Book Reviews and More: Essential Prayers for the Dead

Essential Prayers for the Dead

Mary Leonora Wilson FSP

Pauline Books and Media

ISBN 9780819883858

eISBN 9780819883865

ASIN B0DJDXP2BS

Essential Prayers for the Dead - Mary Leonora Wilson FSP

I was fascinated by this book from when I first saw it announced many months before publication. Over the last few years, Purgatory and prayers for the dead have kept coming up in both the fiction and nonfiction I have been reading. And I really wanted to read this volume during the month of November when that is a focus within the Catholic tradition. The description of the paperback, eBook and kindle versions states:

“Jesus invites us to trust in his mercy and to hope in the Resurrection, especially in the face of death. We embrace this invitation every time we intercede for the Holy Souls who are joyfully awaiting heaven—both our own loved ones who have gone before us and the souls in purgatory whom we never had the chance to meet on this earth.

This collection of traditional and contemporary prayers draws from the Bible and the wisdom of the Church. May these essential prayers strengthen your relationship with those who have died and enliven your faith in the Resurrection and God’s loving mercy.

Intercede for the holy souls with this pocket-sized collection of prayers for the dead, featuring an explanation of Church teaching on purgatory; practical ways to help departed loved ones and to prepare for your own death; and traditional and contemporary prayers from Scripture, the saints, and the wisdom of the Church. Perfectly sized for prayer and travel, Essential Prayers for the Dead is an invaluable companion for Catholics committed to the spiritual work of mercy of praying for the deceased.”

The book received the:

Nihil Obstat:

Reverend Joseph Briody, S.S.L., S.T.D.

Imprimatur:

✠ Seán P. Cardinal O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap.

Archbishop of Boston

December 20, 2023

I actually ended up picking up 2 digital copies of this volume, one for Kobo and one for Kindle. There were issues with the Kindle release and I picked up the Kobo version and started reading it, but because I prefer the kindle interface once it was available I picked that us as well. I have also recommended it to a few friends. And plan on giving away copies to friends and family. My youngest 2 children each want a physical copy of the book for their prayer corners. . The sections and chapters in this volume are:

Introduction

I. Purgatory—En Route to Heaven

What Happens When We Die?

What Does the Bible Say About Purgatory?

Why Is It Important to Pray for the Dead?

II. Helping Those Who Have Died

Twelve Ways to Help Our Beloved Dead

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

The Rosary

Indulgences

Friendship with the Souls in Purgatory

Remember Us

Covenant Prayer

Prayer of Intercession

I Promise Never to Forget You

III. Praying with Scripture for the Departed

Psalms of Comfort (23, 27, 42, 63, 103)

Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143)

Scripture Texts for Meditation

IV. Prayers for Our Own Beloved Dead

Prayer for a Deceased Loved One

Let Me Never Forget

Prayer for Deceased Parents

For a Deceased Spouse

Parent’s Prayer at the Loss of a Child

For a Departed Sibling

For a Deceased Friend

For a Deceased Priest

Prayer After an Unexpected Death

Prayer After a Violent Death

Prayer in Time of Suicide

For Those Who Gave Their Lives for Others

Forty Day Prayer

V. Traditional Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory

Eternal Rest Prayer

Prayer of Saint Gertrude

Heroic Act of Love

Morning Offering for the Souls in Purgatory

For the Faithful Departed

Second-Century Prayer for the Dead

The Seven Days Prayer for the Dead

Offering of Christ’s Passion

Offering of the Five Wounds of Jesus

Byzantine Prayer for the Deceased

Maronite Prayer for the Departed

A Syriac Prayer for the Dead

Litany for the Faithful Departed

Litany for the Souls in Purgatory

The Lord’s Prayer for the Departed

VI. Recommended Practices on Behalf of the Deceased

Prayer for the Dead Before Mass

Prayer for the Dead at the Offertory

Prayer for the Dead After Mass

Prayer at a Cemetery

On the Anniversary of Death

Stations of the Cross

Novena Prayer of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Chaplet to Jesus for the Souls in Purgatory

Prayer of a Hundred Eternal Rests

All Souls’ Day Prayer

VII. Mary, Gate of Heaven

Rosary for the Faithful Departed

Prayers of the Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries

The Sorrowful Mysteries

The Glorious Mysteries

The Memorare

Litany to Our Lady, Help of the Souls in Purgatory

Hail Mary for the Souls in Purgatory

To Our Lady of Intercession

To Our Lady of Sorrows

To Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Mary, Gate of Heaven

Novena to God Through Mary for the Souls in Purgatory

In Honor of Mary’s Seven Sorrows

In Honor of Mary’s Seven Joys

VIII. Preparing for Heaven

Means to Grow in Relationship with God and Shorten Purgatory

Invocations for a Holy Death

For Perseverance Until Death

To God Our Father

Suscipe

To Jesus for Protection

Prayer for Mercy

To Jesus Crucified

Anima Christi

Lead My Soul to Heaven

To Saint Joseph for a Happy Death

To My Guardian Angel

Acknowledgements

Notes

List of Contributors

The contributors are:

Blessed James Alberione, SSP

Saint Gertrude of Helfta

Benedict Groeschel, CFR

Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Saint John Chrysostom

Saint John Paul II

Saint Faustina Kowalska

Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Blessed Mary of Providence

Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn

Saint John Henry Newman

Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

Saint Odilo of Cluny

Saint Paul VI

Karl Rahner, SJ

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi

Mary Leonora Wilson, FSP

The compiler of the volume, Mary Leonora Wilson, FSP composed 17 of the prayers in the volume. But this is much more then a collection of prayers. Each chapter has teaching at the beginning of throughout. It gives historical and biblical background to the practice and some of the specific prayers and devotions. I only highlighted a few passages or prayers my first time through this book, some of them are:

“This book is a tribute to all who have gone before us, living this pilgrimage called life to the best of their ability, not perfectly but sincerely and full of hope in the promise of our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a booklet for all who mourn a loss and want to continue to help their loved ones and experience their nearness. May these texts and prayers help you to draw closer to those who have died and increase your faith in the resurrection of the dead and in the loving mercy of God. God bless you.”

“And in a last moment unperceived by us, they may have silently reached out to God for help, asking for mercy. God rejects no one who turns to him, as the dying thief on Calvary witnesses (see Lk 23:43). Thus, it is always important to pray for our dead. Divine mercy desires to liberate all these souls and open to them the gates of heaven as soon as possible—asking our collaboration through prayers and good works. May our love for the deceased compel us to pray for them with Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ, and in Jesus Christ.”

“Let Me Never Forget O God of those who are silently summoning me to enter into your life, never let me forget my dead, my living. May my love and faithfulness to them be a pledge of my belief in you, the God of eternal life. Let me not be deaf to the call of their silence, which is the surest and sincerest word of their love. May this word of theirs continue to accompany me, even after they have taken leave of me to enter into you, for thus their love comes all the closer to me. O my soul, never forget your dead, for they live. And the life they live, now unveiled in eternal light, is your own life, which will one day be revealed also in you. . . . My waning life is becoming more and more a life with the dead. I live more and more with those who have gone before me into the dark night where no one can work. By your life-giving grace, O Lord, let it become ever more a life of faith in your light, shining now dimly in this earthly night. Let me live with the living who have preceded me in the sign of faith, who have gone before me into the bright day of eternal life, when no one need work, because you yourself are this day, the fullness of all reality, the God of the living. When I pray, “Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon them,” let my words be only the echo of the prayer of love that they themselves are speaking for me in the silence of eternity. O my soul, never forget the dead. O God of all the living, do not forget me, the dead one, but come one day to be my life, as you are theirs. Amen.

Karl Rahner, SJ”

“Suscipe Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace; that is enough for me.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola”

“Prayer for Mercy O my Lord and Savior, be merciful to me now that my life is approaching its end and the evening awaits me. My sins are so many. Heal me while I am still on earth, and I shall truly be whole. In your mercy, move me to repent so that I shall not be ashamed when I encounter you in heaven. Amen.”

“To My Guardian Angel My guardian angel, you are always near me, inspiring me to choose the good and strengthening me in the battle against Satan and the forces of evil. Keep me always aware of your presence and mindful of your inspirations. Be with me especially at the last moment of my life. Do not leave me, I beg you, until you see me safe in heaven, praising God and singing his mercies for all eternity. Amen.”

I hope those few quotes give you a feel for this excellent volume. I have added the last three prayers to my daily prayer list. This is the newest in a series of ‘Essential Prayer’ books from Pauline Books and Media. They are:

Essential Healing Prayers

Essential Spiritual Warfare Prayers

Essential Eucharistic Adoration Prayers

Essential Prayers for the Dead

Three of the four are edited and compiled by Sister Mary Leonora Wilson. I have had the other two edited by her for a while now but have not got around to reading them. After reading this excellent volume they have jumped way up on ‘my reading list’.

This is an excellent resource that any Catholic would benefit from reading and praying through. It would be great for any school, church, or home library, or for your prayer corner. I highly recommend you pick up this volume and give it a read!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!

For all reviews of prayer books click here.

For all reviews of books from Pauline Books & Media Click here.

Books by Mary Leonora Wilson:

Wisdom from Pope Paul VI

Contemplating the Way of the Cross

Essential Healing Prayers: For Peace and Strength

Essential Spiritual Warfare Prayers: For Protection and Deliverance

Essential Prayers for the Dead

…

Contributed to Mary Leonora Wilson:

16 Black Saints and Advocates For Racial Justice