mysteries of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, See what St. Peter Damian relates in his XIVth Letter to Desiderius. [1]
St. Severin, Archbishop of Cologne, [2] edified his church by an example of all virtues. His apostolic life, his great labours for the extension of God's kingdom in souls, have merited for him the honours of canonisation. Nevertheless, after his death he appeared to one of the canons of his cathedral to ask for prayers. This worthy priest not being able to understand that a holy prelate, such as he had known Severin to be, could stand in need of prayers in the other life, the deceased Bishop replied, " It is true God gave me grace to serve Him with all my heart and to labour in His vineyard, but I often offended Him by the haste with which I recited the Holy Office. The occupations of each day so absorbed my attention, that when the hour of prayer came, I acquitted myself of that great duty without recollection, and sometimes at another hour than that appointed by the Church. At this moment I am expiating those infidelities, and God permits me to come and ask your prayers." The biography adds that Severin was six months in Purgatory for that one fault. (See Note 9.)
Venerable Sister Frances of Pampeluna, whom we have before mentioned, one day saw in Purgatory a poor priest whose fingers were eaten away by frightful ulcers. He was thus punished for having at the altar made the sign of the cross with too much levity, and without the necessary gravity. She said that in general priests remain in Purgatory longer than laymen, and that the intensity of their torments is in proportion to their dignity. God revealed to her the fate of several deceased priests. One of them had to undergo forty years of suffering for having by his neglect allowed a person to die without the Sacraments; another remained there for forty-five years for having per formed the sublime functions of his ministry with a certain
