Prayer to Avoid Purgatory

Saint Joseph Cafasso's Prayer to Avoid Purgatory

O my sweet Jesus, in addition to the many graces which Thou hast conferred on me in the course of my life, I ask Thee for this further one: When my soul shall have departed from this world, not only that it not be condemned to Hell, but that it shall not be compelled to remain away from Thee for even a moment in Purgatory. It is true that I am a debtor to Divine Justice, but I hope to pay all my debts from the infinite merits of Thy Passion and Death. O Heaven, holy city of my God, my dear native land! Oh, how I sigh for thee! Oh happy day when I shall reach thee! O Heaven, my dear Heaven, come quickly and satisfy the desires of a wretched heart that sighs for thee!

My God, I accept whatever kind of death it may please Thee to send me, with all the terrors, all the pains, all the sufferings that shall justly accompany it. Finally, I pray Thee to accept the destruction of my body as the last act of homage that I can offer to Thy Supreme Divine Majesty, in satisfaction for the offenses committed in the course of my life.

O Mary, I ask thee for one more grace: Obtain from thy Divine Son that I may die, but that I may die with thee, and that I may fly to Heaven along with thee. O merciful Mother, grant that when my soul is liberated from this wretched body I may go immediately to find thee in Heaven, there to commence that life which will be my occupation for all eternity.

Requiem aeternam dona mihi, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat mihi. Requiescam in pace.*

~ Prayer of Saint Joseph Cafasso: From The Life of St Joseph Cafasso by St John Bosco

*The Familiar prayer (in the third person) for the Faithful Departed, "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May they rest in peace," St Joseph Cafasso has here transposed into the first person singular, i.e., for himself: "Eternal rest grant unto me, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon me. May I rest in peace."