HAVING MASSES SAID IS THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL GIFT WE HAVE TO RELEASE THE HOLY SOULS FROM PURGATORY

“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” (2 Mac 12:46)

THEIR GRATITUDE IS LIMITLESS AND DO NOT FAIL TO RETURN BLESSINGS AND THE HOLY SOULS WILL NOT ABANDON US IN OUR LAST BATTLE OR AFTER OUR DEATH
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THE PAINS OF PURGATORY
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Venerable Stanislaus Chocosca, of the Order of St. Dominic in Poland known for his great charity for the departed, was reciting his rosary, he saw appear near him a soul all enveloped in flames. As she besought him to have pity on her, and to alleviate the intolerable sufferings which the fire of Divine Justice caused her to endure, the holy man asked her if this fire was more painful than that of earth? “Ah ! “she cried, “ all the fires of earth compared to that of Purgatory are like a refreshing breeze Stanislaus could scarcely believe it. I wish “he said, to have a proof. If God will permit, for your relief, and for the good of my soul, I consent to suffer a part of your pains. Alas! you could not do this. Know that no human being could endure such torment and live. However, God will permit you to feel it in a light degree. Stretch forth your hand. Chocosca extended his hand, and the departed let fall a drop of sweat, or at least of a liquid which resembled it.
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At the same instant the Religious uttered a piercing cry and fell fainting to the ground, so frightfully intense was the pain. His brethren ran to the spot and hastened to give him the assistance which his condition required. When restored to consciousness, he related the terrible event which had occurred, and of which they had a visible proof. Ah ! my dear Fathers, he continued, if we knew the severity of the Divine chastisements, we should never commit sin, nor should we cease to do penance in this life, in order to avoid expiation in the next.Stanislaus was confined to his bed from that moment no longer able to get up. He lived one more year the Holy wound from Purgatory finally taking his Holy Soul
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O my dear Mother, how terrible are the pains of Purgatory! Never could I have believed it, had not God manifested it to me.
(Saint Magdalene de Pazzi After Her Vision of Purgatory)
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St. Francis de Sales.
Alas ! said this pious doctor of the Church, we do not sufficiently remember our dear departed ; their memory seems to perish with the sound of the funeral-bells. The principal causes of this are ignorance and lack of faith ; our notions on the subject of Purgatory are too vague, our faith is too feeble. In order, then, that our ideas may become more distinct and our faith enlivened, we must take a closer view of this life beyond the tomb, this intermediate state of the just souls, not yet worthy to enter the Heavenly Jerusalem.
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St. Thomas of Aquinas, the Prince of Theologians, says that the fire of Purgatory is equal in intensity of the fire of Hell, and that the slightest contact with it is more dreadful than all the possible sufferings of this Earth.
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St. Augustine, the greatest of the Holy Doctors, teaches that to be purified of their faults prior to being admitted to Heaven, souls after death are subjected to a fire more penetrating, more dreadful than anything we can see, or feel, or conceive in this life. “Though this fire is destined to cleanse and purify the souls”, adds the Holy Doctor, “still it is more acute than anything we can possibly endure on Earth.”
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St. Cyril of Alexandria does not hesitate to say: “that it would be preferable to suffer all the possible formats of Earth until Judgment day, than pass one day in Purgatory.”
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St. Pio “Our fire, in comparison with the fire of Purgatory is a refreshing breeze.”
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HOW WILL GID JUDGE THOSE WHO ARE INDIFFERENT TO THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY?
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The Gospel of St Matthew (25:34-46) the words that Christ will address to the just on the Judgment day.
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34 Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
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35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took Me in.
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36 Naked, and you covered Me: sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me.
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37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee to drink?
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38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee?
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39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee?
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40 And the king (God) answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to Me.
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41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on His left hand: depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
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42 For I was hungry, and you gave Me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me not to drink.
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43 I was a stranger, and you took Me not in: naked, and you covered Me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.
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44 Then they also shall answer him saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?
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45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these, neither did you do it to Me.
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46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.
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St Antonius and His Friend
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St Antonius, the illustrious Archbishop of Florence, relates that a pious gentleman and a great friend of the Dominican Convent in which the Saint resided, died. Many Masses and suffrages were offered for his soul.
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The soul of the gentleman appeared to him
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The Saint was very much afflicted when, after a lapse of a very long time, the soul of the poor gentleman appeared to him, suffering excruciating pains.
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“Oh my dear friend,” exclaimed the Archbishop, “are you still in Purgatory, you who led such a pious and devout life?”
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“Yes, and I shall remain there still for a long time,” replied the poor sufferer, “for when on Earth, I neglected to offer suffrages for the souls in Purgatory. Now God by a just judgement, has applied those suffrages which have been offered for me to those souls for whom I should have prayed.”
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“But God, too, in his justice will give me all the merits of my good works when I enter Heaven, but first of all I have to expiate my grave neglect in regard to others.”
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HOW THE HOLY SOULS REPAY US FOR OUR HELP
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Blessed John of Massias, the Dominican lay brother, had a wonderful devotion to the souls in Purgatory. He was told that he obtained by his prayers, (chiefly by the recitation of the Rosary), the liberation of one million four hundred thousand souls! In return they obtained for him the most abundant and extraordinary graces and came at the hour of his death to help and console him and accompany him to heaven. This fact is so certain that it is inserted by the Church in the Bull of his Beatification.
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The learned Cardinal Baronius recounts a similar incident.
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He was himself called to assist a dying gentleman. Suddenly a host of blessed spirits appeared in the chamber of death, consoled the dying man and chased away the devils who sought by a last desperate effort to compass his ruin. When asked who they were they made answer that they were eight thousand souls whom he had released from Purgatory by his prayers and good works. They were sent by God, so they said, to take him to Heaven without his passing one moment in Purgatory.
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SAINT GERTRUDE IS REWARDED FOR HER DEVOTION TO THE HOLY SOULS
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St Gertrude was fiercely tempted by the devil when she came to die. The evil spirit reserves a dangerous and subtle temptation for our last moments. As he could find no other ruse sufficiently clever with which to assail the Saint, he thought to disturb her beautiful peace of soul by suggesting that she would surely remain long years in Purgatory since, he reminded her, she had made over long ago all her suffrages to other souls. Our Blessed Lord, not content with sending His Angels and the thousands of souls she had released, to assist her, came Himself in person to drive Satan away and comfort His dear Saint. He told her that in exchange for all she had done for the Holy Souls He would take her straight to Heaven and would multiply a hundredfold all her merits.
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THE HOLY SOULS WILL PROTECT US FROM PHYSICAL DANGER
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An adventure in the Appenines
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A group of priests were called to Rome to treat a grave business matter. They were bearers of important documents and a large sum of money was entrusted to them for the Holy Father. Aware that the Appenines, over which they had to pass, were infested by daring bandits, they chose a trusty driver. There was no tunnel through the mountains nor train in those days.
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They placed themselves under the protection of the Holy Souls and decided to say profundis De profundis every hour for them.
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When right in the heart of the mountains, the driver gave the alarm and, at the same time, lashed the horses into a furious gallop. Looking around, the priests saw fierce bandits at each side of the road with fixed rifles ready to fire. They were amazed that no shot rang out. They were completely at the mercy of the bandits.
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After an hour’s headlong flight the driver stopped and, looking at the Priests, said: “I cannot understand how we escaped. These desperadoes never spare anyone.”
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The Fathers were convinced that they owed their safety to the Holy Souls, a fact that was afterwards confirmed beyond doubt.
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When their business was concluded in Rome, one of their number was detained in the Eternal City, where he was appointed chaplain to a Prison. Not long after, one of the fiercest brigands in Italy was captured, condemned to death for a long series of murders and awaited execution in the prison. Anxious to gain his confidence, the Chaplain told him of several adventures he himself had had and, finally, of his recent escape in the Appenines.
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The criminal manifested the greatest interest in the story. When it was ended, he exclaimed: “I was the leader of that band. We thought that you had money and we determined to rob and murder you. An invisible force prevented each and all of us from firing, as we assuredly would have done had we been able.”
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The chaplain then told him of how they had placed themselves under the protection of the Holy Souls and that they ascribed their deliverance to their protection.
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The bandit found no difficulty in believing it. In fact, it made his conversion more easy. He died full of repentance.
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An escape from Brigands
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Father Louis Mamaci, zealous Missionary, had great devotion to the Souls in Purgatory. He found himself obliged to set out on a dangerous journey but confidently asked the Holy Souls to protect him in the dangers that he was likely to meet with. His road lay through a vast desert which he knew to be infested by brigands.
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Whilst plodding along, saying the Rosary for the Holy Souls…
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Whilst plodding along, saying the Rosary for the Holy Souls, what was not his surprise, on looking round, to find himself surrounded as by a bodyguard of blessed spirits. Soon he discovered the reason. He had fallen int
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The Fifteen Promises of Mary Granted to those who Recite the Rosary Daily
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The Blessed Virgin Mary Promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that “Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted.” She left for all Christians Fifteen Promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary.
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Imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche
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1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
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2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
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3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
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4.The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
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5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
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6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
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7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
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8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
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9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
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10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
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11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
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12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
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13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
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14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.
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15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
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Don’t let anyone tell you that praying the Rosary is “meaningless repetition” (when we don’t pray it, we don’t know it, anyway, and how could we?). If you ever feel the temptation to stop, because it feels “tedious,” that’s when you keep going, if only because love is not a feeling, but an act of the will. Take your time; praying it effectively and loving it is gradually learned. And the appetite does come with the meal. Turn “tedium” into persistence.
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The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.” -Saint Padre Pio
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“Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.” – Blessed Pope Pius IX
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“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.” – Saint Francis de Sales
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“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.” -St. Padre Pio
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“Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!” -St. Padre Pio
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The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.” -St. Josemaria Escriva
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“Say the Holy Rosary. Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary’s which purifies the monotony of your sins!” -St. Josemaria Escriva
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“For those who use their intelligence and their study as a weapon, the Rosary is most effective. Because that apparently monotonous way of beseeching Our Lady as children do their Mother, can destroy every seed of vainglory and pride.” – St. Josemaria Escriva
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“You always leave the Rosary for later, and you end up not saying it at all because you are sleepy. If there is no other time, say it in the street without letting anybody notice it. It will, moreover, help you to have presence of God.” – St. Josemaria Escriva
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“The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” – Pope Pius XI
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“The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.” – Archbishop Fulton Sheen
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““The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.” Pope Leo XIII
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“No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary: either they will give up sin or they will give up the Rosary” – Bishop Hugh Doyle
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“The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” -Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima
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“The Rosary is a long chain that links heaven and earth. One end of it is in our hands and the other end is in the hands of the Holy Virgin…The Rosary prayer rises like incense to the feet of the Almighty. Mary responds at once like a beneficial dew, bringing new life to human hearts.”
St. Therese of Lisieux
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“When people love and recite the Rosary they find it makes them better.” -St. Anthony Mary Claret
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The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God…and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.~Pope Saint Pius X
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When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.~Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche
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One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world.~Saint Dominic
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Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul,IF YOU SAY THE HOLY ROSARY devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins-Saint Louis de Montfort
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“When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.” – Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche
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Even if You Pray the Rosary for Years and See No Improvement Spiritually, Do Not Give Up. Mary and Jesus Will Always Come to Your Aide.
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Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes, D.D. Archbishop of New York