Help, Lord, the souls which Thou hast made, The souls to Thee so dear, In prison for the debt unpaid Of sins committed here.
Those holy souls, they suffer on, Resigned in heart and will, Until Thy high behest is done, And justice has its fill.
For daily falls, for pardoned crime, They joy to undergo The shadow of Thy cross sublime, The remnant of Thy woe.
Help, Lord, the souls which Thou hast made, The souls to Thee so dear, In prison for the debt unpaid Of sins committed here.
Oh, by their patience of delay, Their hope amid their pain, Their sacred zeal to burn away Disfigurement and stain;
Oh, by their fire of love, not less In keenness than the flame, Oh, by their very helplessness, Oh, by Thy own great Name,
Good Jesus, help! sweet Jesus, aid The souls to Thee most dear, In prison for the debt unpaid Of sins committed here.
The legacy of Hymn for the Holy Souls (by John Henry Cardinal Newman in 1857)
“Hymn for the Holy Souls” is a poignant Catholic prayer dedicated to those who have passed away and are in need of spiritual assistance. The prayer was written by John Henry Cardinal Newman in 1857 and has become a cherished part of Catholic tradition.
The prayer was written during a time of great personal struggle for Cardinal Newman. He was mourning the loss of some of his closest friends and was grappling with the idea of death and the afterlife. The prayer reflects his deep faith and contemplation on the mystery of death and the hope of eternal life.
The hymn’s simple yet powerful language speaks to the hearts of Catholics around the world. It affirms the belief in the communion of saints and invites us to pray for the souls of those who have gone before us.
The prayer has been set to music and is often sung in Catholic liturgies and devotions. It has become a source of comfort and healing for those who are mourning the loss of loved ones.
The “Hymn for the Holy Souls” is a reminder that our faith in God and in the afterlife can sustain us even in our darkest times. It invites us to pray not only for the souls of those we have lost but for all the souls in purgatory who are in need of our prayers. Ultimately, the prayer is a testament to the enduring power of Catholic tradition and the comfort and hope it provides to believers around the world.