either the Viaticum or Extreme Unction. Now, God was pleased to make use of this circumstance to give a great warning to others. The deceased himself came to make known to a brother ecclesiastic that he was condemned to Purgatory for a hundred years. " I am thus punished," he said, "for delaying to receive the grace of the last purification. Had I received the Sacraments as I ought to have done, I should have escaped death through the virtue of Extreme Unction, and I should have had time to do penance."
CHAPTER XXVI.
Duration of Purgatory — Venerable Catherine Paluzzi and Sister Bemardine — Brothers Finetti and Rudolphini — St. Peter Claver and the two Poor Women.
Let us cite some other examples which will serve to convince us still more of the long duration of the sufferings of Purgatory. We shall see therein that Divine Justice is relatively severe towards souls called to perfection, and who have received much grace. Does not Jesus Christ say in the Gospel, Unto whom much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more? [1]
We read in the Life of Venerable Catherine Paluzzi that a holy Religious, who died in her arms, was not admitted to eternal beatitude until after she had passed an entire year in Purgatory. Catherine Paluzzi led a holy life in the diocese of Nepi, in Italy, where she founded a convent of Dominicans. There lived with her a Religious named Bemardine, who was far advanced in the ways of the spiritual life. These two saints emulated each other in
- ↑ Luke xii. 48.
