# Prayer to St. Rita for the Souls in Purgatory
*2023-06-21*

> Bill and John lead a prayer session invoking St. Rita’s intercession for souls in purgatory, followed by a Divine Mercy chaplet and a litany of Divine Mercy.

## Opening and Thanks

Bill welcomes listeners to Prayer and Lunch and thanks Fr. Jeff McCormick for the 40th‑anniversary celebration at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. He mentions a recent testimony about how prayer and the rosary helped a friend’s mother gain extra years of life, thanking God for that gift.

## Prayer to St. Rita

Bill invites listeners to pray with St. Rita, “the patron of impossible cases.”

"St. Rita, you intercede for us before the throne of God. Free our hearts from anxiety, grant peace to our spirits, and obtain for us the grace to persevere in faith. We especially pray for the souls in purgatory, that they may be released from fire and enter the joy of heaven. Through your prayers, may God’s mercy be poured upon them. Amen."

Bill also asks John to join in, and they together ask St. Rita’s aid for themselves and for all who struggle in their spiritual lives.

## Divine Mercy Chaplet

The hosts recite the opening prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

"Eternal God, who desires to pour out mercy on all, we invoke you on behalf of the souls of your servants who have left this world. May the holy angels conduct them to paradise, their true home. May those who believe in you and hope in you be freed from the fire of purgatory and receive eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord, in the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen."

They follow with the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed, then continue the chaplet, invoking the blood and water that flowed from the heart of Jesus as the source of mercy.

## Litany of Divine Mercy

John leads a litany based on the words of Jesus to St. Faustina:

"Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, mystery of the Holy Trinity, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, source of all life and happiness, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, present in the sacraments, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, companion at the hour of death, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, shield in the fire of hell, I trust in you.\nDivine Mercy, hope for the suffering, I trust in you."

They repeat the refrain, “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” three times.

## Closing Prayer and Recommendations

Bill concludes with a prayer asking the Father to look mercifully upon the souls suffering in purgatory, invoking the sorrowful passion of Christ and the blood and water that flow from His heart to extinguish the flames of purgatory.

He also recommends a Marian book, *For the Love of Mary* by Fr. Daniel Maria, noting its value for anyone who wishes to deepen devotion to the Mother of God.

*St. Rita’s intercession, combined with the mercy of Christ, can bring relief to souls in purgatory and strengthen our own hope in God’s endless compassion.*