Catholic Prayers for the Dead: Praying for Loved Ones in November
Praying for those who have died is one of the oldest Catholic traditions. We believe that love does not end at death, and that our prayers can still help the souls of those we have lost. The Church dedicates the whole month of November to the Holy Souls, beginning with All Saints' Day on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2.
Here are the traditional prayers Catholics pray for the dead, and a few simple ways to remember your loved ones.
Eternal Rest (Requiem Aeternam)
The best-known Catholic prayer for the dead is short enough to pray every day, at the grave, before a photograph or at the end of the Rosary:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
You can pray it for one person by changing the words: "Eternal rest grant unto him (or her), O Lord."
The De Profundis (Psalm 130)
Psalm 130 has been prayed for the dead for centuries. It begins:
"Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications."
It is a prayer of trust: whatever our sorrow, we wait for the Lord, "for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption."
The Prayer of St. Gertrude
This short prayer, traditionally associated with St. Gertrude the Great, is prayed for the souls in purgatory:
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
Ways to remember your loved ones in November
- Visit the cemetery. In the first days of November, many Catholics visit the graves of family members to pray. The Church especially encourages this between November 1 and 8.
- Have a Mass offered. Ask your parish to offer a Mass for someone who has died. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give them.
- Keep a Book of the Dead. Many parishes place a book near the altar in November where you can write the names of loved ones to be remembered at every Mass. You can do the same at home.
- Make a remembrance corner. Place a photo, a candle and a holy card on a small table, and pray the Eternal Rest prayer there each evening of November.
A prayer card to keep them close
A holy card is a quiet way to remember someone and to keep praying for them. Our Our Lady of Consolation prayer card carries a prayer of complete trust in Mary's motherly heart, and the Our Lady of Perpetual Help card asks for her help as "the salvation of the dying." Many families also order sets of 25 to 100 cards to share at a funeral or memorial Mass.
Grief takes time. Praying for those we love is one of the ways we keep loving them, and a reminder that, in Christ, death does not have the last word.
