Praying for the Dying

Divine Appeal Reflection - 236

Today, consider in Divine Appeal 236: "Atone, do penance, pray the Holy Rosary for all souls for the present time and the moment of their souls departing from their human body."

There is no moment more sacred, more decisive, or more enveloped in mystery than the hour of death. It is then that the soul stands before the threshold of eternity, and heaven opens wide with mercy and readiness to receive.In this moment of great spiritual consequence, our Adorable Jesus invites us to join Him in His Passion through penance, atonement, and the prayer of the Holy Rosary. It is at the hour of death that the final battle for the soul unfolds. Our prayer becomes a lifeline of compassion for souls vacillating between surrender and despair when it is united with the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. Death is both the end of worldly existence and the moment of judgment, as the Catechism tells us (cf. CCC 1021–1022). We may assist souls in facing that time with faith rather than fear by praying.

We have been given our Blessed Mother as a mother by Jesus Himself, who stood beneath the Cross with a sorrow-pierced heart. Her role at the hour of death is not symbolic — it is active, maternal, and personal. Many saints bore witness to this. St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote of Mary as the “Mother of holy perseverance” and the “Gate of Heaven” for dying souls. St. Bernard called her the "Star of the Sea" who lights the way home for those lost in their final storm. In praying the Holy Rosary for the dying, we are not only offering petitions — we are inviting Mary to do what she has always done: stand close to her children in suffering, and lead them to her Son (cf. John 19:26–27).

The saints did not merely revere Mary in life — they entrusted their death to her care. St. Louis de Montfort expressed great confidence that those who were devoted to Mary would not be lost, especially if they had been faithful in praying the Rosary. St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death, had Mary and Jesus by his side as he passed from this world — a grace we all long for. Mary’s presence at the hour of death is not just a hopeful idea; it is a reality experienced by countless souls, including those whose sanctity assures us of its truth. Our Adorable Jesus has given her to us for this very reason: to be a refuge when the world falls away and eternity draws near.

Therefore, to pray the Rosary for the dying is to stand mystically with Mary at the foot of countless crosses. It is to participate in the Passion of Christ, and to help souls find resurrection through grace. This is our mission, hidden but powerful. In this work of mercy, we imitate Jesus, who gave everything for the salvation of souls, and Mary, who gave herself to be their Mother. May our prayers, made in love and faith, open heaven for many who tremble at its gates.

Prayer

O Adorable Jesus, remember the dying bathed in silence and fear. Let the light of Your Cross shine upon their darkness. Through the tears of Mary, Mother of Sorrows, shelter each soul from despair. May every final breath become a whisper of trust, and every departure a dawn into glory. 

Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.