Praying in the Presence of Our Lord for the Holy Souls

Very beautiful prayers! I use this during my Holy Hour and have found it very comforting. Helps give me the words for what's in my heart... I have lost so many precious people from this world .... they are always in my prayers!

I love praying the seven penitential Psalms in this book. The book is full of beautiful prayers for the souls in Purgatory. Contrary to what the previous review stated, the souls in Purgatory do need prayer. If there is no Purgatory, then a person has to be PERFECT when he dies, as nothing unclean can enter Heaven. The previous reviewer believes our full purification is on earth before we die - like I said, this would mean we are perfect - we aren't. Catholics believe that the full purification is after we die. Catholics don't believe in a different purification, but believe the purification takes place at a different time. I quickly illustrate this by pointing out that indeed Jesus forgives our sins, but there remains consequence of sin which is a stain - an imperfection. Is there really consequence for sin if a person is forgiven? Absolutely, just one example of consequence of sin is very biblical - if there is no consequence for sin, there would be no death. Death is the wage of sin according to Holy Scripture. Jesus did not eliminate consequence of sin - death proves that - therefore few are in the needed state of perfection when they pass away. They are forgiven, but they are not perfected. This perfection has to take place after death since it doesn't take place when we are alive. If one stops to reflect, he would see that there are many consequences to our sins, even after we repent of them. Just scratching the surface, one could be forgiven for drug use, murder, adultry, etc., but these sins would still carry consequences and possibly very heavy ones, whether applied to that person or others. Families torn apart, lives ruined, death, etc. That isn't a state of perfection required for Heaven. Thats the Catholic understanding of Purgatory. Its not a second chance, but a final purification through the merits of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe this final purification takes place after death, others believe it happens as we are alive. I would ask them to show how we die in an absolute state of perfection. Also, it is not a matter of just Heaven or Hell. Certainly those are the final two destinations, but what about a temporary third place? The Bible proves this third place exists in 1 Peter 3:19 when it speaks of Jesus going to preach to the previously disobedient souls "in prison". Note that this happens AFTER his death. His death didn't release them - he went and preached to them in this prison after he died. Nowhere does Holy Scripture indicate that this third place was eliminated. Therefore we cannot claim it no longer exists. To claim it no longer exists would be nothing more than carnal reasoning and it contradicts Scripture clearly showing that it does exist. I hope that explains what Purgatory is. I don't mean to argue with the previous reviewer, but I wanted to clarify what Purgatory is and how its shown in Scripture. This is why this book is needed. You can also look into the

This is a great book of prayers to remember the Holy Souls in Purgatory. We will gain many graces by praying for the Souls in Purgatory. It also has very nice psalms to meditate on.