Ora et Labora:
The prayer and work method
A combination of prayer and work is utilized to primarily render glory and homage to God and secondarily to pray for the Holy Souls in purgatory.
Ora
![PXL_20241031_212950260.PORTRAIT[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d747e2_d6f99c74fd76407685142381307fbcfe~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_356,h_473,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/PXL_20241031_212950260_PORTRAIT%5B1%5D.jpg)
Pray for the soul.
1. Before the cleaning process begins, select prayers are said kneeling beside the grave.
2. After spraying the chosen cleaning solution onto the grave, it is recommended to allow 15 minutes for it to be properly absorbed by the porous stone. During this time, a rosary is said kneeling beside the grave.
3. Throughout the entirety of the cleaning process, the Jesus Prayer is recited both verbally and mentally.
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Eventually, by the grace of God and through constant repetition and reflection, this prayer guides the cleaning process. The rhythm of the prayer coincides with the movements of cleaning the grave, ultimately leading the prayer to be said through the movements of our work rather than those of our lips.
4. Once the cleaning process is complete, select prayers are said before leaving the gravesite.
5. After the grave is cleaned, a Mass is attended in memoriam of the departed soul. The grave caretaker & supplicant assigned to service you will offer up his Mass intention and Eucharistic offering for the repose of your loved one's soul. If you so wish, you may attend the Mass as well. The grave caretaker will inform you beforehand what Mass he will be attending.
6. A plenary indulgence is attempted for your loved one's soul. Your grave caretaker & supplicant will attempt to:
-receive the Eucharist on the day of the indulgence
-go to confession on the day of the indulgence
-pray for the intentions of the Pope on the day of the indulgence
-commit one of the acts of indulgence
-have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin.
A plenary (meaning “full”) indulgence is a special type of indulgence that, if all the requirements are met, removes all temporal punishment due to one's sin. The merits of a plenary indulgence may be applied to oneself or a holy soul in purgatory. If granted to a holy soul, that soul is released from Purgatory and allowed entry into heaven.
Labora
![PXL_20241031_213120336.PORTRAIT[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d747e2_420e4c6981d94a6e889c824ad4fba4e2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_356,h_473,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/PXL_20241031_213120336_PORTRAIT%5B1%5D.jpg)
Clean it's grave.
1. The grave is first analyzed for any cracks. Large cracks in the stone would prevent a traditional cleaning process, and a more nuanced approached may be taken.
2. An initial brush-down of the grave is conducted to remove any larger and more obvious biological growth and/or sediment fragments.
3. Once a cleaning plan has been formalized, the entire stone is sprayed with D/2 Biological Solution, the nation's leading solution for killing harmful biological staining and growth from stone. While the solution seeps into the stone, select prayers are said. The solution can take up to a week to fully eliminate all biological growth.
4. A variety of tools are now used to remove the exterior algae and moss. These tools include scrub brushes, toothbrushes, paint sticks, wooden skewers and more. While these tools are used to remove exterior growth, the biological solution is used to remove interior growth. An analogy for the importance of cultivating both a rich interior and exterior life can be drawn here.
5. After removing the exterior growth, the scrubbing once again commences, this time in conjunction with a non-ionic detergent (with a neutral pH) and water. Dawn dish soap is used at this stage for most cleanings.
6. At this point, the cleaning process is mostly complete. The stone is either left to air-dry, or it will be dried manually with a towel. The stone may still appear dirty, as it may take a couple weeks for the cleaning solution to reach its full effect. It is recommened that a gravestone is only cleaned once every 5-7 years to avoid erosion.
7. If the gravestone is lying flat in the earth and has sunken into the ground over the years, it may be raised to ground level with the family's consent. This is accomplished by digging under the grave and tilting it vertically. Once the stone is fully vertical, pea gravel is spread evenly into the ground to raise the stone to the desired height.
8. Appropriate polisher is applied to the stone to achieve the desired shine.