THE WAY OF THE CROSS

for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

***
It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may
be loosed from sins. - 2 Mach. 12:!
"he #ay of the $ross represents the sorrowful %ourney that &esus $hrist
made with the cross to die on $al'ary. "he church teaches that the (ouls
in )urgatory undergo a process of purification that must include
suffering. *y praying and ma+ing sacrifices for the ,oly (ouls, you
ha'e the mar'elous power and pri'ilege to relie'e their pain. In return,
their gratitude will bring you countless blessings. May a stream of mercy
flow from you to the ,oly (ouls in )urgatory.
-. -$" /0 $/."1I"I/.
My &esus2 I lo'e you abo'e all things. I hate and detest all my sins,
because by them I ha'e offended you. "he holy indulgences, the fruits
and merits of this de'otion I intend to gain for the souls in )urgatory, in
particular for those who in life were near and dear to me, and also for
those for whom I am, in a special way, obliged to pray.
/ Mary, my merciful Mother and the Mother of the poor souls in
)urgatory accompany me, by your intercession, on this %ourney.
Before every station:
3. #e adore you, / $hrist, and we bless you.
1. *ecause by your holy cross, you ha'e redeemed the world.

THE FIRST STATION
Jesus is Condemned to Death
/ my innocent &esus, to free me from eternal death, you allowed
yourself to be condemned by a pagan %udge to the death of the cross.
4i'e me a hatred for sin and the grace to li'e that I may one day obtain
from you a merciful sentence. "he poor souls in )urgatory ha'e already
been %udged. "hrough your mercy they ha'e escaped hell, yet on account
of their sins your %ustice has condemned them to the fire of )urgatory. /
most merciful &esus ha'e pity on them. 1e'o+e the sentence of their
e5ile and open to them the gates of hea'en.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

THE SECOND STATION
Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross
/ holy cross, you are the tree of life, the gate of hea'en, our sal'ation
and our only hope. *e my sal'ation at the hour of death. / &esus, be
mindful of your ser'ants who ha'e departed this life with this sign of
faith. 0ree them by the 'ictorious power of your cross, with which you
ha'e con9uered death. 7ead them into eternal life and happiness.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

THE THIRD STATION
Jesus Falls for the First Time Under His Cross
"hrough your wea+ness under the cross and the merits of this first fall,
grant me perse'erance in my good resolutions that I may always wal+
faithfully in your holy ways. "he souls in )urgatory now suffer because
they neglected and abused your graces in this life. "hey now reali:e that
no sin-stained soul can see 4od. ,a'e mercy, therefore, on them and
cleanse them from all sin. "hrough the intercession of your sorrowful
Mother, deli'er them from )urgatory.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

THE FORTH STATION
Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother
/ ,eart of Mary2 / heart of &esus2 I offer my life for my sins. May the
sweet names of &esus and Mary be on my lips and in my heart at the
hour of my death. ;/ sweetest heart of &esus, we implore that we may
lo'e you more and more. (weet ,eart of Mary, be our sal'ation.
Mother most sorrowful, merciful 9ueen of the ,oly (ouls, into your
hands I place my few merits and implore you to unite them with the
infinite merits of your (on. /ffer them to the eternal 4odhead for those
souls who are bound to me by ties of relationship.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE FIFTH STATION
The Cyrenian Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross
/ my &esus, I accept the cross, I embrace it. 7et me help you to carry
your cross, by being patient in all trials that may assail me. ,ow many
souls in )urgatory now regret their past impatience2 *ut you, / 7ord, be
generous with them and remit that which still remains to be e5piated.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE SIXTH STATION
Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
7ord, &esus $hrist, you who ha'e left on 3eronica<s 'eil the impress of
your blood= stained countenance, grant that the memory of your bitter
passion and death may e'er remain impressed on my soul. ,a'e pity on
the poor souls, made to your image and li+eness and redeemed by your
Most )recious *lood. 0ree them from all sin that they may enter hea'en,
to see you face to face fore'er and e'er.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE SEVENTH STATION
Jesus Falls the Second Time
My sins ha'e made your cross hea'y, / &esus. I detest them and firmly
resol'e to amend my life.
.e'er permit me to separate myself from you again. ,a'e mercy, /
&esus, on those souls who now suffer the pains of )urgatory for mortal
sins committed in this life. / clement ,eart of &esus, ha'e compassion
on them.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

THE EIGHTH STATION
Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem
Most compassionate heart of &esus2 My &esus, who said to the holy
women: #eep not o'er me, but weep for yoursel'es and for your
children, ma+e me weep for the ingratitude, which I ha'e returned for
your lo'e. I wish to ma+e amends in this life for my sins, that I may
obtain pardon of them in the ne5t. 4rant me a tender lo'e for the souls
in )urgatory, especially for the souls of my relati'es. In the future I
promise to do what I ha'e neglected through my forgetfulness and
hardness of heart.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE NINTH STATION
Jesus Falls the Third Time
"hrough this most painful fail, / &esus, I as+ you to deli'er me from an
unhappy death, which would plunge me into hell. 0rom the power of the
enemy deli'er my immortal soul, and ma+e me li'e and die in your
grace. 7oo+ with mercy upon the poor souls doing penance in )urgatory.
#ith tears and prayers they see+ your help and mercy. ,ear their prayers
and lead them out of that place of punishment into the blessed peace of
hea'en, there to en%oy fore'er the splendor of your glory.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

THE TENTH STATION
Jesus is Stripped of His arments
My most blessed 1edeemer, stripped of your garments for lo'e of me,
grant me holy modesty and purity. >eli'er me from all dangerous
inclinations to created things: ma+e me die to e'erything of this world,
that at death separation from all earthly things may be easy. /f what
benefit now are wealth and the pleasures of this world to the souls in
)urgatory? "heir bodies they had to lea'e to worms, and their wealth to
heirs@ only their wor+s ha'e followed them, the good to be rewarded, the
e'il to be punished. / 7ord, put an end to their suffering, do nor +eep
them any longer from the heredity of the saints, but pardon them and
admit them into the realm of eternal bliss and happiness.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

THE ELEVENTH STATION
Jesus is !ailed to the Cross
My most innocent &esus, nailed to the cross for my sins, I beseech you,
through the merits of your horrible suffering, to come to my aid in my
last sic+ness and agony. 4rant me the grace to recei'e in time your most
holy (acraments. $ome to me then, / most ,oly 3iaticum, and pour
upon my soul the patience of your Most (acred ,eart2 -nd you, / Mary
my Mother, console me in that hour and ma+e sweet my sufferings,
through the sorrow that pierced your heart at the crucifi5ion. 7amb of
4od, ha'e mercy on the souls in )urgatory, whose sufferings are greater
than those the sic+ and dying. (pare them this agony, and through the
merits of your passion admit them into eternal dwellings.
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE TWELFTH STATION
Jesus Dies "n the Cross
"hrough your three hours< agony on the cross, grant me, / &esus, a
happy death. "a+e me when I am best prepared. In that hour fill my soul
with holy sentiments of faith, hope and charity. 4rant me true and
perfect contrition for my sins and the grace to accept with $hristian
resignation my death with all its pains and sufferings. May I lea'e this
world in'o+ing your most ,oly .ame. Mary Mother of (orrows, refuge
of the dying, be near me in my last agony. 1emember, / most lo'ing
&esus, the poor souls with that lo'e with which you did gi'e comfort to
the good thief: "his day you shall be with me in )aradise. $all these
souls into the +ingdom of your glory, that they may praise you together
with all the angels and saints fore'er and e'er.
/ur 0atherA.,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE THIRTEENTH STATION
Jesus is Ta#en Do$n from the Cross
&esus, you whose soul did descend to the dead to announce peace to the
%ust of the /ld "estament, descend now amongst the poor souls who
yearn for you@ free them from the chains of their sla'ery and grant them
the liberty of true children of 4od2 / Mary, my Mother, may I, li+e
&esus, be placed in your arms at my departure from this world. *e with
me at the tribunal of the >i'ine &udge that through your intercession, I
may obtain a fa'orable sentence. (weet ,eart of Mary be my sal'ation2
/ur 0ather. ,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
THE FOURTEENTH STATION
Jesus is %aid in the Tom&
&esus, through the merits of your bitter passion and death and through
your glorious 1esurrection, I beseech you, ha'e compassion on the poor
souls and grant them a happy and glorious admission into hea'en. 7et
them enter into that peace so long desired@ let them contemplate the
splendor of the *eatific 3ision@ let them bless eternally your mercy.
(weet ,eart of Mary, be my sal'ation, when I myself shall be
condemned to that place of torture, when my body will be in the cold
earth and my soul in the fire of )urgatory. Most lo'ing Mother, on that
day sa'e your child. *ring me 9uic+ relief and through your merits
deli'er me from the flames, that I may than+ you in hea'en, and with
you and all the saints, adore and lo'e &esus, your belo'ed (on, who with
the 0ather and the ,oly (pirit li'es and reigns, true 4od, fore'er and
e'er. -men.
/ur 0atherA,ail Mary. 6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord 8
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
CLOSING PRAYER
My crucified 1edeemer, I offer you this de'out e5ercise, which by your
grace, I ha'e %ust finished. 4rant that the precious fruits of your death on
the cross be not lost either for me or for the souls in )urgatory. Mary,
Mother of (orrows, place my petitions in the ,eart of your belo'ed (on,
so that I may be admitted into the +ingdom of grace, there together with
my dear ones, both li'ing and dead, to be blessed eternally. / 4entlest
,eart of &esus, e'er present in the *lessed (acrament, e'er consumed
with burning lo'e for the poor capti'e souls in )urgatory, ha'e mercy on
them. *e not se'ere in your %udgments, but let some drops of your
)recious *lood fall upon the de'ouring flames, and do you / merciful
(a'ior, send your angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light
and peace. -men.
6ternal rest grant unto them, / 7ord=
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
(acred ,eart of &esus, ha'e mercy on them.