Prayer for our departed loved ones & the poor souls

It's All Souls' Day.  

What's more important than visiting our departed loved ones in the cemetery is saying a prayer for their eternal rest, as well as praying for all the poor souls especially those who have long been forgotten.  Our prayers can help them reach heaven more quickly.  And even if we think our loved ones are in heaven already, our prayers are never wasted since they benefit other souls in need.   

My daily prayer for departed loved ones and poor souls is just short -

1 Lord’s Prayer,  1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be
Eternal rest grant unto them,  O Lord.  And let perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace. Amen.

But since it's All Souls' Day, I googled for special prayers for the Poor Souls and found a couple of beautiful prayers.

The first one is a Prayer by St. Gertrude, a Benedictine nun and mystic who lived in the 13th century. According to the article I read, God promised her that 1,000 souls would be released from purgatory each time it is said devoutly.  

Prayer of St. Gertrude for the Poor Souls

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy 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, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

The second one is a Prayer to Our Lady of Mt Carmel.  

Prayer to Our Lady of Mt Carmel for the Poor Souls
O Most holy Virgin, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, you are the joy of the Church Triumphant, and help of the Church Militant, and the comfort of the Church Suffering. Therefore, extend, we pray to you, your merciful glance on those numerous souls who suffer in the fires of Purgatory and free them, that they may be admitted to the beatific vision of God as soon as possible.

Remember, O Holy Virgin, to help especially those of my relatives, and those who are most abandoned and devoid of help. O most merciful Virgin, pour the merits of the precious blood of Jesus on the elect brides of Jesus Christ until they are comforted in the Heavenly glories.

And you, Holy Souls, O elect souls, who can do so much through your prayers to God for us, intercede, therefore, for us and free us from the dangers of body and soul. Protect our families until we have all been granted admission to eternal happiness. Amen.

Hope you can spend some time to pray for the poor souls in purgatory. Though they cannot pray for themselves, they can intercede for us. And hopefully, when it's time we need prayers, someone will say these prayers for us too. :)