All Souls, 1st Thursday, Year for Priests: A PROJECT

WDTPRSers UNITE!

Pray for the souls of priests.

First, remember that you can gain indulgences on All Souls and the days following.

Second, 5 November is a first Thursday.  You can gain a plenary indulgence during this year for Priests.

Third, would it not be a good idea in this Year for Priests, during the week after All Souls, for this 1st Thursday, to pray in a special way for the souls of deceased priests?

May I recommend that you bring this up with your parish priests, who might make pulpit announcements this Sunday?

If you are a blogger, would you post something on this?

Would you recommend this to your prayer groups, friends and family?

To gain a Plenary Indulgence form noon Nov. 1 until midnight Nov. 2, visit the church, pray for the Holy Souls and also for the intentions of the Holy Father. On All Soul’s Day and for a week afterward, a Plenary Indulgence for the Holy Souls is granted for a visit to the cemetery with devotion and prayer for the dead. All through November, you can gain partial indulgence every day you visit the cemetery and pray for the dead.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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26 Comments

  1. Kimberly says:

    What a beautiful idea Father Z. Thanks for reminding us.

  2. Baron Korf says:

    I’ll bring it up at my bible study tonight.

  3. lucy says:

    Great idea, Father. I wrote our parish secretary asking for our pastor to have it announced daily. We’ll see what happens.

  4. Ellen says:

    I’ll do it too. I love All Souls Day and luckily for me, this year I will be able to go to Mass that day (normally I have to work – sigh

  5. vincentuher says:

    Please feel free to use a hymn I wrote set to a new tune by Noel Jones. The text was written for this Year in honour of Bishop Slattery of Tulsa and Father Mark Daniel Kirby:

    http://musicasacra.com/books/hymns/pbeh_friends_of_christ.pdf

  6. tewter says:

    Yes, Father, I will be glad to put this on my blog.

  7. Fr_Sotelo says:

    Great reminder Fr. Z. As you have heard, “there is nothing deader than a dead priest” (except for maybe a dead bishop LOL). People think mostly of their present priests, and quickly forget those who have died. Some may even think the deceased priests don’t need suffrage. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  8. wanda says:

    I’m going to a Liturgy meeting tommorow – I plan to present the idea to our Parish Priest.
    Wasn’t one of Our Lady’s messages to the children at Fatima that souls fall into hell like snowflakes because there is no one to pray for them?

    Once again, thank you Fr. Z.

  9. Joseph says:

    Please anyone be so kind and enlighten me about 1st Thursady?

  10. M Heller says:

    I’ve put it on the blog. Also, there seem to be some beautiful prayers for the souls of priests on a site called catholictradition.org

  11. dawn says:

    I’ve also done a post about this. Thank you for all you do Fr. Z.

  12. Bryan says:

    Posted on avemariablog.org.

  13. Bryan says:

    Father Stoleto:

    Hear, hear! In this year for priests, there’s a project in the Diocese of Metuchen to ‘adopt a priest’ for this year’s celebration, and pray for them regularly. Many people signed up to do so, and I do remember the ones ‘assigned’ to me in my daily rosary. They know I’m doing it; it’s not anonymous.

    But, in a special way, I also remember to pray for the soul of my spiritual director and good friend (started as the former, quickly turned into the latter…) the Rev. Msgr. Michael Wrenn of the NY Archdiocese, who passed to eternal life a year ago this week.

    http://www.avemariablog.org/static.php?page=static090831-134300

    We can never offer too many prayers for those who answered His call, both living and deceased. And, in a special way, while we think of asking for Masses to be said for our departed brothers and sisters, what greater gift can we give someone alive than to have a Mass celebrated for them too? Those of us in the Church Militant need prayers, too…:)

  14. Fr Sotelo: Someone quoted that very phrase to me this morning. How true!

  15. mrsmontoya says:

    Please forgive my literal learning pattern: is there a specific prayer we should recite at this time? or a day/decade in the Rosary? I am praying for you of course but wonder if I am missing something that might give you ‘bonus points.’

  16. Liz F says:

    On the actual day of All Souls, with the other conditions, it is necessary to visit the cemetery or does the church suffice for the plenary indulgence for the poor souls? We love praying for the poor souls (especially because purgatory scares me and I feel for them) but of course today we woke up to some sick children. My teenager over-slept so I sent two of them off to mass without stopping by the cemetery. I never want to mess this up because while a partial indulgence is nice a plenary is better. I find some of this a bit confusing. BTW, yes, I have told the children to offer up their sickness for the poor souls. I’m bringing them up like my parents did us, “offer it up.” :o)

  17. gleaner says:

    I just registered to say thanks for this suggestion, we have lots of new parishoners in our Parish who have recently moved into the area and a new Priest who is also from out of town. I suggested offering prayers for all the previous preists of our Parish and he was more than glad to make a pulpit announcement.

    Even writing down the names of the deceased priests of our Parish for the November lists was very emotional. Especially when I think of the Preist of my childhood, Father Durkin a gentle, kind and devoted Preist.

    Thanks for making this suggestion, it is right that these Priest receive our prayers. In addtion to this, I feel it praying for former parish priests also instills a sense of continuity, community and history among our newer parishoners.

    Thanks

  18. Agnes says:

    Posting to FB.

  19. gloriainexcelsis says:

    Duly noted. Wonderful idea.

    The three priests at St. Stephen the First Martyr in Sacramento, CA will each say three Masses today. Parishioners’ intentions were turned in during the week and Sunday.

    Tonight there will be a Solemn High Mass at 7pm. The vestments will be black. I think I mentioned last year that they are trimmed in silver – gorgeous. The adult choir and choristers (ages 8-14) will be singing a setting for the REQUIEM by Anerio, one of the polyphonic masters of the 16th century. There will be the traditional absolutions at the black-draped CATAFALQUE , three candles on each side, with the singing of the LIBERA ME. There are ordinarily 15-20 members of the Altar Guild (servers) at High Mass on Sundays. There will be at least that many tonight.

    I never cease to be grateful for this parish and its shepherds, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

  20. Wonderful Suggestion Father Z!

    I have posted this in my blog. http://thepinoycatholic.blogspot.com/2009/11/year-of-priest-pray-for-our-dearly.html

    I have also included traditional prayers for the departed.

  21. Kimberly says:

    Spent yesterday praying for the priests who are in purgatory. As I prayed I went through my life and remembered the hands of the priest that were there for my Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage and the thousands, and I mean thousands who heard my confessions.

  22. Joseph says:

    Does this indulgence require confession and communion aswell as described here? http://catholicism.about.com/od/indulgences/p/Cemetery_Visit.htm

  23. michelelyl says:

    I’m in charge of coordinating my parish’s monthly Year of the Priest Holy Hour and celebration. We offer a Holy Hour, with Exposition of the Eucharist, Adoration and Benediction on the first Thursday of every month, followed by a reception in the parish hall. All our local priests, active and retired, are invited to attend and participate. It’s been a really wonderful opportunity for our parish. Tonight, (Nov. 5) the RCIA will be attending instead of the scheduled session in order to experience the Holy Hour, and to talk to the faithful who attend. I asked the parish this week to make a special effort to attend to pray for the sanctification of our priests, and to share their stories of what keeps them in the Catholic Church with the RCIA. The Holy Hour and reception has really been a blessing for us! We have people from Catholic Churches as far away as 25 miles come to this celebration! (We’re in rural Oregon and parish are far and few between)

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