Army's Army
Army, Our Beautiful Holy Friend.
My mother-in- law, Armandina (Army) Centurioni read several spiritual books during the last 5-6 years of her life, and was deeply concerned about family members and friends who had passed, and what their eternity might be. She prayed every day for the Holy souls in Purgatory, and once my father-in- law
passed, she grew even more concerned for these poor souls. Army came upon a book that talked about St. Gertrude and the prayer that helped release the poor souls. Although she was physically limited, after reciting this prayer daily, she wanted to share it with anyone who would listen. She finally found her “willing vessel” in Ed Combs, a close family friend. Ed agreed to help her get the prayer cards published, and together, with their grand vision, had ten thousand prayer cards printed. Army then had her caregiver drive her around our diocese to different churches, and drop them off in the various vestibules. Before she passed, she would ask her visitors to take a pack of prayer cards so that they could place them in churches or chapels they might visit while vacationing.
These St. Gertrude prayer cards have made it not only to several states throughout the U.S., but to many countries, as well. (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Mexico and Medjugorge, to name a few). Army marches on…having left a legacy in her devotion to getting souls released from Purgatory, thus the name: “Army’s Army”. My husband, Danny and I have continued Army’s work by continuing to print the St. Gertrude cards. They are always available in the vestibule at St. Peter and St. Paul. We ask that anyone who distributes the prayer cards, to take a picture of yourself, with the card, in the church or shrine, and email it to: vcenturioni@hotmail.com, and we will place it on our church facebook page.
Thank you for helping us continue the work of ‘Army’s Army’.
God bless you! Vicki Centurioni
PRAY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
The Holy Souls in purgatory are incapable of helping themselves. They depend on the works of mercy by the living and the mercy of Jesus and Mary to shorten their time in Purgatory. Their Souls are very dear to God’s Heart. HE is most generous to those who offer every good act, suffering, prayers, or Holy Mass for these Souls. In gratitude they intercede for us.
On August 16,1969, in San Damiano, Italy, Our Lady asked that we pray very much for the poor Souls and that if we pray these prayers, we’ll “deliver so many Souls, so many Souls!”
“Pray: 5 Apostle’s Creed; 1 Hail, Holy Queen;1 Our Father;
1 Hail Mary; 1 Glory Be; 1 Requiem; Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them, and may they rest in peace. Amen.”
Requiem Indulgenced by Pope Leo XIII, March 22, 1902
PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE THE GREAT
Our Lord showed St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said. When one person recites the St. Gertrude Prayer using your Rosary beads; 50,000 Souls would be released from Purgatory.
St. Gertrude Prayer: 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.
Approval of His Eminence the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, April 2, 1936.