Our Friends in Purgatory
Re-discovering the beautiful Catholic tradition of helping souls through
the Heroic Act of Charity — the greatest gift of love we can offer
A Beautiful Tradition of Hope and Love
The Holy Souls are not distant, frightening figures—they are our friends, our brothers and sisters, completing their final preparation for the perfect joy of heaven.
Catholic tradition teaches that we can help them through our prayers, sacrifices, and especially through the Heroic Act of Charity—offering all our merits for their relief. In return, these grateful souls become our most powerful intercessors, praying for us with extraordinary love.
This is not a scary doctrine about punishment, but a hope-filled truth about God's purifying love preparing souls for eternal happiness. Like gold refined in fire or a bride preparing for her wedding, the Holy Souls are being made ready for perfect union with Christ.
And we can help them—while they help us.
Three Pathways to Help the Holy Souls
Choose your level of commitment — all are valuable, all make a difference
Traditional Prayers
Begin with simple, time-honoured prayers like the Eternal Rest. Offer a decade of the Rosary, attend Mass, or pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the Holy Souls. Even five minutes daily makes a profound difference.
The Heroic Act of Charity
The pinnacle of devotion: offer ALL your prayers, works, and merits for the Holy Souls. This total gift of love mirrors Christ's sacrifice and unleashes tremendous grace. The saints called it the "way of infinite love."
Living Sacrifice
Offer your daily sufferings, challenges, and small sacrifices for the souls. Transform ordinary difficulties into spiritual gifts. Join your Cross to Christ's and help your good friends, the Holy Souls, reach heaven.
Why Help the Holy Souls?
They need our help
The Holy Souls cannot help themselves. They depend entirely on our prayers, sacrifices, and especially the Mass. Our smallest offering can relieve their suffering and hasten their entrance into heaven.
They become our powerful friends
Souls we help become our grateful intercessors. St. John Vianney said the Holy Souls have “great power with God.” They pray for us with extraordinary love and effectiveness.
It perfects our charity
The Heroic Act and devotion to the souls trains us in selfless love. We learn to give without counting the cost, trusting God’s generosity. This is the school of sanctity.
It's deeply Catholic
From the earliest Christians offering Mass for the dead, through centuries of saints teaching this devotion, helping the Holy Souls is woven into the fabric of our faith. It expresses our communion across death itself.
The way to love anything is to realise that it may be lost. Our friends in purgatory need us now—and will thank us forever.
Saints Who Loved the Holy Souls
Learn from those who developed their friendship with the Holy Souls.