From Saints to Souls: November 1 - 8 Plenary Indulgence

Susan Tassone is one of the foremost experts on the subject of purgatory.  She recently gave an interview to the National Catholic Register on the topic of praying for the souls in purgatory.  The link is here.

A couple of interesting quotes from the interview:

When we pray for the souls, we’ve got to remember we’re giving them paradise, the face of God, when we get them out sooner from purgatory. Our prayers are shortening this horrible suffering of being without God. They then show us their gratitude in the same proportion to their joy.

...we’re given this great power and privilege to release souls from purgatory. Only we are the deliverers. Christ turns to the Church militant. Heaven encourages us. For whatever reason, we’ve been given this great honor and privilege. We’re responsible to pray for our dead.

And from November 1 - 8, Holy Mother Church offers a plenary indulgence for those who visit a cemetery and apply it to a soul in purgatory.  (For more on this indulgence see this article by Danielle Bean - "Get Your Indulgences.")

For more on Susan Tassone's work to disseminate the need to pray for the dead, visit her website, SusanTassone.com.  She also recommends becoming a member of the Pious Union of St. Joseph through which Masses can be offered for the souls in purgatory.  Or, just contact your local Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which also collects contributions to be sent to the Missions for Mass stipends for your intentions. 

II Maccabees 12:43-46: "And making a gathering, he [Judas] sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."