Do you really believe in the Catholic prayer of St. Gertrude the Great?

Question

The Catholic Church claimed that the prayer was dictated to St. Gertrude the Great by Lord Jesus to release 1,000 souls from Purgatory EACH time it is said.
"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."

Answer 1

That's interesting. I had never heard that before. I guess that is part od the idea, because if everyone said that prayer then there would be no souls in purgatory, therfore no point in purgatory etc.
Question is, if it does work, where do they go?

Answer 2

--Is Catholic--

Such prayers as these devotional prayers are optional practices for Catholics. The tacked on numbers (so many from purgatory, so many days taken away from purgatory) are not nor have been understood as "literal". They are metaphors more than anything else. So saying this particular prayer is very powerful because the number is great.

The theology behind the prayer is a part of Catholic Faith so that must be believed in for Catholics. It really is just a concentration of the Mass. That prayer is what is done at a Catholic Mass. So no Catholic should have any problem whatsoever with that prayer.

Answer 3

Prayer for those in Purgatory is a very old Jewish custom. You can find it in the book of macabees in the Bible.

We pray that those who are being made perfect by jesus Christ in Purgatory will have a speedy journey on their way to Heaven.

Answer 4

I don't know how many souls it releases from Purgatory - if Christ said 1,000, then it's 1,000 - but the theology's certainly sound enough.

Answer 5

No. It goes against Jesus saying He is the only way to the Father.

Answer 6

No, why pray to a died man when you can pray to GOD.