All Soul's Day

All Souls Day is when the Church commemorates and prays for the holy souls in Purgatory, undergoing purification of their sins before entering heaven. The Catholic Church calls this purification of the elect, "purgatory." The Catholic teaching on Purgatory essentially requires belief in two realities: 1. that there will be a purification of believers prior to entering heaven and 2. that the prayers and masses of the faithful in some way benefit those in the state of purification. As to the duration, place, and exact nature of this purification, the Church has no official dogma, although Saint Augustine and others used fire as a way to explain the nature of the purification.

Benedictine Collect for All Souls Day

We suppliants, O Lord, pour forth our prayers for the souls of Thy servants and handmaids, that Thou wouldst mercifully pardon whatsoever they have committed through human frailty and graciously bring their sufferings to an end. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

From the Benedictine Diurnal