This article originally appeared in the July 2019 Renewal Ministries’ newsletter, which you can access here.

Dear Fellow Sons and Daughter of GOD!

Isn’t it amazing? We are  truly sons and daughters of God!

With all the “big stuff” going on in the world and in the Church, it sometimes is easy to forget that our mission is to get up every day and faithfully carry out the responsibilities of our state of life with love and sacrifice. And I must admit, I’m pretty excited to have discovered how each of us can do some small but significant things every day that actually can have eternal consequences. You may be getting tired of hearing me speak or write about those amazing words of Mary at Fatima: “Pray, pray very much and make sacrifices for sinners. For many souls go to hell because there is no one to sacrifice and pray for them.”

But this is not getting old for me at all! And I hope it’s the same for you. How meaningful it is to be able to pray and offer small (or big) sacrifices and know that they can make a difference in saving souls from hell! It’s pretty amazing.

At our recent Gathering, I shared how my wife, Anne, when she wakes up at night, prays a chaplet of Divine Mercy for those who are dying. I started doing it myself, adding the intentions of the souls in purgatory, those tempted to suicide or unchastity, and those suffering from depression. I added these intentions because I’ve recently become aware of some people who are dealing with these strong temptations and afflictions. You can add your own intentions or simply pray for the dying, as my wife does.

This idea was encouraging for those who were at the Gathering and for those who heard the talk online who tell me that they’re beginning to do the same thing when they wake up at night! (You can access my talks and other Gathering talks on Renewal Ministries’ free app, or by ordering a Gathering DVD at our online store.

Here are some of the responses we have received:

“Your talk was great. Thanks again for making it available to us who weren’t able to be there.”

“Your dedication to the message of Fatima is important.  Here is how Dostoevsky saw it in Brothers Karamazov through the character of Fr Zossima: ‘Every hour and every moment thousands of men leave life on this earth, and their souls appear before God. And how many of them depart in solitude, unknown, sad, dejected that no one mourns for them or even knows whether they have lived or not. And behold, from the other end of the earth perhaps, your prayer for their rest will rise up to God though you knew them not nor they you.’”

“Your response and Anne’s to use times of restlessness to pray for those dying is a habit I hope to adopt.”

“I listened to your talk given at the Gathering—your mention of Anne reciting the Chaplet when she wakes during the night has encouraged me to start doing the same. Thanks, Anne!”

I’m willing to keep traveling to the far corners of the world to help inspire more people to start doing things like this that can contribute to the salvation of souls!

If you don’t know what the Chaplet of Mercy is or how to say it, see the link here. Incidentally it only take about five minutes or so, and it actually can help you fall back to sleep, although that is not the primary motivation for saying it!

So, in the midst of the “big things,” let’s keep doing the “small things” that can actually contribute to the salvation of souls!

And speaking of “big things,” I recommend reading a remarkable “Manifesto” from Cardinal Gerhard Muller, the former head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. As confusion has grown about how to interpret things that are happening in Rome and elsewhere, Cardinal Muller has been a voice of great clarity and truth, a voice that needs to be heard more widely. You will be encouraged and strengthened as you read it.  Pass it on!

Your brother in Christ,

Ralph