Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (Fr. Z) just posted today (HERE) that he has “had a pressing and strong presentiment of foreboding …”

Motus in fine velocior.  Our faith in the indefectibility of the Church is soon going to be tested and good people will legitimately choose different sides.  I am neither an alarmist nor a conspiracy theory cook, but these people are evil.  …  It’s going to get SO much worse before it gets better.  Brace yourselves and cling to your beads, catechism, Breviary and Mass.

This blog post by Fr. Z came just as I was writing this post below. I have experienced a similar angst about what lies ahead, and I had already determined that I was going to enter a period of strict fasting and prayer, as I keep central this “essential devotion” I describe below. I urge you to join me.

What God Revealed To Me

Back in 2009, my good friend, Eddie Cotter (Founder of the Dead Theologians Society), encouraged me to invite a fascinating woman to come and speak in my parish. We did invite her, and over the past eight years, since this event, the most incredible “Divine Activity” was unleashed. From that point on, God seemed to present to me mission after mission, as He greatly blessed each one. God was teaching me.

Since this astounding release of “Divine Activity,” I have authored five books, created the “original” Combat Rosary (that is now the official Rosary of the Pontifical Swiss Guard), started this teaching blog – Roman Catholic Man (recently ranked 30th in the world among Catholic websites and blogs), teamed up with Cardinal Burke to form the Holy League, became the State Chaplain for the Wisconsin Knights of Columbus, led over 40,000 people in the 54-Day Novena for Our Nation and Nineveh 90, completely transformed my parish by recovering a sense of the sacred/supernatural (ad orientem, Communion rail, etc.), and my parish now has a regular Sunday Traditional Latin Mass.

Allow me to explain why I firmly believe this release of “Divine Activity” occurred …

The woman we invited in 2009 was Susan Tassone. Susan had just written a book entitled, “Praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.” I listened intently as Susan explained how there is a divine strength and power available to all of us when we obediently tap into the way God has always intended us to advance in building the Kingdom of God.

And, so here is the secret: We were never intended to advance alone. In other words, God has set up a “force to be reckoned with” in the Communion of Saints who were meant to assist each other: Church Militant (souls living on earth), Church Penitent (souls being prepared in Purgatory), Church Triumphant (souls in Heaven).

The reason I refer to this as a “secret” is because, even if many are aware of this devotion of praying with and for the Communion of Saints, very few see it as more than “just another devotion among many,” instead of an essential element in God’s plan for salvation. I was in the same place until I took this devotion seriously and witnessed the almost inconceivable “Divine Activity” it ushered in.

By the grace of God, I stood up and took notice when I listened to Susan Tassone and read her book. In fact, this led me to make this “essential devotion” a central feature in my book entitled, “Church Militant Field Manual.”

How it Works

The concept of this devotion is really very simple. Yes, we were not meant to advance alone. God set up a system to make sure we rely on each other.

1. The Souls in Purgatory cannot pray for themselves … they need us to pray for them to mitigate their time in Purgatory. We can gain partial or plenary indulgences for them. Once we extend the loving gesture of mitigating their time in Purgatory, these souls, in great gratitude, then pray for us. It is as though we “activate” the relationship by our loving gesture. So, in that sense, I have recruited the Holy Soul in Purgatory, who becomes part of my “Holy Alliance.”
2. The Saints in Heaven are powerful prayer warriors, as they are close to God. But, we cannot take them for granted. God wants us to engage them, especially asking them to join us to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Once we ask for that intercession it is, again, as though we “activate” our relationship with them. They too are grateful that we called upon them to join in this generous act of alleviating the time the Holy Souls spend in Purgatory. So, in that sense, I have recruited the Saint in Heaven, who becomes part of my “Holy Alliance.”
3. Now that I have obedient followed God’s plan of joining forces with a Holy Soul in Purgatory and a Saint in Heaven, my “force of one” (me) has now tripled in strength (Force of Three) … Me, the soul in Purgatory I prayed for, and the Saint I asked for intercession. The next day I practiced this devotion, I added another Holy Soul and Saint to my Holy Alliance, and I became a “Force of Five.” And so forth and so on.

I detail how this devotion works in this article entitled, “Spiritual Strength Training.” I strongly urge you to read it and join me in gaining a “Plenary Indulgence a Day” for a Holy Soul, as you and I grow our Holy Alliance, and unleash “Divine Activity” in our lives. You see? Now when you stand before the Throne of God, seeking an answer to your prayer or blessing for your mission(s), you now do so with your “Holy Alliance” at your six (standing supportively behind you). WOW!!!

November is dedicated to the Holy Souls, so this is a perfect time to become dedicated to this “Essential Devotion” that unleashes “Divine Activity” in our lives.

I also highly recommend a book released just today (God-incident) by my friend, Donna Sue Berry. It is only 39 pages, but beautifully and succinctly speaks to this essential devotion of praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The name of the book is, “Our Souls, They Are Not Dead!: Poems, Prayers, and Promises for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.” It can be found on Kindle HERE (It will be out in book form tomorrow).

I Need Help

Finally, I need help. Currently, I keep track of my Holy Alliance in a Prayer Journal. I dread the day I lose that journal. That is why I would love to offer this devotion for everyone in a website and/or app. A kind of electronic journal for storing this information.

It’s very simple. One would log in under their own account, and there would simply be check boxes available for …

Requirements for obtaining a plenary indulgence:

• Do the work while in a state of grace
• Receive sacramental confession within 20 days of the work (several plenary indulgences may be earned per reception)
• Receive Eucharistic communion (one plenary indulgence may be earned per reception of Eucharist)
• Pray for the pope’s intentions (an Our Father and Hail Mary, or other appropriate prayer, is sufficient)
• Have no attachment to sin (even venial) — i.e., the Christian makes an act of the will to love God and despise sin.

Requirements for a partial indulgence:

• Do the work while in a state of grace
• Have the general intention of earning an indulgence

Then one could check which of the following works was chosen for gaining the indulgence:

• Adoring the Blessed Sacrament for at least one half hour
• Devoutly reading Sacred Scripture for at least one half hour
• Devoutly performing the Stations of the Cross (only at approved Stations)
• Reciting the Rosary with members of the family, or in a church, oratory, religious community, or pious association

Then one would type in the name of the Holy Soul for whom they gained the indulgence:

_________________________

Then one would type in the Saint they chose to pray with them for the Holy Soul. The Saint could be drawn from a list that links to a description, found on the internet, of each Saint:

_________________________

By entering the names of the Holy Soul and Saint, they would then be added to that person’s own running list of who they recruited into their own “Holy Alliance.”

Could somebody help me find a person(s) who would be willing to create this website? (and app?). Thanks!!

Build your Holy Alliance. Go to Confession frequently. Adore often. Rosary daily. Serve extravagantly. And you will have a “greater power” than Satan.