Dear Editor: Many parishes within New Jersey have been able to share in the pilgrimage of the Our Lady of Fatima statue. While at a local church during a visitation, I noticed a table displaying rosaries and inspirational material. Among the items was a card that presented a prayer for the souls in Purgatory. This was a sad reminder that Catholics seem to have drifted away from devotions directed toward the poor souls, and many even question whether Purgatory even exists.

We can take it directly from Our Lady that Purgatory and Hell do exist. Please recall that Lucia asked Our Lady whether one of her friends will be in heaven. Our Lady responded that her friend will, but that she must be in Purgatory for a very long time.

Can there be any higher human testimony than words directly spoken by Mary? So, since it exists, we can assume that many of our friends and relatives from ages past need our prayers, as we will someday.

The prayer on the card that I noticed is from the promise of Jesus made to St. Gertrude, that He would free many souls each time this prayer was repeated:

“Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Blood of your divine son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, for those in my own home and within my family! Amen!”

We ourselves may someday benefit from someone repeating this prayer, especially after reciting the rosary.

ADOLF SCHIMPF

Hanover Township, N.J.