Announcement
Calendar from 13 April – 5 May
Calendar for the Octave of Easter
Calendar for the 9th -17 March
The Sacred and Holy Triduum
The three holiest days will be celebrated at St. Mary’s as follows:
Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7:30pm
Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord 3pm
The Easter Vigil 7:30pm
Join us to worship the Lord according to the beautiful rites of the Church on these solemn occasions
Calendar for the 3rd Week of Lent 2-10 March
Calendar for the First Week of Lent 17-25 February
Calendar for the 6th Week of Ordinary Time and Going into Lent 10-18 February
5th Week of Ordinary Time Calendar 3rd-11th Feb
Encounter Group
Every Thursday at 6:30pm, all seeking to enquire about the Catholic Church are welcome at St. Mary’s to ask questions, discuss the Faith, and learn what the Church actually teaches.
This is primarily for those seeking baptism as adults, those with questions about the Catholic Faith, or those who have been away from Church for a long time.
Latin in the Mass
Vatican II demanded that we keep Latin in the Roman Rite as it is the language of the Church.
The three main places we do this is after the preface, after the peace and after the blessing.
After the preface we sing: sanctus sanctus sanctus dominus deus sabaoth, pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini hosanna in excelsis. Which means literally: holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts, full they are heaven and earth of your glory, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest.
You can see with just a little word order change how we got our English translation which is in our missal today.
After the peace we sing: Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem. Which means: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace.
After the blessing the Priest sings: Ite Missa Est (Go it is the dismissal). We respond: Deo Gratias (Thanks be to God).
These have been sung in Latin in our liturgy for over 1500 years. Let us not lose these treasures, which are easily understood in English, and let us keep just this little bit of Latin in our liturgies, as we keep the Greek Kyrie, to show our unity with the Church of all ages.
Mass Times Reminder
6pm Saturday Anticipatory Mass at St. John Bosco, Eyres Monsell
9am Sunday Morning at St. Edward’s, Aylestone, with Children’s liturgy
11am Sunday Morning at St. Mary’s, South Wigston, with Children’s liturgy during term time
Daily Masses are usually at 10am on Tuesday at St. John Bosco, Wednesday at St. Edward’s and Thursday at St. Mary’s. Time may change if there is a funeral Mass. Check the Calendar and Newsletter for updates to the schedule
Card Machine
You now have the ability to give to the Parish via card machine at both St. Mary’s and St. John Bosco. St. Edward’s will follow once the formalities of uniting the parishes is complete. Using the card machine is a very simple process, just tap the screen, tap the amount or enter the amount (if the amounts shown are not what you’d like to give) and then touch your card to the card reader or enter the card and your pin if over £100.
Ten ways we can pray for our deceased friends and relatives, and for all our brothers and sisters who have died in Christ.
- Pray the Novena to the Holy Souls by St. Alphonsus Liguori.
- Offer up your Holy Communions for the souls in purgatory.
- Have Masses said for your departed loved ones, especially on the anniversary of his or her death.
- Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the intention of the Holy Souls.
- Eucharistic Adoration: visit the Blessed Sacrament to make acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on behalf of those in purgatory.
- Sacrifices: practice small acts of self-denial throughout your day and offer these penances up for the poor souls.
- Give alms: The giving of material assistance to the poor has always been considered a penance that can be offered for the Holy Souls. “For almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin” (Tobit 12:9).
- Ask for the intercession of saints who were known to be great friends of the Holy Souls during their lifetime to join you in prayer for the faithful departed: St. Padre Pio, St. Philip Neri, St. Faustina, St. Joseph, Our Lady, and others.
- When passing by a cemetery: Pray the short Eternal Rest prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon them. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
- Pray to earn indulgences for the holy souls: On all the days from November 1 to November 8, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed (standard requirements for indulgences apply*). Partial indulgences are granted to those who recite Lauds or Vespers of the Office of the Dead, and to those who recite the prayer, “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace”.
Novena to the Holy Souls by St. Alphonsus Ligouri
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Pugatory
First Day:
Jesus, my Saviour I have so often deserved to be cast into hell how great would be my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that I myself had caused my damnation. I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance. Have pity on me and at the same time on those blessed souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below.
Second Day:
Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below.
Third Day:
My God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. And thou, Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below
Fourth Day:
My God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I am sorry with my whole heart for having offended Thee. I promise to die rather than ever offend Thee more. Give me holy perseverance; have pity on me, and have pity on those holy souls that burn in the cleansing fire and love Thee with all their hearts. O Mary, Mother of God, assist them by thy powerful prayers.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below:
Fifth Day:
Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O Lord, hadst cast me into hell; for from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. I love Thee above all things, O infinite God and I am sincerely sorry for having offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below
Sixth Day:
My Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O supreme God; and I am more grieved at my offences against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below.
Seventh Day:
God, Father of Mercy, satisfy this their ardent desire! Send them Thy holy Angel to announce to them that Thou, their Father, are now reconciled with them through the suffering and death of Jesus, and that the moment of their deliverance has arrived.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below.
Eighth Day:
Oh my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love and deserved to be cast by Thee into hell. But Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I will rather die than ever offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below.
Ninth Day:
My God! How was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou shown Thyself to me! Henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee; I promise rather to die than to again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin. Have compassion on the holy souls in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee. Mary, Mother of Mercy, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Saviour for the Holy Souls in Purgatory below:
Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemani, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them.
R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
(Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions here)
Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; I entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.
Donate to the work of our Churches
If you click on the two lines on the top left of the home page you will now find links to donate to our three Churches. Please help the mission of the Churches with a gift.
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 