Latin prayer for November
Scripture tells us “It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” [2 Maccabees 12:46]
The Church takes this requirement so seriously that She dedicates the entire month of November to offering and encouraging prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
This month’s Latin prayer is one by St. Gertrude – the wonderful saint who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart, as well as to the Holy Souls. Although it is commonly though that reciting this prayer releases 1000 souls from Purgatory, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to back up the claim. Despite that, it remains a powerful prayer for the souls of the dead.
About St. Gertrude
Here is one story taken from her writings:
ON one occasion, while Mass was celebrating for a poor woman who had died lately, St. Gertrude recited five Pater nosters in honor of our Lord’s Five Wounds for the repose of her soul; and, moved by divine inspiration, she offered all her good works for the increase of the beatitude of this person. When she had made this offering, she immediately beheld the soul in heaven, in the place destined for her; and the throne prepared for her was elevated as far above the place where she had been, as the highest throne of the seraphim is above that of the lowest angel. The Saint then asked our Lord how this soul had been worthy to obtain such advantage from her prayers, and He replied: “She has merited this grace in three ways: first, because she always had a sincere will and perfect desire of serving Me in religion, if it had been possible; secondly, because she especially loved all religious and all good people; thirdly, because she was always ready to honour Me by performing any service she could for them.” He added: “By the sublime rank to which she is elevated, you may judge how agreeable these practices are to Me.”
ON Rogation Wednesday, at the elevation of the Host, she besought our Lord for the souls of the faithful in purgatory, that He would free them from their pains by virtue of His admirable Ascension; and she beheld our Lord descending into purgatory with a golden rod in His Hand, which had as many hooks as there had been prayers for their souls, by which He appeared to draw them into a place of repose. She understood by this, that whenever anyone prays generally, from a motive of charity, for the souls in purgatory, the greater part of those who, during their lives, have exercised themselves in works of charity, are released.
St. Gertrude Prayer in English
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
St. Gertrude Prayer in Latin
Offero, Pater Aeterne, Sanguinem Pretiosissimum Filii Divini Tui Tibi, Iesu, in unitate cum Missis quibus dicuntur in toto mundo hodie, pro animabus sanctis omnibus in Purgatorio, pro peccatoribus quibus undique sunt, pro peccatoribus in Ecclesia universa, pro illis in domo ipsa mea et intra familiam meam. Amen.
Ora et Labora 
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