for the Pope's Intentions take place on the same day that the Indulgenced Work is performed; but it is sufficient that these Sacred Rites and Prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the Indulgenced Act. Prayer for the Pope's Intentions is left to the Choice of the Faithful, but an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are suggested. One (1) Sacramental Confession suffices for Several Plenary Indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate Prayer for the Holy Father's Intentions are required for each Plenary Indulgence.