Novena for the Faithful Departed

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

THE DECADE OF THE PASSION AND DEATH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

ACT OF CONTRITION

My Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, creator and my redeemer, for what
you are, and because I love You above all things, with all my heart and soul, I am
deeply sorry for having offended Thee. And I propose with Thy grace, to keep me from
all occasion of sin. To confess and to fulfill the penance imposed upon me for my sins;
I offer You my Lord, my life, my words, and my deeds in satisfaction of all my sins and
because I implore you, I trust in your bountiful and infinite mercy, grant me pardon and
grace to amend and to persevere in Thy Holy service till death, and afterwards in Your
Eternal Grace. Amen.

Open our lips, O Lord, warmth our hearts, and cleanse our minds of vain
impurities and impertinent thoughts, inflame our will, so that with all our hearts, we may
meditate the way of Your Sacred Passion and death, with the dolorous pain of your
Blessed Mother and make us worthy to be heard before the throne of your Divine
Majesty who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Leader: Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O Lord.

All: And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
Leader: May he/she rest in peace.
All: Amen.

TEN INVOCATIONS FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

-To be recited 5 times in Rosary form-

Leader: My merciful Jesus, look down with mercy on the soul of _____________, for
whom you have died and received the torments of the cross.

All: Amen.
 1. O my Jesus, through the merits of the copious blood which You shed when You
were in the Garden of Gethsemane.
BE MERCIFUL AND GRANT PARDON TO THE SOUL OF _______________.
2. O my Jesus, through the merits of the slap which You received on your face at
the mocked trial.
3. O my Jesus, through the merits of the whip lashes which you suffered.
4. O my Jesus, through the merits of the crown of thorns placed on Your Sacred
Head.
5. O my Jesus, through the merits of Your last journey, with a heavy cross on Your
shoulder.
6. O my Jesus, through the merits of the blood on Your face and the veil with which
Veronica wiped it.
7. O my Jesus, through the merits of the garment soaked in blood and stripped from
You.
8. O my Jesus, through the merits of Your Sacred Body which was nailed to the
cross.
9. O my Jesus, through the merits of Your hands and feet which were bloodied by
nails unto Your agony.
10. O my Jesus, through the merits of Your side which was pierced with a lance until
it gave out blood and water.

Leader: Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O Lord.

All: And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
Leader: May he/she rest in peace.
All: Amen.

THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS FOR THE POOR SOULS

Leader: Lord, be our help. All: Jesus, have mercy on us.

Leader: Lord, be merciful on us. All: Christ, hear us.
Leader: Christ, have mercy on us. All: Christ, graciously hear us.

HAVE MERCY ON THE SOUL OF ______________

God, the Father, in Heaven God, the Holy Spirit

God, the Son, Redeemer of the World Holy Trinity, One God
 PRAY FOR HIM/HER

Holy Mary All ye holy Martyrs

Holy Mother of God St. Sylvester
Holy Virgin of Virgins St. Gregory
St. Michael St. Augustine
St. Gabriel All ye holy Bishops and Confessors
St. Raphael All ye holy Doctors
All ye holy Angels and Archangels St. Anthony
All ye holy Orders of the Blessed Spirits St. Benedict
St. John the Baptist St. Dominic
St. Joseph St. Francis
All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets All ye holy Priests and Levites
St. Peter All ye holy Monks and Hermits
St. Paul St. Mary Magdalene
St. Andrew St. Agatha
St. John St. Lucy
All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists St. Agnes
All ye holy Disciples of our Lord St. Cecilia
All ye holy Innocents St. Anastacia
St. Stephen All ye Holy Virgins and Widows
St. Lawrence All ye Holy Men and Women
St. Vincent Saints of God

Leader: Christ hear us All: Christ graciously hear us.

Leader: Lord, have mercy on us. All: Christ, have mercy on us.
Leader: Lord, have mercy on us. All: Lord, have mercy on us.
Leader: Pray from him/her, all ye All: The he/she may be worthy of the
Saints of God. promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY:

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the soul of Your
servant, ___________, the remission of all his/her sins, that through your devout
prayers, he/she may obtain pardon which he/she has always desired. You who grant
forgiveness and desire salvation of mankind, we beseech in Your mercy to grant
him/her who have passed out of this life, the grace to partake the everlasting bliss by
the intercession of the Blessed Mary and all Your Saints. Amen.

Leader: Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O Lord.

All: And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
Leader: May he/she rest in peace.
All: Amen.
 VERSES OF SAINT GREGORY

Pray the following after every verse: Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal Rest-

1. O Jesus, my Lord, to redeem me, you were crucified and crowned with thorns. I
adore and implore you, defend me from the enemy.
2. O Jesus, my Lord, to redeem me, with great torments, was given gall and vinegar
to drink. I adore and implore you, may your torments be the remedy of my soul.
3. O Jesus, my Lord, for the bitterness that you have suffered for me on the cross,
especially on the moment when your noble soul was separated from your Sacred
Body. I implore you to have mercy on my soul when I depart from this world.
4. O Jesus, my Lord, to redeem me, had Thy Sacred Body embalmed with myrrh
and essence, and then laid in the sepulcher. I adore and implore you that your
death be my life.
5. O Jesus, my Lord, who has descended into the limbo of the Holy Fathers and
liberated those who were in the portals of hell. I adore and implore you, let not
my soul be delivered to hell.
6. O Jesus, my Lord, with great power, you have risen gloriously from the dead,
ascended into Heaven and are seated at the right hand of the Father, pray have
mercy on me.
7. O Jesus, my Lord, Good Pastor, defend the just, light the sinners, have mercy on
the soul of _____________, and have mercy on me, a great sinner.
8. O Jesus, my Lord, who will come to judge us and bring us to the right and glory,
and condemn forever the bad. I adore and implore you that by your Passion,
free me from dangers and pains and bring me to eternal life.
9. O Loving Father! I offer you the innocent death of your Son and the love of your
Son and the love of your Divine Heart, by the sufferings that I, a miserable
sinner, more than any other sinner, deserving of my sins; I likewise offer this
Passion and cordial love through my relatives and friends, I implore you, have
mercy on us and the soul of __________________.
10. O Jesus Christ, my Lord, I humbly implore you, grant us the merits to obtain
those graces and pardons which was piously believed to have been granted to
your glorious St. Gregory, to those who would be blessed by this Sacred prayer,
the mystery of your Passion, who lives and reigns forever.

LET US PRAY 3 Apostles Creed, in commemoration of the 3 hour agony and pain
which our Lord suffered on the cross, for the Blessed Souls in Purgatory, in general,
and especially for the soul of ______________ that he/she may have peace and rest in
His glory.
 THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in
Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy
Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died
and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He
ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again
to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life
everlasting. Amen.

NOVENA FOR THE POOR SOULS

ACT OF CONTRITION

O Holy Spirit, come into my soul, that I may discover all the sins I have
committed and grant me the grace to be sorry for them in all humility and contriteness of
heart.

O my God! At the moment of my appearance before you this day, I sincerely

confess before your Divine Majesty and before the whole court of Heaven, that I have
offended You by thought, word and deed. By my sins, I have contributed to the death of
Jesus on the cross, but you have forgiven me, washing my soul in the blood of Your
Son and clothing it with the wedding garment of Your grace.

I come, therefore, contrite and repentant, but with a heart overflowing with
boundless gratitude, to your Holy presence which you deigned to grant to a prodigal
child like me.

What shall I render to You for all the good You have done for me? Lord, I am
sorry for all my sins. I promise not to sin again, for I love You. Amen.

DAILY PRAYER

O God, by whose mercy the soul of _____________ find rest, vouchsafe to grant
him/her eternal rest in the hope that You will not deliver him/her into the hands of the
enemy nor forget him/her forever, but that You command him/her to be taken up by
Your holy angels and borne to his/her true home in Paradise. We pray that he/she
whom You already called out of this world having put his/her hope and trust in You, may
not undergo the pains of hell, but may come to the possession of eternal joys.

Be merciful, O Lord, to the soul of ______________ and deliver him/her from the
deep pit and from the lion’s mouth so that hell may not swallow him/her up and may
he/she not fall into the darkness, but may Your holy standard bearer Michael lead
him/her into the holy light which You have promised to Abraham and his seed. We offer
You, O Lord, sacrifices and prayers; do receive them on behalf of the soul of
_____________ for whom we are dedicating this novena; grant him/her to pass from
death to life. Amen.

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE FIRST DAY

O my God! Deign to accept the offering of Masses and prayers along with
sacrifices that I will make on behalf of the soul of _______________ and grant that by
the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints in Heaven, he/she may
deserve the grace to be cleansed of all punishment for his/her sins so that he/she may
be worthy to enjoy Your Beatific Vision in the company of angels.

I humbly ask Dear Lord, to extend to me the favor of living a life attuned to Your
holy will in the service of my fellowmen and for my own salvation so that in the end, I
may have a good happy death and enjoy eternal love in Heaven.

Grant me also the grace to lead so holy a life that I may fulfill my duties in the
state of life which I have chosen and I ask You in all humility, the special favor which I
may seek to obtain, if it be for the greater glory of God, the salvation of souls, and the
deliverance of the faithful departed from sufferings. Amen. (Pause to add your own
intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE SECOND DAY

O most merciful Lord, Thou who hast always shown mercy upon those who
invoke Thy protection, I prostrate myself before Thee and humbly ask the liberation of
the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially the soul of ______________ for whom I offer
this novena, through the merits of Thy Mother who stood by Thy Son during his agony
on the cross.

May Thy servant, ______________, suffering in the place of purgation, deserve

to receive the indulgences for the remission of punishments due to his/her sins, so that
in due time, he/she may merit to enter Thy kingdom of justice and love. I also beg of
Thee to grant my petition in this novena if it be for Thy greater glory and the salvation of
souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE THIRD DAY

O most powerful Lord, my God and Father, Thou who has never refused to hear
the supplications of Thy servants and handmaids, grant to the soul of ______________
the strength to beat his/her sufferings with the firm hope of seeing Thee face to face in
Heaven. Through the merits of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph who suffered much
for our redemption in the days of Nazareth and unto the hour of Calvary.

I humbly ask of Thee to remember those who are still in the state of cleansing,
especially those for whom I offer this novena. And Lord, please grant me the favor
which I seek to obtain if it be for the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH DAY

O God most high, Thou whose mercy didst make saints who are now in Thy
presence, I beseech Thee, through the intercession of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the
parents of the Blessed Virgin, to look with merciful eyes on the soul of _____________
who have found grace with Thee upon his/her death.

Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy servant and handmaid for whom I make this novena,
so that he/she may be pardoned of his/her sins and cleansed of punishments. May
he/she be reached by Thy hand of mercy in order that he/she may merit and also
receive from Thy bounty the special favor which I ask, if it be for Thy greater glory and
the salvation of souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE FIFTH DAY

O infinite Lord, whose mercy knows no bounds, through the merits of the
Archangel Michael and in remembrance of the sorrows borne with love by the Blessed
Mother when the breast of Thy Son was pierced with a lance at Mount Calvary and
when her own heart was rent by the sword of man’s ingratitude. Deign, I beseech Thee,
to grant eternal glory to the suffering soul in Purgatory.

Have mercy on the poor sinner, O God, and extend Thy mantle of protection
upon me so that my prayers for the soul of ______________ will be of avail. And I
humbly beg of Thee to grant my petition in this novena, if it be for Thy greater glory and
the salvation of souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE SIXTH DAY

O most sweet Jesus, King of all hearts, extend Thy loving care, and grant peace
to the soul of _____________in Purgatory, so that, through the merits of the glorious St.
Lawrence and the dolors of the Blessed Virgin who was filled with the anguish at the
sight of nails on the hands of Thy Son, he/she may deserve to have a mansion in Thy
kingdom of love.

Deliver Thy servant, ________________, who is now going through a cleansing

trail, out of the prison in Purgatory and remember with love and mercy for whom I make
this novena. I pray Thee to hear my cry for the favor which I seek to receive if it be for
Thy greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own
intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE SEVENTH DAY

O most compassionate Lord, through the merits of Thy Angels and in

remembrance of the sufferings of the Blessed Mother when she took Thy Son, lifeless,
on her lap on Calvary, I beseech Thee to give ear to my petition on behalf of the soul of
______________, so that he/she may be taken up to his/her true home in Heaven and
come to the possession of eternal joys.

Eternal rest, give unto Thy servant who have passed out of this world, especially
those dear to my heart, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Lord, come to my
assistance and grant the special grace which I ask in this novena if it be for Thy greater
glory and the salvation of souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE EIGHTH DAY

O most loving and merciful Lord Jesus, through the merits of St. Francis of Assisi
and the glorious St. Nicholas of Tolentino, I beseech Thee to absolve the soul of
______________ from every bond of sin and my the Holy Soul, aided by the sufferings
of Mary who saw the body of Thy Son wrapped in the white shroud, be able to escape
the judgment of Thy justice. And may Thy servant, _______________, who departed
from this life be led to the everlasting light and peace.
 Grant him/her, O Lord, to pass from death to life, and may this novena which I
make help him/her in his/her sufferings. I also ask Thee to grant my petition if it be for
Thy greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE NINTH DAY

O Divine Majesty, our Lord and Creator, be merciful to the soul of

_____________, for whom I offer this novena, especially those who on earth had done
me favors, and may they attain everlasting rest, through the merits of the Virgin Mother
who was filled with sorrow upon seeing Thy Son taken into the sepulcher. Grant that
they may be purified by the indulgences that I wish to obtain on their behalf so that they
may receive forgiveness and unending peace.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to the release of the soul of _______________ from every

bond of sin and may he/she rejoice with Thy saints forever. Grant also, I beg of Thee,
the favor which I ask during this novena, if it be for Thy greater glory and the salvation
of souls. Amen. (Pause to add your own intentions)

CLOSING PRAYER

- Let us pray 3 Our Father’s, Hail Mary’s, and Glory Be’s for the poor souls and in
thanksgiving for the grace of this novena…

Leader: Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O Lord.

All: And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
Leader: May he/she rest in peace.
All: Amen.

Enter not, O Lord, into judgment with Your servant, ______________, for in Your
sight shall no man be justified, save You grant him/her remission of all his/her sins.

Therefore, let not, we beseech You, the sentence of judgment be pronounced,

nor let it fall upon him/her whom the faithful prayer of Your Christian people commends
to You, but rather by the help of Your grace, may he/she be found worthy to escape the
judgment of condemnation, who in his/her lifetime was signed with the seal of the
Blessed Trinity.
 Receive our prayers on behalf of the soul of _______________ and grant that
he/she may deserve the place of eternal rest, happiness, and the glory of Your light.
Amen.

Lord, God, who has left us some signs of Your Sacred Passion on the Sacred
garment which covered Your Sacred Body when Joseph brought you down from the
cross. Grant us, Lord, that thru Your death, and Holy Sepulcher, bring us to the Glory of
Your Resurrection where You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

My Lord Jesus, loving Father, by the joy of Your dear Mother, when you
appeared to Her on that Sacred night of the Resurrection and the joy when She saw
You full of Glory, with the light of Divinity. Light me with the rays of your Holy Spirit to
be able to fulfill by Your will everyday of my life, who lives and reigns, forever. Amen.

Blessed and adored be the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Virgin Mary, our Lady, conceived without original
sin.

+Hail Mary, conceived without original sin.

+Hail Mary, conceived without original sin.
+Hail Mary, conceived without original sin.

Leader: Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O Lord.

All: And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
Leader: May he/she rest in peace.
All: Amen.

May the soul of _______________ rest in Peace. Amen.

+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

+ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Amen.