Saint Padre Pio, “Pray unceasingly. We must empty purgatory.”
In His mercy, God allows us to always pray for the souls in purgatory, but above all to do so on All Souls’ Day. The practice of remembering the faithful departed at the altar was already widespread in the early Church. Saint Monica, when on her deathbed in Ostia, made this request of her Son, Augustine, “Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask of you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be” (Confessions IX, 11).
God has given us the power and privilege to help deliver the holy souls from purgatory. Whereas His justice demands expiation of sins, God places in our hands the means of assisting those holy souls, though they cannot help themselves to be freed from the temporal punishment due to an undue attachment to sin, so as to be purified for entrance into heavenly life. In the encyclical Spe Salvi – Saved in Hope, the late Pope Benedict XIV offered these encouraging words about praying for our loved ones who have died, “…my prayer for another is not something extraneous to that person, something external, not even after death. In the interconnectedness of Being, my gratitude to the other—my prayer for him—can play a small part in his purification. And for that there is no need to convert earthly time into God’s time: In the communion of souls simple terrestrial time is superseded. It is never too late to touch the heart of another, nor is it ever in vain” (Spe Salvi, n. 48).
Partial or Plenary Indulgence for Cemetery Visit
Indulgences are not to be understood as spiritual discounts; instead, they are aids to a deeper conversion of heart and meant for the spiritual perfection of those who undertake them. Indulgences, as spiritual activities, are an encouragement to engage in charitable works for others. While the Church offers a partial indulgence for a cemetery visit all year round, from November 1 through November 8, the indulgence for such a visit becomes plenary or total, though its merits are only applicable to the souls in purgatory and not personal. As plenary indulgence, it remits all the punishment due to sin so that by simply complying with the requirements of the indulgence, one suffering soul in purgatory can obtain entrance into heaven.
Requirements for Obtaining the Indulgence
Besides visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead, to obtain the plenary indulgence for a soul in purgatory, from November 1-8, you must receive Communion, go to sacramental Confession, and disavow any attachment to sin—even venial sin. Communion must be received on the day you want to gain the indulgence. While the requirement to receive remains, the other requirements have been relaxed so, now, Confession & Communion can take place up to twenty days before or after the indulgenced act.
While a good prayer to recite in order to earn the indulgence is Eternal Rest grant unto him/her, any formal or informal prayer for the dead will suffice. As with all plenary indulgences, you also have to pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (e.g., one Our Father and one Hail Mary) each day you engage in the indulgenced work.
Eternal rest grant to him/her, O Lord. May he/she rest in peace.
May his/her soul and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Nature and dignity 