YOU MAY CONSIDER TAKING THE HEROIC VOW FOR THE HOLY SOULS - IF JUST FOR NOVEMBER


Yesterday, after Solemn High Mass for All Souls', I met with friends of mine and asked them to consider taking the Heroic Vow of Charity for the holy souls. You may find the vow below where you pledge to give "all the satisfactory part" of your works to the holy souls. You allow for the part of your works that satisfies Divine Justice towards you, and instead of accepting it for yourself, you give it to the holy souls, that when you do a good work, the part of it that appeases God's wrath goes to the holy souls. When you have taken the vow, the quality of your good works that diminishes the punishment due to you for your sins, goes instead to diminishing the punishments endured by the holy souls.  

But as I held forth in the carpark of the church yesterday, you need not take the vow forever. You may take it for a small time, a few weeks or a month even, after which you may revoke. In fact, you may revoke the vow at any time, and you commit no sin in revoking it. 

Among my peeps who I was exhorting to take the vow, one of them has a rich history working in Hollywood and another would like to make a Catholic movie, and so I said to them that I am an agent for the souls in Purgatory.  I sold the vow to them on the basis they they may make the vow just for November, and then revoke it. 

But I added that the holy souls are so incredibly grateful for a helping hand to mitigate their miseries that they pray especially for those who have been most generous to them. I, for one, can't imagine ever revoking the vow. After I took it, I felt the power of the holy souls' prayers in so constant a way, that to take back the vow and keep all the parts of my works that diminishes the many punishments due to me,  seems almost foolish, because there is such security in having the help of the holy souls all the time that I remain faithful to the vow. 

You may have had that feeling when you ask people in this life to pray that they pray sparingly and reluctantly, even if you have a dire problem or have loved ones in need of more prayer than you can humanly offer in one day, but if you are to give your good works as a soothing balm to the aching souls in Purgatory, their intense appreciation translates into prayer for you and yours when they are in Purgatory and when they gain their entrance into Heaven.

If you have ever wanted a grateful posse of souls praying for you unceasingly, you may pay it forward, by first giving them relief from their pains. 

THE HEROIC VOW OF CHARITY FOR THE HOLY SOULS

Oh Holy and Adorable Trinity, desiring to co-operate in the deliverance of the souls in Purgatory, and to testify my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I cede and renounce on behalf of those holy souls all the satisfactory part of my works, and all the suffrages which may  be given to me after my death, consigning them entirely into the hands of the most Blessed Virgin, that she may apply them accordingly to her good pleasure to those souls of the faithful departed whom she desires to deliver from their sufferings. Deign, O my God, to accept and bless this offering which I make to Thee at this moment. Amen.

Comments

  1. Mary - this is wonderful. I have a huge devotion to the Holy Souls and have never heard about this before. I will take it to Adoration tomorrow and make the vow at once. I wonder if we can offer our sufferings too, or is that included in "satisfactory works"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. CONGRATULATIONS! I'm delighted you are about to take the vow for the holy souls. May your generosity be rewarded.

      You may offer your sufferings, too. I offer my sufferings for the holy souls as something that is both part of my satisfactory works and something separate, because I do not know which of my sufferings may be that which satisfies Divine Justice towards me which I am turning over to the holy souls. So, I offer up satisfactory works and suffering combined and let the Divine Tribunal apportion them accordingly.

      I intend to blog more on this...

      Delete
  2. in 1956 our elderly second-grade teacher, Sr. M. Phillip, O.P, told us well-catechised children about the vow in favour of the Holy Souls. I thought it such a good idea that I immediately told God that I wanted to do it, and to take my whole lifetime worth of merit and give it to Our Lady to use for the Holy Souls. This was because I was was always losing things, and I knew that if I gave all those indulgences and graces to Her, none of them would be lost and then when I was stuck in Purgatory, all the Holy Souls who had benefited from those graces would come haul me out so I wouldn't have to be in Purgatory for centuries.
    So at recess, while my classmates were playing in the school yard, --no formal prayer,--I just said to God mentally, "Yes, what she said, I want to do it. Give all my merits, until I die, to Our Lady for the Souls in Purgatory.")
    I knew I'd probably land in Purgatory unless blessed enough to be a martyr, or get run over by a bus right after receiving Holy Communion. (why a bus? Wouldn't a car do?) ---for I was not naturally a good child, and today I struggle against temptation -- sometimes unsuccessfully-- as a senior.) Sr. M. Phillip gave us good advice and I have often renewed the "Heroic Act" (which I think of as the common-sensical act) though my life. I hope the rest of my class also took her sound spiritual advice. How blessed I was to be educated by holy Dominican sisters in our Catholic School!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations for giving all your works of satisfaction at so young an age to the holy souls!

      Just one thing, you may not give your merit, as this is yours and yours alone. I will blog more about this throughout this month dedicated to the holy souls...

      Delete
  3. I made the heroic offering for the holy souls many years ago and haven't thought much about it. But reading your posts has me wondering if that has something to do with what is happening to me now. In short, I've been given a grace to hear the Holy Souls' knocks when I pray for them and I know that many others do as well. For me it occurs after I pray for them as a thank you, not before I pray for them. The knocks also have personalities of there own - some are strong, some are timid, some are short, some are playful. I've also heard the moans, tears and gasping. It's so sad. I'm not sharing this to boast at all but just to let people know they real and are very definitely waiting for our prayers to help them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations on taking the heroic vow many years ago - that means many years' worth of offerings has gone up for the holy souls! And yes, you are so correct, the holy souls are real and in real pain.

      Delete
  4. I've committed to tg he Heroic Act for suffering souls today. God is truly merciful and loving!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I made the Herouc Act today and plan on keeping it enforced until God takes me home. Its the most selfless thing one can do for a brother sister suffering. God is merciful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations, Joe! I concur, God is merciful in allowing us to give our works of satisfaction to the holy souls.

      Delete
  6. I have used the Portiuncula Indulgence to free a soul from Purgatory before, but this Heroic Act is even better - instead of freeing one soul, I can help many souls! Thank you so much for sharing this - I have not heard of it before, but as soon as I read this, I took the vow for my lifetime. Thank you, thank you, thank you!


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations, Stephanie! And may God bless and reward your generosity to the holy souls. May the holy souls pray constantly for all your intentions and your loved ones.

      Delete

Post a Comment