Why Padre Pio Always Remembered the Holy Souls Suffering

Padre Pio told this story to padre Anastasio. “One evening, while I was alone in choir to pray, I heard the rustle of a suit and I saw a young monk that stirred next to the High altar. It seemed that the young monk was dusting the candelabra and straightening the flower vases. I thought he was Padre Leone rearranging the altar, and, since it was supper time, I went to him and I told him: “Padre Leone, go to dine, this is not the time to dust and to straighten the altar”. But a voice, that was not Father Leone’s answered me”: “I am not Padre Leone”, “and who are you? “, I asked him. “I am a brother of yours that made the noviciate here. I was ordered to clean the altar during the year of the noviciate. Unfortunately many times I didn’t reverence Jesus while passing in front of the altar, thus causing the Holy Sacrament that was preserved in the tabernacle to be disrespected. For this serious carelessness, I am still in Purgatory. Now, God, with his endless goodness, sent me here so that you may quicken the time I will enjoy Paradise. Take care of me.” I believed to be generous to that suffering soul, so I exclaimed: “you will be in Paradise tomorrow morning, when I will celebrate Holy Mass”. That soul cried: “Cruel!” Then he wept and disappeared. That complaint produced in me a wound to the heart that I have felt and I will feel my whole life. In fact I would have been able to immediately send that soul to Heaven but I condemned him to remain another night in the flames of Purgatory.”
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The Fifty Times Prayer for and to the Holy Souls in Purgatory
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Grant them eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon them.
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50 times
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Then say:
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O Most Holy Wounds that caused our Lord so much suffering, have mercy on the Poor Souls in Purgatory, and have mercy on me, a wretched sinner.
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50 times
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O Holy Souls who left this world and are awaited eagerly in Heaven, have mercy on me. [Ask for all the graces you need.]
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This last invocation may be said but once each time you pray the devotion. Some choose to say it 50 times as well.

This prayer was given to the Web Master by a devout Third Order Franciscan patron of and on behalf of the Poor Souls.