Purgatory: illustrated by the lives and legends of the saints/Part 2
Part Second.
PURGATORY, THE MYSTERY OF MERCY.
CHAPTER I.
Fear and Confidence — The Mercy of God — St. Lidivina and the Priest — Venerable Claude de la Colombiere.
We have just considered the rigours of Divine Justice in the other life; they are terrific, and it is impossible to think of them without trembling. That fire, enkindled by Divine Justice, those excruciating pains, compared to which all the penances of the saints, all the sufferings of the martyrs put together, are as nothing, who is there that thinks he will be able to look upon them and not shudder from very fear?
This fear is salutary and conformable to the spirit of Jesus Christ. Our Divine Master desires that we should fear, and that we should fear not only Hell, but also Purgatory, which is a sort of mitigated Hell. It is to inspire us with this holy fear that He shows us the dungeons of the Supreme Judge, whence we shall not depart until we have paid the last farthing. [1] We may say of the fire of Purgatory that which is said of Hell fire: Fear ye not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him that can cast both soul and body into Hell. [2] Yet it is not the intention of our Lord that we should have an excessive and barren fear, a fear which tortures and discourages, a gloomy fear without confidence. No; He wishes that our fear should be tempered with great trust in His mercy; He desires that we should fear evil in order to prevent and avoid it; He desires that the thought of those avenging flames should stimulate us to fervour in His service, and cause us to expiate our faults in this world rather than in the other. " Better is it to purge away our sins, and cut off our vices now" says the author of the "Imitation," "than to keep the?n for purgation hereafter" [3] Moreover, if, notwithstanding our endeavours to live well, and to satisfy for our sins in this world, we have well-grounded fears that we shall have to undergo a Purgatory, we must look forward to that contingency with unbounded confidence in God, who never fails to console those whom He purifies by sufferings.
Now, to give our fear this practical character, this counterpoise of confidence, after having contemplated Purgatory in all the rigour of its pains, we must consider it under another aspect and from a different point of view — that of the Mercy of God, which shines forth therein no less than His Justice.
If God reserves terrible chastisements in the other life for the least faults, He does not inflict them without, at the same time, tempering them with clemency; and nothing shows better the admirable harmony of the Divine perfection than Purgatory, because the most severe Justice is there exercised, together with the most ineffable Mercy. If our Lord chastises those souls that are dear to Him, it is in His love, according to the words, Such as I love I rebuke and chastise. [4] With one hand He strikes, with the other He heals. He offers mercy and redemption in abundance: Qiwniam apud Dominum wisericordia, ct copiosa apud eum redemptio. [5]
This infinite Mercy of our Heavenly Father must be the firm foundation of our confidence; and, after the example of the saints, we must keep it always before our eyes. The saints never lost sight of it; and it was for this reason that the fear of Purgatory never deprived them of their peace and joy of the Holy Ghost.
St. Lidwina, who so well knew the frightful severity of expiatory suffering, was animated with that spirit of confidence, and endeavoured to inspire others with the same. One time she received a visit from a pious priest. Whilst he was seated at her bedside, together with other virtuous persons, the conversation turned on the sufferings of the other life. Seeing in the hands of a woman a vase filled with grains of mustard-seed, the priest took occasion to remark that he trembled when thinking of the fire of Purgatory. " Nevertheless," he added, " I should be satisfied to go there for as many years as there are grains of seed in this vase; then, at least, I should be certain of my salvation." " What do you say, Father? " replied the saint. " Why so little confidence in the Mercy of God? Ah! if you had a better knowledge of what Purgatory is, of what frightful torments are there endured! " " Let Purgatory be what it may," he replied, " I persist in what I say."
Some time after, this priest died, and the same persons who had been present during his conversation with St. Lidwina, questioning the saint as to his condition in the other world, she replied, " The deceased is well off, on account of his virtuous life; but it would be better for him if he had had more confidence in the Passion of Jesus Christ, and if he had taken a milder view of the subject of Purgatory."
In what consisted this lack of confidence which met the disapproval of our saint? In the opinion which this good priest had that it is almost impossible to be saved, and that we shall enter Heaven only after having undergone innumerable years of torture. This idea is erroneous, and contrary to Christian confidence. Our Saviour came to bring peace to men of good-will, and to impose upon us, as a condition of our salvation, a yoke which is sweet and a burden which is not heavy. Therefore, let your will be good, and you will find peace, you will see all difficulties and terrors vanish. Good-will! that is everything. Be of good-will, submit to the Will of God, place His Holy Law above all else, serve the Lord with all your heart, and He will give you such powerful assistance that you will enter Paradise with an astonishing facility. I could never have believed, you will say, that it was so easy to enter Heaven! Again, I repeat, to effect in us this wonder of Mercy, God asks on our part an upright heart, a good-will.
Good-will consists, properly speaking, in submitting and conforming our will to that of God, who is the rule of all good-will; and this good-will attains its highest perfection when we embrace the Divine Will as the sovereign good, even then when it imposes the greatest sacrifices, the most acute suffering. Oh, admirable state! The soul thus disposed seems to lose the sensation of pain, and this because the soul is animated with the spirit of love; and, as St. Augustine says, when we love we suffer not, or, if we suffer, we love the suffering. Ant si laboratur, labor ipse amatur.
Venerable Claude de la Colombiere, of the Society of Jesus, possessed this loving heart, this perfect will, and in his Retrait Spirituelle he thus expresses his sentiments: — "We must not cease to expiate the past disorders of our life by penance; but it must be done without anxiety, because the worst that can befall us, when our will is good and we are submissive and obedient, is to be sent for a long time to Purgatory, and we may say with good reason that this is a great evil. I do not fear Purgatory. Of Hell I will not speak, for I should wrong the Mercy of God by having the least fear of Hell, although I have merited it more than all the demons together. Purgatory I do not fear. I wish I had not deserved it, since I could not do so without displeasing God; but, as I have merited to go there, I am delighted to go and satisfy His Justice in the most rigorous manner it is possible to imagine, and that even to the Day of Judgment. I know that the torments there endured are horrible, but I know that they honour God, and cannot prove an injury to the souls; that there we are certain never to oppose the will of God; that we shall never resent His severity; that we shall even love the rigours of His justice, and await with patience until it shall be entirely appeased. Therefore, I have given with my whole heart all my satisfactions to the souls in Purgatory, and even bequeath to others all the suffrages which shall be offered for me after my death, in order that God may be glorified in Paradise by souls who shall have merited to be raised to a higher degree of glory than myself."
Behold to what an excess of Charity the love of God and our neighbour transports us when it has once taken possession of the heart; it transforms, transfigures suffering in such a manner, that all its bitterness is changed into sweetness. " When thou shalt arrive thus far, that tribulation shall be sweet to thee, and thou shalt relish it for the love of Christ: then think that it is well with thee, for thou hast found a Paradise upon earth" (Imit. ii. 12). Let us therefore have great love for God, great Charity, and we shall have little fear of Purgatory. The Holy Ghost bears testimony in the depths of our hearts that, being children of God, we have no need to dread the chastisements of a Father.
CHAPTER II.
Confidence — Mercy of God towards Souls — He Consoles them — St. Catherifie of Genoa — The Brother of St. Magdalen de Pazzi.
It is true that all have not attained this high degree of Charity, but there is no one that cannot have confidence in the Divine Mercy. This Mercy is infinite, it imparts peace to all souls that keep it constantly before their eyes and confide therein. Now the Mercy of God is exercised with regard to Purgatory in a threefold manner: (1) in consoling the souls; (2) in mitigating their sufferings; (3) in giving to ourselves a thousand means of avoiding those penal fires. In the first place, God consoles the souls in Purgatory; He Himself consoles them; He also consoles them through the Blessed Virgin and through the holy angels. He consoles the souls by inspiring them with a high degree of faith, hope, and Divine love—virtues which produce in them conformity to the Divine will, resignation, and the most perfect patience. " God," says St. Catherine of Genoa, "inspires the soul in Purgatory with so ardent a movement of devoted love, that it would be sufficient to annihilate her were she not immortal. Illumined and inflamed by that pure charity, the more she loves God, the more she detests the least stain that displeases Him, the least hindrance that prevents her union with Him. Thus, if she could find another Purgatory more terrible than the one to which she is condemned, that soul would plunge herself therein, impelled by the impetuosity of the love which exists between God and herself, in order that she might be the sooner delivered from all that separates her from her Sovereign God."
"These souls," says again the same saint, "are intimately united to the will of God, and so completely transformed into it, that they are always satisfied with its holy ordinances. The souls in Purgatory have no choice of their own; they can no longer will anything than what God wills. They receive with perfect submission all that God gives them; and neither pleasure, nor contentment, nor pain can ever again make them think of themselves."
St. Magdalen de Pazzi, after the death of one of her brothers, having gone to the choir to offer prayers for him, saw his soul a prey to intense suffering. Touched with compassion, she melted into tears, and cried out in a piteous voice, " Brother, miserable and blessed at the same time! O soul afflicted and yet contented! these pains are intolerable, and yet they are endured. Why are they not understood by those here below, who have not the courage to carry their cross? Whilst you were in this world, my dear brother, you would not listen to my advice, and now you desire ardently that I should hear you. O God, equally just and merciful, comfort this brother, who has served you from his infancy. Have regard to your clemency, I beseech you, and make use of your great mercy in his behalf. O God most just, if he has not always been attentive to please you, at least he has not despised those who made profession of serving you with fidelity."
The day on which she had that wonderful ecstasy, during which she visited the different prisons of Purgatory, seeing again the soul of her brother, she said to him, " Poor soul, how you suffer! and nevertheless you rejoice. You burn and you are satisfied, because you know well that these sufferings must lead you to a great and unspeakable felicity. How happy shall I be, should I never have to endure greater suffering! Remain here, my dear brother, and complete your purification in peace."
CHAPTER III.
Consolations of the Souls — St. Stanislaus of Cracozv and the Resuscitated Peter Miles.
This contentment in the midst of the most intense suffering cannot be explained otherwise than by the Divine consolations which the Holy Ghost infuses into the souls in Purgatory. This Divine Spirit, by means of faith, hope, and charity, puts them in the disposition of a sick person who has to submit to very painful treatment, but the effect of which is to restore him to perfect health. This sick person suffers, but he loves his salutary suffering. The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, gives a similar contentment to the holy souls. Of this we have a striking example in Peter Miles, raised from the dead by St. Stanislaus of Cracow, who preferred to return to Purgatory rather than to live again upon earth.
The celebrated miracle of this resurrection happened in 1070. It is thus related in the Acta Sanctorum on May 7. St. Stanislaus was Bishop of Cracow when the Duke Boleslas II. governed Poland. He did not neglect to remind this prince of his duties, who scandalously violated them before all his people.
Boleslas was irritated by the holy liberty of the Prelate, and to revenge himself he excited against him the heirs of a certain Peter Miles, who had died three years previously, after having sold a piece of ground to the church of Cracow. The heirs accused the saint of having usurped the ground, without having paid the owner. Stanislaus declared that he had paid for the land, but as the witnesses who should have defended him had been either bribed or intimidated, he was denounced as a usurper of the property of another, and condemned to make restitution. Then, seeing that he had nothing to expect from human justice, he raised his heart to God, and received a sudden inspiration. He asked for a delay of three days, promising to make Peter Miles appear in person, that he might testify to the legal purchase and payment of the lot.
They were granted to him in scorn. The saint fasted, watched, and prayed God to take up the defence of his cause. The third day, after having celebrated Holy Mass, he went out, accompanied by his clergy and many of the faithful, to the place where Peter had been interred. By his orders the grave was opened; it contained nothing but bones. He touched them with his crosier, and in the name of Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, he commanded the dead man to arise.
Suddenly the bones became reunited, were covered with flesh, and, in sight of the stupefied people, the dead man was seen to take the Bishop by the hand and walk towards the tribunal. Boleslas, with his court and an immense crowd of people, were awaiting the result with the most lively expectation. "Behold Peter," said the saint to Boleslas; "he comes, prince, to give testimony before you. Interrogate him; he will answer you."
It is impossible to depict the stupefaction of the Duke, of his councillors, and of the whole concourse of people. Peter affirmed that he had been paid for the ground; then turning towards his heirs, he reproached them for having accused the pious prelate against all rights of justice; then he exhorted them to do penance for so grievous a sin.
It was thus that iniquity, which believed itself already sure of success, was confounded. Now comes the circumstance which concerns our subject, and to which we wished to refer. Wishing to complete this great miracle for the glory of God, Stanislaus proposed to the deceased that, if he desired to live a few years longer, he would obtain for him this favour from God. Peter replied that he had no such desire. He was in Purgatory, but he would rather return thither immediately and endure its pains, than expose himself to damnation in this terrestrial life. He entreated the saint only to beg of God to shorten the time of his sufferings, that he might the sooner enter the abode of the blessed. After that, accompanied by the Bishop and a vast multitude, Peter returned to his grave, laid himself down, his body fell to pieces, and his bones resumed the same state in which they had first been found. We have reason to believe that the saint soon obtained the deliverance of his soul.
That which is the most remarkable in this example, and which should most attract our attention, is that a soul from Purgatory, after having experienced the most excruciating torments, prefers that state of suffering to the life of this world; and the reason which he gives for this preference is, that in this mortal life we are exposed to the danger of being lost and incurring eternal damnation.
CHAPTER IV.
Consolations of Souls — St. Catherine de Ricci and the Soul of a Prince.
Let us relate another example of the interior consolations and mysterious contentment which the souls experience in the midst of the most excruciating sufferings we find it in the Life of St. Catherine de Ricci,[6] a Religious of the Order of St. Dominic, who died in the convent of Prato, February 2, 1590. This servant of God cherished so great a devotion towards the souls in Purgatory that she suffered in their place on earth that which they had to endure in the other world. Among others, she delivered from the expiatory flames the soul of a prince, and suffered the most frightful torments in his place for forty days.
This prince, whose name is not mentioned in history, in consideration, no doubt, of his family, had led a worldly life, and the saint offered many prayers, fasts, and penances that God would enlighten him as to the condition of his soul, and that he might not be condemned. God vouchsafed to hear her, and the unfortunate prince before his death gave evident proofs of a sincere conversion. He died in good sentiments and went to Purgatory. Catherine learned this by Divine revelation in prayer, and offered herself to satisfy Divine Justice for that soul. Our Lord accepted the charitable exchange, received the soul of the prince into glory, and subjected Catherine to pains entirely strange to her for the space of forty days. She was seized with a malady which, according to the judgment of the physicians, was not natural, and could neither be cured nor relieved. According to the testimony of eyewitnesses, the body of the saint was covered with blisters filled with humour and inflammation, like water boiling upon the fire. This occasioned such heat that her cell was like an oven, and seemed filled with fire; it was impossible to remain there for a few moments without going outside to breathe.
It was evident that the flesh of the patient was boiling, and her tongue resembled a piece of red-hot metal. At intervals the inflammation ceased, then the flesh appeared roasted; but soon the blisters arose again and sent forth the same heat.
Nevertheless, in the midst of this torture the saint did not lose the serenity of her countenance nor the peace of her soul: she seemed to rejoice in her torments. Her sufferings sometimes increased 10 such a decree that she lost her speech for ten or twelve minutes. When her sister Religious told her that she seemed to be on lire, she replied simply, " Yes," without adding anything more. When they represented to her that she carried her zeal too far, and that she ought not to ask of God such excessive suffering, " Pardon me, my dear sisters," she said to them, "if I answer you. Jesus has so much love for souls, that all we do for their salvation is infinitely agreeable to Him; that is why I gladly endure any pain, whatsoever it may be, as well for the conversion of sinners as for the deliverance of the souls detained in Purgatory."
The forty days having expired, Catherine returned to her ordinary state. The relations of the prince asked where his soul was. " Have no fear," she replied; " his soul is in the enjoyment of eternal glory." It was thus known that it was for his soul that she had suffered so much.
This example teaches us many things, but we have cited it to show that the greatest sufferings are not incompatible with interior peace. Our saint, whilst visibly enduring the pains of Purgatory, enjoyed an admirable peace and a superhuman contentment.
CHAPTER V.
Consolations of Souls — The Blessed Virgin — Revelations of St. Bridget — Father Jerome Carvalho — Blessed Remer of Citeaux.
The souls in Purgatory receive also great consolation from the Blessed Virgin. Is she not the Consolation of the Afflicted? and what affliction can be compared to that of the poor souls? Is she not the Mother of Mercy? and is it not towards these holy suffering souls that she must show all the mercy of her heart? We must not, therefore, be astonished that in the "Revelations of St. Bridget" the Queen of Heaven gives herself the beautiful name of Mother of the Souls in Purgatory. " I am," she said to that saint, "the Mother of all those who are in the place of expiation; my prayers mitigate the chastisements which are inflicted upon them for their faults." [7]
On October 25, 1604, in the College of the Society of Jesus at Coimbra, Father Jerome Carvalho died in the odour of sanctity, at the age of fifty years. This admirable and humble servant of God felt a lively apprehension of the sufferings of Purgatory. Neither the cruel macerations which he inflicted upon himself several times every day, not counting those prompted each week by the remembrance of the Passion, nor the six hours which he devoted morning and evening to the meditation of holy subjects, seemed sufficient, in his estimation, to shield him from the chastisement which he imagined awaited him after death. But one day the Queen of Heaven, to whom he had a tender devotion, condescended herself to console her servant by the simple assurance that she was a Mother of Mercy to her dear children in Purgatory as well as to those upon earth. Seeking, later, to spread this consoling doctrine, the holy man accidentally let fall, in the ardour of his discourse, these words: " She told me this herself"
It is related that a great servant of Mary, Blessed Renier of Citeaux, trembled at the thought of his sins and the terrible Justice of God after death. In his fear, addressing himself to his great Protectress, who calls herself Mother of Mercy, he was rapt in spirit, and saw the Mother of God supplicating her Son in his favour. "My Son," she said, "deal mercifully with him in Purgatory, because he humbly repents of his sins." " My Mother," replied Jesus, " I place his cause in your hands," which meant to say, be it done to your client according to your desire. Blessed Renier understood with unutterable joy that Mary had obtained his exemption from Purgatory.
CHAPTER VI.
Consolations of Purgatory — The Blessed Virgin Mary — Privilege of Saturday — Venerable Paula of St. Teresa — St. Peter Damian and the Deceased Marozi.
It is especially on certain days that the Queen of Heaven exercises her mercy in Purgatory. These privileged days are, .first, all Saturdays, then the different feast-days of the Blessed Virgin, which thus become as festivals in Purgatory. We see in the revelations of the saints that on Saturday, the day specially consecrated to the Blessed Virgin, the sweet Mother of Mercy descends into the dungeons of Purgatory to visit and console her devoted servants. Then, according to the pious belief of the faithful, she delivers those souls who, having worn the holy scapular, enjoy this Sabbatine privilege, and afterwards gives relief and consolation to oiher souls who had been particularly devout to her. A witness to this was the Venerable Sister Paula of St. Teresa, a Dominican Religious of the Convent of St. Catherine in Naples.[8]
Being rapt in ecstasy one Saturday, and transported in spirit into Purgatory, she was quite surprised to find it transformed into a Paradise of delights, illuminated by a bright light, instead of the darkness which at other times prevailed. Whilst she was wondering what could be the cause of this change, she perceived the Queen of Heaven surrounded by a multitude of angels, to whom she gave orders to liberate those souls who had honoured her in a special manner, and conduct them to Heaven.
If such takes place on an ordinary Saturday, we can scarcely doubt that the same occurs on feast-days consecrated to the Mother of God. Among all her festivals, that of the glorious Assumption of Mary seems to be the chief day of deliverance. St. Peter Damian [9] tells us that each year, on the day of the Assumption, the Blessed Virgin delivers several thousands of souls.
The following account of a miraculous vision illustrates this subject: — " It is a pious custom," he says, " which exists among the people of Rome, to visit the churches, carrying a candle in the hand, during the night preceding the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady." Now it happened that a person of rank, being on her knees in the basilica of the Ara-Cceli in the Capitol, saw before her, prostrate in prayer, another lady, her god-mother, who had died several months previous. Surprised, and not being able to believe her eyes, she wished to solve the mystery, and for this purpose placed herself near the door of the church. As soon as she saw the lady go out, she took her by the hand and drew her aside. "Are you not," she said to her, "my god-mother, who held me at the baptismal font?" "Yes," replied the apparition immediately, "it is I." " And how comes it that I find you among the living, since you have been dead more than a year? " " Until this day I have been plunged in a dreadful fire, on account of the many sins of vanity which I committed in my youth, but during this great solemnity the Queen of Heaven descended into the midst of the Purgatorial flames and delivered me, together with a large number of other souls, that we might enter Heaven on the Feast of her Assumption. She exercises this great act of clemency each year; and, on this occasion alone, the number of those whom she has delivered equals the population of Rome."
Seeing that her god-daughter remained stupefied and seemed still to doubt the evidence of her sense, the apparition added, " In proof of the truth of my words, know that you yourself will die a year hence, on the Feast of the Assumption; if you outlive that period, believe that this was an illusion."
St. Peter Damian concluded this recital by saying that the young lady passed the year in the exercise of good works, in order to prepare herself to appear before God. The year following, on the Vigil of the Assumption, she fell sick, and died on the day of the feast itself, as had been predicted.
The Feast of the Assumption is, then, the great day of Mary's mercy towards the poor souls; she delights to introduce her children into the glory of Heaven on the anniversary of the day on which she herself first entered its blessed portals. This pious belief, adds Father Louvet, is founded on a great number of particular revelations; it is for this reason that in Rome the Church of St. Mary in Montorio, which is the centre of the arch-confraternity of suffrages for the dead, is dedicated under the title of the Assumption.
CHAPTER VII.
Consolations of Purgatory — The Angels — St Bridget— Venerable Paula of St. Teresa — Brother Peter of Basto.
Besides the consolations which the souls receive from the Blessed Virgin, they are also assisted and consoled by the holy angels, and especially by their guardian-angels. The doctors of the Church teach that the tutelary mission of the guardian-angel terminates only on the entrance of their clients into Paradise. If, at the moment of death, a soul in the state of grace is not yet worthy to see the face of the Most High, the angel-guardian conducts it to the place of expiation, and remains there with her to procure for her all the assistance and consolations in his power.
It is an opinion common among the holy doctors, says Father Rossignoli, that God, who will one day send forth His angels to assemble the elect, also sends them from time to time into Purgatory, there to visit and console the suffering souls. No doubt there cannot be any relief more precious than the sight of the inhabitants of Heaven, that blessed abode whither they will one day go to enjoy its glorious and eternal felicity. The Revelations of St. Bridget are filled with examples of this nature, and the Lives of several saints also furnish a great number. Venerable Sister Paula of St. Teresa, of whom we have spoken above, had an extraordinary devotion towards the Church suffering, for which she was rewarded here below with miraculous visions. One day, whilst saying a fervent prayer for this intention, she was transported in spirit into Purgatory, where she saw a great number of souls plunged in flames. Close to them she saw our Saviour, attended by His angels, who pointed out, one after the other, several souls which He desired to take to Heaven, whither they ascended in transports of unutterable joy. At this sight the servant of God, addressing herself to her Divine Spouse, said to Him, "O Jesus, why this choice among such a vast multitude?" " I have released," He deigned to reply, " those who during life performed great acts of charity and mercy, and who have merited that I should fulfil my promise in their regard, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." [10]
In the Life of the servant of God, Peter de Basto, we find an example which shows how the holy angels, even whilst they are watching over us upon earth, interest themselves in behalf of the souls in Purgatory. And since we have mentioned the name of Brother de Basto, we cannot resist the desire to make known this admirable Religious to our readers; his history is as interesting as it is edifying.
Peter de Basto, brother coadjutor of the Society of Jesus, and whom his biographer calls the Alphonsus Rodriguez of Malabar, died in the odour of sanctity at Cochin, March 1, 1645. He was born in Portugal, of the illustrious family of Machado, united by blood to all the nobility of the whole province between the Douro and the Minho. The Dukes of Pastrano and Hixar were among the number of his relatives, and the world held out to him a career of the most brilliant prospects. But God had reserved him for Himself, and had endowed him with the most marvellous spiritual gifts. Whilst still a very little child, when taken to the church, he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament with the fervour of an angel. He believed that all the people saw as he did, with the eyes of the body, the legions of celestial spirits in adoration near the altar and the tabernacle, and from that time forward the Saviour, hidden under the Eucharistic veil, became by excellence the centre of all his affections and the innumerable prodigies which characterised his long and holy life.
It was there that, later, as in a divine sun, he discovered without veils the future and its most unforeseen details. It was there also that God showed him the mysterious symbols of a ladder of gold which united heaven and earth, supported by the tabernacle, and of the lily of purity shooting forth its roots and drawing its nourishment from the flour of the wheat of the elect and the wine which alone can bring forth virgins.
Towards his seventeenth year, thanks to that purity of heart and that strength of which the Sacrament of the Eucharist was for him the inexhaustible source, Peter made at Lisbon a vow of perpetual chastity at the feet of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. He did not yet, however, think of quitting the world, and some days later embarked for the Indies, and for two years followed the military profession.
But at the end of that time, on the point of perishing by shipwreck, being tossed about at the mercy of the waves for five entire days, supported and saved by the Queen of Heaven and her Divine Son, who appeared to him, he promised to consecrate himself entirely to their service in the religious state for the remainder of his life. As soon as he returned to Goa, being then but nineteen years of age, he went and offered himself in the quality of lay brother to the Superiors of the Society of Jesus. Fearing that his name might procure for him some mark of distinction or esteem, he adopted henceforward that of the humble village where he had received baptism, and was called simply Peter de Basto.
It was a short time afterwards, during one of the trials of his novitiate, that this wonderful incident occurred which is recorded in the Annals of the Society, and which is so consoling for all the children of St. Ignatius. Brother Peter's novice-master sent him on a pilgrimage with two young companions in the island of Salsette, ordering them not to accept hospitality from any of the missionaries, but to beg from village to village for their daily bread and their night's lodging. One day, fatigued with their long journey, they met a humble family, consisting of an old man, a woman, and a little child, who received them with the greatest charity, and pressed them to partake of a frugal repast. But at the moment of their departure, after having returned them a thousand thanks, when Peter de Basto begged his hosts to tell him their names, wishing, no doubt, to recommend them to God, " We are," replied the mother, " the three founders of the Society of Jesus," and all three disappeared at the same instant.
The whole religious life of this holy man until his death — that is to say, almost fifty-six years — was but a tissue of wonders and extraordinary graces; but we must add that he merited them, and purchased them, so to say, at the price of virtue, labours, and the most heroic sacrifices. Charged by turns with care of the laundry, the kitchen, or the door, in the colleges of Goa, of Tuticurin, of Coulao, and of Cochin, Peter never sought to withdraw himself from the hardest labours, nor to reserve a little leisure time at the expense of his different offices that he might enjoy the delights of prayer. Serious infirmities, the sole cause of which was excessive labour, were, he said smilingly, his most pleasant distractions. Moreover, abandoned, so to speak, to the fury of the demon, the servant of God enjoyed scarcely any repose. These spirits of darkness appeared to him under the most hideous forms. They often beat him severely, especially at that hour each night when, as was his custom, he interrupted his sleep to go and pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
One day whilst travelling, his companions fled at the sound of a troop of formidable-looking men, horses, and elephants, who appeared to approach them with furious gestures. He alone remained calm; and when his companions expressed their astonishment that he had not manifested the least sign of fear, he replied, " If God does not permit the demons to exercise their rage against us, what have we to fear? and if He gives them the permission, why then should I endeavour to escape their blows?" He had only to invoke the Queen of Heaven, when she appeared immediately and put the infernal troop to flight.
Often it seemed as though all was confusion, even to the very depths of his soul, and he found calm, peace, and victory only near his ordinary refuge, Jesus present in the Holy Eucharist. Loaded one day with outrages, which caused him some little disturbance, he prostrated himself at the foot of the altar and asked of our Divine Saviour the gift of patience. Then our Lord appeared to him covered with wounds, a purple mantle about His shoulders, a rope around His neck, a reed in His hands, and a crown of thorns upon His head; then addressing Himself to Peter, He said, " See what the true Son of God has suffered to teach men how to suffer."
But we have not touched the point we wished to illustrate by this holy life — I mean to say, the devotion of Peter de Basto towards the souls in Purgatory, a devotion encouraged and seconded by his good angel-guardian. Notwithstanding his numerous labours, he daily recited the rosary for the dead. One day having forgotten it, he retired without having recited it, but scarcely had he fallen asleep when he was awakened by his angel. " My son," said this heavenly spirit, "the souls in Purgatory await the benefit of your daily alms." Peter arose instantly to fulfil that duty of piety. [11]
CHAPTER VIII.
Consolations of Purgatory — The Angels — Blessed Emilia of Vercelli — The Saints in Heaven.
If the holy angels interest themselves in behalf of the souls of Purgatory in general, it is easy to understand that they have particular zeal for those of their clients. In the convent of Vercelli, where Blessed Emilia, [12] a Dominican Religious, was Prioress, it was a point of the Rule never to drink between meals, unless with express permission of the Superior. This permission the Blessed Prioress was not accustomed to accord; she advised her sisters to make that little sacrifice cheerfully, in memory of the burning thirst which our Saviour had endured for our salvation upon the cross; and to encourage them to do this, she suggested to them to confide those few drops of water to their guardian-angels, that he might preserve them until the other life, to temper the heat of Purgatory. The following incident shows how agreeable this pious practice was to God.
A sister named Cecilia Avogadra came one day to ask permission to refresh herself with a little water, for she was parched with thirst. "My daughter," said the Prioress, " make this little sacrifice for the love of God and in consideration of Purgatory." " Mother, this sacrifice is not little; I am dying with thirst," replied the good sister; nevertheless, although somewhat grieved, she obeyed the advice of her Superior. This double act of obedience and mortification was precious in the sight of God, and Sister Cecilia soon received its reward. A few weeks later she died, and after three days she appeared, resplendent in glory, to Mother Emilia. " O Mother! " she said, " how grateful I am to you! I was condemned to a long Purgatory for having had too great affection for my family, and behold, after two days, I saw my angel-guardian enter my prison, holding in his hand the glass of water which you caused me to offer as a sacrifice to my Divine Spouse.; he poured that water upon the flames which devoured me, they were extinguished immediately, and I am delivered. I take my flight to Heaven, where my gratitude will never forget you." (Sec Note 11.)
It is thus that the angels of God console the souls in Purgatory. It may be here asked how the saints and blessed already crowned in Heaven can assist them. It is certain, says Father Rossignoli, and such is the teaching of all masters in theology, St. Augustine and St. Thomas, that the saints are very powerful in this respect by way of supplication, or, as we say, by impetration, but not by satisfaction. In other words, the saints in Heaven may pray for the souls, and thus obtain from Divine Mercy a diminution of their suffering; but they cannot satisfy for them, nor pay their debts to Divine Justice; that is a privilege which God reserves to the Church Militant.
CHAPTER IX.
Assistance given the Holy Souls—Suffrages — Meritorious, Impetratory, and Satisfactory Works — God's Mercy — St. Gertrude— Judas Machabeus.
If God consoles the souls with so much goodness, His mercy shines forth still more clearly in the power which He gives to His Church to shorten the duration of their sufferings. Desiring to execute with clemency the severe sentence of His Justice, He accords abatement and mitigation of the pain; but He does so in an indirect manner through the intervention of the living. To us He gives all power to succour our afflicted brethren by way of suffrage, that is to say, by means of impetration and satisfaction.
The word suffrage in ecclesiastical language is a synonym of prayer; yet, when the Council of Trent declares that the souls in Purgatory are assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, the sense of the word is more comprehensive; it includes in general all that we can offer to God in behalf of the departed. Now, we can thus offer to God, not only our prayers, but ail our good works, in so far as they are impetratory or satisfactory.
To understand these terms, let us recall to mind that each of our good works, performed in the state of grace, ordinarily possesses a triple value in the sight of God.
I. The work is meritorious, that is to say, it increases our merit; it gives us right to a new degree of glory in Heaven.
2. It is impetratory (impetrate, obtain), that is to say, that, like a prayer, it has the virtue of obtaining some grace from God.
3. It is satisfactory, that is to say, that as having, as it were, a pecuniary value, it can satisfy Divine Justice and pay our debts of temporal punishment before God.
The merit is inalienable, and remains the property of the person who performs the action. On the contrary, the impetratory and satisfactory value can benefit others, in virtue of the communion of saints. This understood, let us put this practical question — What are suffrages by which, according to the doctrine of the Church, we may aid the souls in Purgatory?
To this question we answer: They consist of prayers, alms, fasts, and penances of any kind, indulgences, and above all, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. All the works performed in the state of grace Jesus Christ allows us to offer to the Divine Majesty for the relief of our brethren in Purgatory, and God applies them to those souls according to His Justice and Mercy. By this admirable arrangement, whilst protecting the rights of His Justice, our Heavenly Father multiplies the effects of His Mercy, which is thus exercised at the same time in favour of the Church Suffering and of the Church Militant. The merciful assistance which He allows us to give to our suffering brethren is of excellent profit to ourselves. It is a work not only advantageous to the departed, but also holy and salutary for the living. Sancta et salubris est cogitatio pro defunctis exorare.
We read in the Revelations of St. Gertrude [13] that a humble Religious of her community, having crowned an exemplary life with a very pious death, God deigned to show the saint the state of the deceased in the other life. Gertrude saw her soul adorned with ineffable beauty, and dear to Jesus, who regarded her with love. Nevertheless, on account of some slight negligence not yet atoned for, she could not enter Heaven, but was obliged to descend into the dismal abode of suffering. Scarcely had she disappeared into its depths, when the saint saw her come forth and rise towards Heaven, transported thither by the suffrages of the Church. Eccesia precious sursum ferri.
Even in the Old Law prayers and sacrifices were offered for the dead. Holy Scripture relates as praiseworthy the pious action of Judas Machabeus after his victory over Gorgias, general of King Antiochus. The soldiers had committed a fault by taking from among the spoils some objects offered to the idols, which by law they were forbidden to do. Then Judas, chief of the army of Israel, ordered prayers and sacrifices for the remission of their sin, and for the repose of their souls. Let us see how this fact is related in Scripture (2 Machab. xii. 39).
"After the Sabbath, Judas went with his company to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in the sepulchres of their fathers.
" And they found under the coats of the slain some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews; so that all plainly saw that for this cause they were slain.
"Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.
"And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought Him that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, for so much as they saw before "And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem, for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection.
" (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead. And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness had great grace laid up for them).
" It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."
CHAPTER X.
Assistance given to the Holy Souls — Holy Mass — St. Augustine and St. Monica.
In the New Law we have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, of which the divers sacrifices of the Mosaic Law were but feeble figures. The Son of God instituted it, not only as a worthy homage given by the creature to the Divine Majesty, but also as a propitiation for the living and the dead; that is to say, as an efficacious means of appeasing the Justice of God, provoked by our sins.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated for the departed, even from the time of the foundation of the Church. "We celebrate the anniversary of the triumph of the martyrs," writes Tertullian in the third century, [14] "and, according to the tradition of our fathers, we offer the Holy Sacrifice for the departed on the anniversary of their death."
"It cannot be doubted," writes St. Augustine, [15] "that the prayers of the Church, the Holy Sacrifice, and alms distributed for the departed, relieve those holy souls, and move God to treat them with more clemency than their sins deserve. It is the universal practice of the Church, a practice which she observes as having received it from her forefathers — that is to say, the holy Apostles."
St. Monica, the worthy mother of St. Augustine, when about to expire, asked but one thing of her son, that he would remember her at the altar of God; and the holy Doctor, when relating that touching circumstance in the Book of his Confessions, [16] entreats all his readers to unite with him in recommending her to God during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Wishing to return to Africa, St. Monica went with St. Augustine to Ostia, in order to embark; but she fell sick, and soon felt that her end was approaching. " It is here," said she to her son, "that you will give burial to your mother. The one thing I ask of you is that you will be mindful of me at the altar of the Lord." Ut ad altare Domini metnitieritis met.
" May I be pardoned for the tears I then shed, for that death should not be mourned which was but the entrance to true life. Yet, considering with the eyes of faith the miseries of our fallen nature, I might shed before you, O Lord, other tears than those of the flesh, tears which flow at the thought of the peril to which every soul is exposed that has sinned in Adam.
"It is certain that my mother lived in such manner as to give glory to your Name, by the activity of her faith and the purity of her morals; yet dare I affirm that no word contrary to Thy law has ever escaped her lips? Alas! what will become of the holiest life if Thou dost examine it in all the rigours of Thy justice? For this reason, O God of my heart, I leave aside the good works which my mother has performed to ask of Thee only the pardon of her sins. Hear me, by the wounds of Him who died for us upon the cross, and who, now seated at Thy right hand, is our Mediator.
" I know that my mother always showed mercy, that she pardoned from her heart all offences, and forgave all the debts owing to her. Cancel then her debts, if during the course of her long life there are any owing to Thee. Pardon her, O Lord, pardon her, and enter not into judgment against her; for Thy words are true; Thou hast promised mercy to the merciful.
"This mercy, I believe, Thou hast already shown to her, O my God; but accept the homage of my prayer. Remember that on her passage to the other life Thy servant desired for her body neither pompous funeral nor precious perfumes, she asked not a magnificent tomb, nor that she should be carried to that she had caused to be constructed at Tagaste, her native place; but only that we should remember her at Thy altar, whose mysteries she prized.
"Thou knowest, Lord, all the days of her life she took part in those Divine Mysteries which contain the Holy Victim whose blood has effaced the sentence of our condemnation. Let her repose then in peace with my father, her husband, with the spouse to whom she was faithful during all the days of her union, and in the sorrows of her widowhood with him whose humble servant she made herself, to win him for Thee by her meekness and patience. And Thou, O my God, inspire Thy servants, who are my brethren, inspire all those who read these lines to remember at Thy altar Monica, Thy servant, and Patricius, who was her spouse; that all who still live in the false light of this world may piously remember my parents, that the last prayer of my dying mother may be heard beyond her expectations."
This beautiful passage of St. Augustine shows us the opinion of this great Doctor on the subject of suffrages for the departed, and it makes us see clearly that the greatest of all suffrages is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
CHAPTER XI
Assistance rendered to the Souls — Holy Mass — Jubilee of Leo XIII. — Solemn Commemoration of the Dead on the Last Sunday in September.
We have witnessed the holy enthusiasm with which the Church celebrated the Sacerdotal Jubilee of her venerated Head, Pope Leo XIII. The faithful from all parts of the world went to Rome, either in person or in heart, to offer their homage and gifts at the feet of the Vicar of Jesus Christ. The entire Church Militant rejoiced in the midst of her long trials.
The Church Triumphant in Heaven shared in this rejoicing by the canonisation and beatification of a large number of her glorious members. Was it not fitting that the Church Suffering should also participate therein?
Could our dear brethren in Purgatory be forgotten? Should not those souls so dear to the heart of Jesus also experience the happy effects of that glorious feast?
Leo XIII. understood this. Always guided by the Holy Spirit, when acting as Supreme Pastor, the Pope, by an Encyclical Letter, dated April i, 1888, decreed that, throughout the entire Christian world, there should be a solemn 'Commemoration of the Dead on the last Sunday of the month of September. Calling to mind with what admirable love the Church Militant has manifested her joy, and how the Church Triumphant rejoiced with her. " To crown, in a certain sense," says our Holy Father, "this general exultation, we desire to fulfil, as perfectly as possible, the duty of our apostolic charity by extending the fulness of infinite spiritual treasures to those beloved sons of the Church who, having died the death of the just, have quitted this life of combat with the sign of faith, and have become offshoots of the mystic vine, although they are not permitted to enter into eternal peace until they shall have paid the last farthing of the debt which they owe to the avenging justice of God.
" We are moved thereto both by the pious desires of Catholics, to whom we know our resolution will be particularly dear, and by the agonising intensity of the pains suffered by the departed souls; but we are especially inspired by the custom of the Church, who, in the midst of the most joyful solemnities of the year, forgets not the holy and salutary commemoration of the dead that they may be loosed from their sins.
" For this reason, since it is certain from Catholic doctrine that the souls detained in Purgatory are relieved by the suffrages of the faithful, and especially by the august Sacrifice of the Altar, we think we can give no more useful nor more desirable pledge of our love than by everywhere multiplying, for the mitigation of their pains, the pure oblation of the Holy Sacrifice of our Divine Mediator.
"We therefore appoint, with all necessary dispensations and derogations, the last Sunday of the month of September next as a day of ample expiation; on which day there shall be celebrated by us, and likewise by our brethren the Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, and by all other Prelates exercising jurisdiction in a diocese, each in his own patriarchal church, metropolitan or cathedral, a special Mass for the dead, with all possible solemnity, and according to the rite indicated by the missal for the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. We approve that the same be done in the parochial and collegiate churches, secular as well as regular, provided the Office proper for the Mass of the day everywhere where such obligation exists be not omitted.
" As regards the faithful, we earnestly exhort them, after having received the Sacrament of Penance, to devoutly nourish themselves with the bread of angels by way of suffrage for the souls in Purgatory.
" By our apostolic authority, to those of the faithful who do so we grant a plenary indulgence, to be applied to the souls departed, and the favour of the privileged altar to all those who, as we have said above, shall celebrate Mass.
"Thus the holy souls who expiate the remains of their faults by those sharp pains will receive special and efficacious relief, thanks to the Saving Host which the Universal Church, united to her visible Head, and animated with the same spirit of charity, will offer to God, that He may admit them into the abode of consolation, of light, and of eternal peace.
"Meanwhile, venerable brethren, we grant you affectionately in the Lord, as a pledge of these heavenly gifts, the apostolic benediction to you, to all the clergy, and to all the people confided to your care.
" Given at Rome, under the seal of the Fisherman, on the solemnity of Easter, in the year 1888, the eleventh of our Pontificate."
CHAPTER XII.
Means of Assisting the Souls in Purgatory — Holy Mass — The Religious of Citeaux delivered by the Sacred Host — Blessed Henry Suzo.
No; of all that we can do in favour of the souls in Purgatory, there is nothing more precious than the immolation of our Divine Saviour upon the altar. Besides being the express doctrine of the Church, manifested in her Councils, many miraculous facts, properly authenticated, leave no room for doubt in regard to this point. We have already spoken of the Religious who was delivered from Purgatory by the prayers of St. Bernard and his community. This Religious, whose regularity was not all that could be desired, had appeared after his death to ask the assistance of St. Bernard. The holy Abbot, with all his fervent disciples, hastened to offer prayers, fasts, and Masses for the poor departed brother. The latter was speedily delivered, and appeared, full of gratitude, to an aged Religious of the community who had specially interested himself in his behalf. Questioned as to the suffrage which had been most profitable to him, instead of replying, he took the old man by the hand, and, conducting him to the church where Mass was being celebrated, "Behold," said he, pointing to the altar, "the great redeeming power which has broken my chains; behold the price of my ransom: it is the Saving Host, which takes away the sins of the world."
Here is another incident, related by the historian Ferdinand of Castile, and quoted by Father Rossignoli. There was at Cologne, among the students in the higher classes of the university, two Dominican Religious of distinguished talent, one of whom was Blessed Henry Suzo. [17] The same studies, the same kind of life, and above all the same relish for sanctity, had caused them to contract an intimate friendship, and they mutually imparted the favours which they received from Heaven.
When they had finished their studies, seeing that they were about to be separated, to return each one to his own convent, they agreed and promised one another that the first of the two who should die should be assisted by the other for a whole year by the celebration of two Masses each week — on Monday a Mass of Requiem, as was customary, and on Friday that of the Passion, in so far as the Rubrics would permit. They engaged to do this, gave each other the kiss of peace, and left Cologne.
For several years they both continued to serve God with the most edifying fervour. The brother whose name is not mentioned was the first to be called away, and Suzo received the tidings with the most perfect sentiments of resignation to the Divine will. As to the contract they had made, time had caused him to forget it. He prayed much for his friend, imposing new penances upon himself, and many other good works, but he did not think of offering the Masses which he had promised.
One morning, whilst meditating in retirement in the chapel, he suddenly saw appear before him the soul of his departed friend, who, regarding him with tenderness, reproached him with having been unfaithful to his word, given and accepted, and which he had a perfect right to rely upon with confidence. Blessed Suzo, surprised, excused his forgetfulness by enumerating the prayers and mortifications which he had offered, and still continued to offer, for his friend, whose salvation was as dear to him as his own. " Is it possible, my dear brother," he added, "that so many prayers and good works which I have offered to God do not suffice for you? " " Oh! no," dear brother, replied the suffering soul, " that is not sufficient. It is the Blood of Jesus Christ that is needed to extinguish the flames by which I am consumed; it is the August Sacrifice which will deliver me from these frightful torments. I implore you to keep your word, and refuse me not that which in justice you owe me."
Blessed Suzo hastened to respond to the appeal of the suffering soul; and, to repair his fault, he celebrated, and caused to be celebrated, more Masses than he had promised.
On the following day several priests, at the request of Suzo, united with him in offering the Holy Sacrifice for the deceased, and continued this act of charity for several days.
After some time the friend of Suzo again appeared to him, but now in a very different condition; his countenance was joyful, and surrounded with beautiful light. " Oh! thanks, my faithful friend," said he; " behold, by the Blood of my Saviour I am delivered from my sufferings. I am now going to Heaven to contemplate Him whom we so often adored together under the Eucharistic veil." Suzo prostrated himself to thank the God of all mercy, and understood more than ever the inestimable value of the August Sacrifice of the Altar. [18]
CHAPTER XIII.
Relief of the Souls — Holy Mass — St. Elizabeth and Queen Constance — St. Nicholas of Tolentino and Pellegrino d'Osima.
We read in the Life of St. Elizabeth of Portugal that after the death of her daughter Constance she learned the pitiful state of the deceased in Purgatory, and the price which God exacted for her ransom. The young princess had been married but a short time previous to the King of Castile, when she was snatched away by sudden death from the affection of her family and her subjects. Elizabeth had just received these tidings, and set out with the King, her husband, for the city of Santarem, when a hermit, coming forth from his solitude, ran after the royal cortege, crying that he wished to speak to the Queen. The guards repulsed him, but the saint, seeing that he persisted, gave orders that the servant of God should be brought to her.
As soon as he came into her presence, he related that more than once whilst he was praying in his hermitage Queen Constance had appeared to him, urgently entreating him to make known to her mother that she was languishing in the depths of Purgatory, that she was condemned to long and terrible suffering, but that she would be delivered if for the space of a year the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated for her every day. The courtiers who heard this communication ridiculed him aloud, and treated the hermit as a visionary, an impostor, or a fool.
As to Elizabeth, she turned towards the King and asked him what he thought of it? "I believe," replied the Prince, " that it is wise to do that which has been pointed out to you in so extraordinary a manner. After all, to have Masses celebrated for our dear deceased relatives is nothing more than a paternal and Christian duty." A holy priest, Ferdinand Mendez, was appointed to say the Masses.
At the end of the year Constance appeared to St. Elizabeth, clad in a brilliant white robe. " To-day, dear mother," said she, " I am delivered from the pains of Purgatory, and am about to enter Heaven." Filled with consolation and joy, the saint went to the church to return thanks to God. There she found the priest Mendez, who assured her that on the previous day he had finished the celebration of the three hundred and sixty-five Masses with which he had been charged. The Queen then understood that God had kept the promise which He had made to the pious hermit, and she testified her gratitude by distributing abundant alms to the poor.
But thou hast saved us from them that afflict us, and thou hast put them to shame that hate us (Ps. xliii.). Such were the words addressed to the illustrious St. Nicholas of Tolentino by the souls that he had delivered in offering for them the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. One of the greatest virtues of that admirable servant of God, says Father Rossignoli, was his charity, his devotion to the Church Suffering. For her he frequently fasted on bread and water, inflicted cruel disciplines upon himself, and wore about his loins a chain of sharp-pointed iron. When the sanctuary was thrown open to him, and his superiors wished to confer the priesthood upon him, he hesitated a long time before that sublime dignity, and nothing could make him decide to receive holy orders but the thought that by daily celebrating the Holy Sacrifice he could most efficaciously assist the suffering souls in Purgatory. On their part, the souls whom he relieved by so many suffrages appeared to him several times to thank him or to recommend themselves to his charity.
He lived near Pisa, entirely occupied with his spiritual exercises, when one Saturday during the night he saw in a dream a soul in pain, who besought him to celebrate Holy Mass on the following morning for her and several other souls that suffered most terribly in Purgatory. Nicholas recognised the voice, but could not distinctly call to mind the person who spoke to him. " I am," said the apparition, "your deceased friend Pellegrino d'Osima. By the Divine Mercy I have escaped eternal chastisement by repentance; not so the temporal punishment due to my sins. I come in the name of many souls as unfortunate as myself to entreat you to offer Holy Mass for us to-morrow; from it we expect our deliverance, or at least great alleviation." The saint replied, with his usual kindness, " May our Lord deign to relieve you by the merits of His precious Blood! But this Mass for the dead I cannot say to-morrow; I must sing the Conventual Mass in choir." "Ah! at least come with me," cried the departed soul, amid sighs and tears; "I conjure you, for the love of God, come and behold our sufferings, and you will no longer refuse; you are too good to leave us in such frightful agonies."
Then it seemed to him that he was transported into Purgatory. Pie saw an immense plain, where a vast multitude of souls, of all ages and conditions, were a prey to divers tortures most horrible to behold. By gestures and by words they implored most piteously his assistance. 11 Behold," said Pellegrino, " the state of those who sent me to you. Since you are agreeable in the sight of God, we have confidence that He will refuse nothing to the oblation of the Sacrifice offered by you, and that His Divine Mercy will deliver us."
At this pitiful sight the saint could not repress his tears. He immediately betook himself to prayer, to console them in their sorrow, and the following morning went to the Prior, relating to him the vision he had had, and the request made by Pellegrino concerning the Mass for that day. The Father Prior, sharing his emotion, dispensed him for that day, and for the rest of the week, from saying the conventual Mass, that he might offer the Holy Sacrifice for the departed, and devote himself entirely to the relief of the suffering souls. Delighted with this permission, Nicholas went to the church and celebrated Holy Mass with extraordinary fervour. During the entire week he continued to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice for the same intention, besides offering day and night prayers, disciplines, and all sorts of good works.
At the end of the week Pellegrino again appeared, but no longer in a state of suffering; he was clad in a white garment and surrounded with a celestial light, in which he pointed out a large number of happy souls. They all thanked him, calling him their liberator; then rising towards heaven, they chanted these words of the Psalmist, Salvasti nos de affligentibus nos, et odientes nos confudisti — " Thou hast saved us from them that afflict us, and thou hast put them to shame that hate us " (Ps. xliii.). The enemies here spoken of are sins, and the demons who are their instigators.
CHAPTER XIV.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Holy Mass — Father Gerard — The Thirty Masses of St. Gregory.
Let us now consider the supernatural effects of a different kind, but which prove no less clearly the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the departed. We find them in the Memoirs of Father Gerard, an English Jesuit and Confessor of the Faith during the persecutions in England in the sixteenth century. After relating how he had received the abjuration of a Protestant gentleman, married to one of his cousins, Father Gerard adds, " This conversion led to another under the most extraordinary circumstances. My new convert went to see one of his friends who was dangerously ill. This was an upright man, detained in heresy more by illusion than by any other motive. The visitor urgently exhorted him to be converted, and to think of his soul; and obtained from him the promise that he would make his confession. He instructed him in everything, taught him how to excite himself to contrition for his sins, and went to seek for a priest. He had great difficulty in finding one, and in the mean time the sick person died. When about to expire, the poor dying man asked frequently whether his friend had not yet returned with the physician whom he had promised to bring; it was thus he called the Catholic priest.
" What followed showed that God had accepted the goodwill of the deceased. The nights following his death, his wife, a Protestant, saw a light moving in her room, and which came even within the curtains of her bed. Being afraid, she desired one of her servant-maids to sleep in her room; but the latter saw nothing, although the light continued to be visible to the eyes of her mistress. The poor lady sent for the friend whose return her husband had awaited with so much anxiety, related to him what had happened, and asked what was to be done.
" This friend before giving an answer consulted a Catholic priest. The priest told him that the light was, for the wife of the deceased, a supernatural sign by which God invited her to return to the true faith. The lady was deeply impressed by these words; she opened her heart to grace, and in her turn was converted.
" Once a Catholic, she had Mass celebrated in her chamber for some time; but the light always returned. The priest considering these circumstances before God, thought that the deceased, though saved by his repentance accompanied by the desire of confession, was in Purgatory, and stood in need of prayers. He advised the lady to have Mass said for him during thirty days, according to an ancient custom of English Catholics. The good widow followed this advice, and on the thirtieth day, instead of one light, saw three, two of which seemed to support another. The three lights hovered over her bed, then rose heavenward, never more to return. These three lights appear to have signified the three conversions, and the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to open Heaven to the departed souls."
The thirty Masses which were said for thirty consecutive days is not an English custom only, as it is called by Father Gerard; it is also widely spread in Italy and other Christian countries. These Masses are called the Thirty Masses of St. Gregory, because the pious custom seems to trace its origin back to this great Pope. It is thus related in his " Dialogues " (Book iv. chap, xl.): — A Religious, named Justus, had received and kept for himself three gold pieces. This was a grievous fault against his vow of poverty. He was discovered and excommunicated. This salutary penalty made him enter into himself, and sometime afterwards he died in true sentiments of repentance. Nevertheless, St. Gregory, in order to inspire the brethren with a lively horror of the sin of avarice in a Religious, did not withdraw the sentence of excommunication: Justus was buried apart from the other monks, and the three pieces of money were thrown into the grave, whilst the Religious repeated altogether the words of St. Peter to Simon the Magician, Pecunia tua tecum sit in perditionem — " Keep thy money to perish with thee."
Some time afterwards, the holy Abbot, judging that the scandal was sufficiently repaired, and moved with compassion for the soul of Justus, called the Procurator and said to him sorrowfully, " Ever since the moment of his death, our brother has been tortured in the flames of Purgatory; we must through charity make an effort to deliver him. Go, then, and take care that from this time forward the Holy Sacrifice be offered for thirty days; let not one morning pass without the Victim of Salvation being offered up for his release."
The Procurator obeyed punctually. The thirty Masses were celebrated in the course of thirty days. When the thirtieth day arrived and the thirtieth Mass was ended, the deceased appeared to a brother named Copiosus, saying, " Bless God, my dear brother, to-day I am delivered and admitted into the society of the saints."
Since that time the pious custom of celebrating thirty Masses for the dead has been established.
CHAPTER XV.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Eugenie Wybo — Lacordaire and the Polish Prince.
Nothing is more conformable to the Christian spirit than to have the Holy Sacrifice offered up for the relief of the souls departed, and it would be a great misfortune should the zeal of the faithful cool in this respect. God seems to multiply prodigies in order to prevent us from falling into so fatal a relaxation. The following incident is attested by a worthy priest of the diocese of Bruges, who received it from its primitive source, and whose testimony bears all the certainty of an eye-witness with regard to the fact: — On October 13, 1849, there died at the age of fifty-two, in the parish of Ardoye, in Flanders, a woman named Eugenie Van de Kerckove, whose husband, John Wybo, was a farmer. She was a pious and charitable woman, giving alms with a generosity proportionate to her means. She had, to the end of her life, a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and abstained in her honour on the Friday and Saturday of each week. Although her conduct was not free from certain domestic faults, she otherwise led a most exemplary and edifying life.
A servant named Barbara Vennecke, aged twenty-eight years, a virtuous and devoted girl, and who had assisted her mistress in her last sickness, continued to serve her master, John Wybo, the widower of Eugenie.
About three weeks after her death, the deceased appeared to her servant under circumstances which we are about to relate. It was in the middle of the night; Barbara slept soundly, when she heard herself called distinctly three times by her name. She awoke with a start, and saw before her her mistress, sitting on the side of her bed, clad in a working dress, consisting of a skirt and short jacket. At this sight, strange to say, although seized with astonishment, Barbara was not at all frightened, and preserved her presence of mind. The apparition spoke to her, "Barbara" she said, simply pronouncing her name. " What do you desire, Eugenie?" replied the servant. "Take" said the mistress, " the tittle rake which I of ten told you to put in its place; stir the heap of sand in the little room; you know to which one I refer. You will there find a sum of money; use it to have Masses said, two francs for each, for my intention, for I am still suffering." " I will do so, Eugenie," replied Barbara, and at the same moment the apparition vanished. The servant, still quite calm, fell asleep again, and reposed quietly until morning.
On awaking, Barbara believed herself the sport of a dream, but she had been so deeply impressed, so wide awake, she had seen her old mistress in a form so distinct, so full of life, she had received from her lips such precise directions, that she could not help saying, " It is not thus that we dream. I saw my mistress in person; she presented herself to my eyes and spoke to me. It is no dream, but a reality."
She therefore went and took the rake as directed, stirred the sand, and drew out a purse containing the sum of five hundred francs.
In such strange and extraordinary circumstances the good girl thought it her duty to seek the advice of her pastor, and went to relate to him all that had happened. The venerable Abbe' R., then parish priest of Ardoye, replied that the Masses asked by the departed soul must be celebrated, but, in order to dispose of the sum of money, the consent of the farmer, John Wybo, was necessary. The latter willingly consented that the money should be employed for so holy a purpose, and the Masses were celebrated, being given two francs for each Mass.
We call attention to the circumstance of the fee, because it corresponded with the pious custom of the deceased. The fee for a Mass fixed by the diocesan tariff was about a franc and a half, but the wife of Wybo, through consideration for the clergy, obliged at that time of scarcity to relieve a great number of the poor, gave two francs for each Mass she had been accustomed to have celebrated.
Two months after the first apparition, Barbara was again awakened during the night. This time her chamber was illuminated with a bright light, and her mistress, beautiful and fresh as in the days of her youth, dressed in a robe of dazzling whiteness, appeared before her, regarding her with an amiable smile. "Barbara" she said in a clear and audible voice, "I thank you; I am delivered." Saying these words, she disappeared, and the chamber became dark as before. The servant, amazed at what she had seen, was transported with joy. This apparition made the most lively impression upon her mind, and she preserves to this day the most consoling remembrance of it. It is from her that we have these details, through the favour of the venerable Abbe L., who was curate at Ardoye when these facts occurred.
The celebrated Father Lacordaire, in the beginning of the conferences on the immortality of the soul, which he addressed a few years before his death to the pupils of Soreze, related to them the following incident: —
The Polish prince of X., an avowed infidel and materialist, had just composed a work against the immortality of the soul. He was on the point of sending it to press, when one day walking in his park, a woman bathed in tears threw herself at his feet, and in accents of profound grief said to him, " My good Prince, my husband has just died. ... At this moment his soul is perhaps suffering in Purgatory. ... I am in such poverty that I have not even the small sum required to have a Mass celebrated for the dead. In your kindness come to my assistance in behalf of my poor husband."
Although the gentleman was convinced that the woman was deceived by her credulity, he had not courage to refuse her. He slipped a gold piece into her hand, and the happy woman hastened to the church, and begged the priest to offer some Masses for the repose of her husband's soul. Five days later, towards evening, the prince, in the seclusion of his study, was reading over his manuscript and retouching some details, when, raising his eyes, he saw, close to him, a man dressed in the costume of the peasants of the country. " Prince," said the unknown visitor, " I come to thank you. I am the husband of that poor woman who besought you the other day to give her an alms, that she might have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the repose of my soul. Your charity was pleasing to God: it was He who permitted me to come and thank you."
These words said, the Polish peasant disappeared like a shadow. The emotion of the prince was indescribable, and in consequence he consigned his work to the names, and yielded himself so entirely to the conviction of truth that his conversion was complete. He persevered until death.
CHAPTER XVI.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Liturgy of the Church — Commemoration of the Dead — St. Odilo.
Holy Church possesses a special liturgy for the dead: it is composed of vespers, matins, lauds, and of the Mass commonly called the Mass of Requiem. This liturgy, as touching as it is sublime, through mourning and tears unfolds to the eyes of the faithful the consoling light of eternity. This liturgy she reads at the funerals of her children, and particularly on the solemn day of the Commemoration of the Dead. Holy Mass here holds the first place; it is like the divine centre round which all other prayers and ceremonies cluster. The day following All Saints' Day, the great solemnity of All Souls, all priests must offer the Holy Sacrifice for the dead; after which the faithful make it their duty to assist, and even to offer Holy Communion, prayers and alms, for the relief of their brethren in Purgatory. This feast of the departed is not of very ancient origin. From the beginning the Church has always prayed for her departed children: she sang psalms, recited prayers, offered Holy Mass for the repose of their souls. Yet we do not see that there was any particular feast on which to recommend to God ail the dead in general. It was not until the tenth century that the Church, always guided by the Holy Ghost, instituted the Commemoration of all the faithful departed, to encourage the faithful to fulfil the great duty of prayer for the dead, prescribed by Christian charity.
The cradle of this touching solemnity was the Abbey of Cluny. St. Odilo, [19] who was Abbot there at the close of the tenth century, edified all France by his charity towards his neighbour. Extending his compassion even to the dead, he ceased not to pray for the souls in Purgatory. It was this tender charity which inspired him to establish in his monastery, as also in its dependencies, the feast of the commemoration of all the souls departed. We believe, says the historian Berault, that he had received a revelation to that effect, for God manifested in a miraculous manner how pleasing to Him was the devotion of His servant. It is thus related by his biographers. Whilst the holy Abbot governed his monastery in France, a pious hermit lived in a little island off the coast of Sicily. A French pilgrim was cast upon the shore of this little island by a tempest. The hermit, whom he went to visit, asked him if he knew the Abbot Odilo. "Certainly," replied the pilgrim, " I know him, and am proud of his acquaintance; but how do you know him, and why do you ask me this question?" "I often hear," replied the hermit, "the evil spirits complain of pious persons who, by their prayers and alms-deeds, deliver the souls from the pains which they endure in the other life, but they complain principally of Odilo, Abbot of Cluny, and his Religious. W T hen, therefore, you shall have returned to your native country, I beg of you, in the name of God, to exhort the holy Abbot and his monks to redouble their good works in behalf of the poor souls."
The pilgrim betook himself to the monastery and did as he was directed. In consequence, St. Odilo gave orders that in all the monasteries of his Institute, on the day following All Saints, a commemoration of all the faithful departed should be made, by reciting the vespers for the dead on the eve, and on following morning matins; by ringing all the bells and celebrating Mass for repose of the holy souls. This decree, which was drawn up at Cluny, as well for that monastery as for all those dependent upon it, is still preserved. A practice so pious soon passed over to other churches, and in course of time became the universal observance of the whole Catholic world.
CHAPTER XVII
Relief of the Souls — The Sacrifice of the Mass — Brother John of Alvemia at the Altar — St. Magdalen de Pazzi — St. Malachy and his Sister.
The Annals of the Seraphic Order tell us of a holy Religious named John of Alvernia. He ardently loved our Lord Jesus Christ, and embraced in the same love the souls ransomed by His Blood and so dear to His Heart. Those who suffered in the prisons of Purgatory had a large share in his prayers, his penances, and his sacrifices. One day God was pleased to manifest to him the admirable and consoling effects of the Divine Sacrifice offered on All Souls' Day upon every altar. The Servant of God was celebrating Mass for the departed on that solemnity when he was rapt in ecstasy. He saw Purgatory opened, and souls coming forth delivered by virtue of the Sacrifice of Propitiation; they resembled innumerable sparks which escaped from a burning furnace. We shall be less astonished at the powerful effects of holy Mass if we call to mind that it is identically the same as that offered bv the Son of God Himself upon the cross. It is the same Priest, says the Council of Trent, it is the same, Victim, the only difference is in the manner of immolation; on the cross the immolation was bloody, on our altar it is unbloody.
Now, that sacrifice of the cross was of infinite value; that of the altar is, in the eyes of God, of equal value. Let us remark, however, that the efficacy of this Divine Sacrifice is only partially applied to the dead, and in a measure known only to the justice of God. The Passion of Jesus Christ and His Precious Blood shed for our salvation are an inexhaustible ocean of merit and satisfaction. It is by virtue of that Passion that we obtain all gifts and mercies from God. The mere commemoration which we make of it by way of prayer, when we offer to God the Blood of His only-begotten Son, to implore His mercy, this prayer I say, thus strengthened by the Passion of Jesus Christ, has great power with God. St. Magdalen de Pazzi learned from our Lord to offer to the Eternal Father the Blood of His Divine Son. It was a simple commemoration of the Passion. She did it fifty times a day, and in one of her ecstasies she saw a large number of sinners converted, and of souls delivered from Purgatory by this practice. "Each time," He added, "that a creature offers to my Father the Blood by which she has been redeemed, she offers Him a gift of infinite value." If such be the value of an offering commemorative of the Passion, what must be said of the sacrifice of the Mass, which is the actual renewal of that same Passion?
Many Christians do not sufficiently know the greatness of the Divine Mysteries accomplished upon our altars; the feebleness of their faith, together with their lack of knowledge, prevents them from appreciating the treasure which they possess in the Divine Sacrifice, and causes them to look upon it with a sort of indifference. Alas! they will see later on, with bitter regret, how they have deceived themselves. The sister of St. Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, in Ireland, affords us a striking example of this.
In his beautiful Life of St. Malachy[20] St. Bernard highly praises that prelate for his devotion towards the souls in Purgatory. When he was as yet deacon, he loved to assist at the funerals of the poor, and at the Mass which was celebrated for them; he even accompanied their remains to the cemetery with as much zeal as he ordinarily saw those unfortunate creatures neglected after their death. But he had a sister, who, filled with the spirit of the world, thought that her brother degraded himself and his whole family by thus associating with the poor. She reproached him, showing by her language that she understood neither Christian Charity nor the excellence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Malachy, notwithstanding, continued the exercise of his humble Charity, contenting himself with replying to his sister that she had forgotten the teaching of Jesus Christ, and that she would one day repent of her thoughtless words.
In the meantime the imprudent rashness of this woman was not to remain unpunished; she died whilst still young, and went to render an account to the Sovereign Judge of the worldly life she had led.
Malachy had reason to complain of her conduct, but when she was dead he forgot all the wrongs she had done him, and thinking only of the needs of her soul, he offered the Holy Sacrifice and prayed much for her. In the course of time, however, having many others to pray for, he neglected his poor sister. " We may believe," says Father Rossignoli, " that God permitted that she should be forgotten, in punishment for the want of compassion which she showed towards the dead."
However this may be, she appeared to her holy brother during his sleep. Malachy saw her standing in the middle of the area before the church, sad, clad in mourning, and entreating his compassion, complaining that for the last thirty days he had neglected her. He thereupon awoke suddenly, and remembered that in reality it was thirty days since he had celebrated Mass for his sister. On the following day he began anew to offer the Holy Sacrifice for her. Then the deceased appeared to him at the door of the church, kneeling upon the threshold, and lamenting that she was not allowed to enter. He continued his suffrages. Some days later he saw her enter the church and advance as far as the middle of the aisle, without being able, notwithstanding all her efforts, to approach the altar. He saw, therefore, it was necessary to persevere, so he continued to offer the Holy Sacrifice for the repose of her soul. Finally, after a few days he saw her near the altar, clad in magnificent attire, radiant with joy, and free from suffering.
"By this we see," adds St. Bernard, "how great is the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice to remit sins, to combat the powers of darkness, and to open the gates of Heaven to those souls which have quitted this earth."
CHAPTER XVIII.
Relief of the Souls — Holy Mass — St. Malachy at Clairvaux — Sister Zenaide — Venerable Joseph Anchieta and the Requiem Mass.
We must not omit to recount the special grace which the great charity of St. Malachy towards the holy souls procured for him. One day, being in the company of several pious persons, and conversing familiarly on spiritual matters, they came to speak of their last end. "If," said he, "the choice were given to each one of you, at what hour and in what place would you like to die?" At this question one mentioned a certain feast, another such an hour, others, again, at such a place. When it came to the saint's turn to express his thoughts, he said that there was no place where he would more willingly end his life than in the Monastery of Clairvaux, governed by St. Bernard, in order that he might immediately enjoy the benefit of the sacrifices of those fervent Religious; and as to the time, he preferred, he said, the day of All Souls, that he might have part in all the Masses and all the prayers offered throughout the entire Catholic world for the faithful departed.
This, his pious desire, was gratified in every point. He was on his way to Rome to visit Pope Eugenius III., when, arriving at Clairvaux a little before All Saints, he was overtaken by a serious malady, which obliged him to remain in that holy retreat. He soon understood that God had heard his prayers, and cried out with the prophet, This is my rest for ever and ever; here will I dwell, for I have chosen it. [21] In fact, the day following, All Saints', whilst the whole Church was praying for the departed, he rendered his soul into the hands of his Creator.
"We have known," says the Abbe" Postel, "a holy Religious, Sister Zenaide, who, afflicted with a frightful malady for several years, asked our Lord the grace to die on the Feast of All Souls, towards whom she had always had great devotion. Her desire was granted. On the morning of November 2, after two years of suffering endured with truly Christian courage, she began to sing a hymn of thanksgiving, and calmly expired a few moments before the celebration of the Masses."
We know that in the Catholic liturgy there is a special Mass for the dead; it is celebrated in black vestments, and is called Mass of Requiem. It may be asked whether this Mass is more profitable to the souls than any other? The Sacrifice of the Mass, notwithstanding the variety of its ceremonies, is always the same infinitely Holy Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ; but as the Mass for the Dead contains special prayers for the holy souls, it also obtains special assistance for them, at least at those times when the liturgical laws permit the priest to celebrate in black. This opinion, based on the institution and practice of the Church, is confirmed by a fact which we read in the Life of Venerable Father Joseph Anchieta.
This holy Religious, justly surnamed the Wonder-worker of Brazil, had, like all the saints, great charity towards the holy souls in Purgatory. One day during the Octave of Christmas, when the Church forbids the celebration of Requiem Masses, on the 27th of December, Feast of St. John the Evangelist, this man of God, to the great astonishment of all, ascended the altar in black vestments, and offered the Holy Sacrifice for the Dead.
His Superior, Father Nobrega, knowing the sanctity of Anchieta, doubted not that he had received a Divine inspiration; nevertheless, to remove from such conduct the character of irregularity which it appeared to have, he reprimanded the holy man in presence of all the brethren. "What, Father," said he to him, "do you not know that the Church forbids the celebration of Mass in black to-day? Have you forgotten the Rubrics? "
The good Father, quite humble and obedient, replied with respectful simplicity that God had revealed to him the death of a Father of the Society. This Father, his fellow-student at the University of Coimbra, and who at that time resided in Italy, in the College of the holy House of Loretto, had died that same night. "God," he continued, "made this known to me, and gave me to understand that I should offer the Holy Sacrifice for him immediately, and do all in my power for the repose of his soul." "But," said the Superior, " do you know that the Mass celebrated as you have done will be of any benefit to him?" "Yes," modestly replied Anchieta, " immediately after the memento for the dead, when I said these words: To Thee, God the Father Almighty, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory! God showed me the soul of that dear friend, freed from all its sufferings and ascending to Heaven, where his crown awaited him." (See Note 12.)
CHAPTER XIX.
Relief of the Souls through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass — Venerable Mother Agnes and Sister Seraphique — Margaret of Austria — The Archduke Charles — Father Mancinelli.
We have just spoken of the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice in relieving the poor souls. A lively faith in this consoling mystery inflames the devotion of the true faithful, and smoothes the bitterness of their grief. Does death deprive them of a father, a mother, a friend? They turn their tearful eyes towards the altar, which affords the means of testifying their love and gratitude towards their dear departed ones. Hence the numerous Masses which they cause to be celebrated; hence also that eagerness to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of Propitiation in favour of the dead.
Venerable. Mother Agnes de Langeac, a Dominican Religious of whom we have already spoken, assisted at Holy Mass with the greatest devotion, and encouraged her Religious to a like fervour. She told them that this Divine Sacrifice was the holiest act of religion, the work of God by excellence, and reminded them of Holy Scripture: "Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully."[22]
A sister of the community, named Sister Seraphique, died; she had not paid sufficient attention to the salutary advice of her Superior, and was condemned to a severe Purgatory. Mother Agnes knew this by revelation. In an ecstasy she was taken in spirit into the place of expiation, and saw many souls in the midst of flames. Among them she recognised Sister Seraphique, who, in piteous accents, entreated her assistance. Touched with the most lively compassion, the charitable Superior did all in her power for the space of eight days; she fasted, communicated, and assisted at Holy Mass for the dear departed sister. Whilst in prayer, with many tears and sighs, imploring the Divine Mercy through the precious Blood of Jesus, that He would be pleased to deliver her dear daughter from those dreadful flames, and admit her to the enjoyment of His presence, she heard a voice which said to her, " Continue to pray; the hour of her deliverance has not yet come:' Mother Agnes persevered in prayer, and two days later, whilst assisting at the Holy Sacrifice, at the moment of the elevation, she saw the soul of Sister Seraphique ascend to Heaven in a transport of joy. This consoling sight was the reward of her charity, and inflamed anew the ardour of her devotion towards the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Christian families, which possess a spirit of lively faith, make it their duty, according to their rank and means, to have a large number of Masses celebrated for the dead. In their holy liberality, they exhaust their resources in order to multiply the suffrages of the Church, and thus give relief to the holy souls. It is related in the Life of Queen Margaret of Austria, wife of Philip III., that in one single day, which was that of her obsequies, there was celebrated in the city of Madrid nearly eleven hundred Masses for the repose of her soul. This princess had asked for one thousand Masses in her last will; the King caused twenty thousand to be added to it. When the Archduke Albert died at Brussels, the pious Isabella, his widow, had forty thousand Masses offered for the repose of his soul, and for an entire month she herself assisted with the greatest piety at ten each day. [23]
One of the most perfect models of devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and of chanty towards the souls in Purgatory, was Father Julio Mancinelli of the Society of Jesus. The Masses offered by this worthy Religious, says F. Rossignoli, [24] appeared to have a particular efficacy for the relief of the faithful departed. The souls frequently appeared to him to beg the favour of a single Mass.
Caesar Costa, the uncle of Father Mancinelli, was Archbishop of Capua. One day meeting his holy nephew very poorly clad, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, he with the greatest charity gave him an alms to procure for himself a cloak. A short time afterwards, the Archbishop died; and the Father going out to visit the sick, wrapped in his new cloak, met his deceased uncle coming towards him enveloped in flames, and begging him to lend him his mantle. The Father gave it to him; and no sooner had the Archbishop folded it about him, than the flames were extinguished. Mancinelli understood that this soul was suffering in Purgatory, and that it asked his assistance, in return for the charity exercised in his regard. Then taking back his cloak, he promised to pray for the poor suffering soul with all possible fervour, especially at the altar.
This fact became noised abroad, and produced such a salutary impression, that after the death of the Father, it was represented in a painting, which is preserved at the College in Macerata, his native place. Father Julio Mancinelli is there seen at the altar, clad in the sacred vestments; he is elevated a little above the steps of the altar, to signify the raptures with which he was favoured by God. From his mouth issue sparks, the emblem of his burning prayers, and of his fervour during the Holy Sacrifice. Under the altar is seen Purgatory, and the souls receiving the benefit of the suffrages. Above, two angels pour forth from costly vases a shower of gold, which indicates the blessings, graces, and ransoms granted to the poor souls in virtue of the Holy Sacrifice. We also see the mantle spoken of, and an inscription in verse, which translated reads: "O miraculous garment, given as a protection against the severity of the cold, and which afterwards served to temper the heat of fire. It is thus that charity gives warmth or refreshment according to the sufferings which it relieves."
CHAPTER XX.
Relief of the Souls through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass — St. Teresa and Bernardino de Mendoza — Multiplicity of Masses — Pomp of the Obsequies.
Let us conclude what we have said relative to the Holy Sacrifice by what St. Teresa relates concerning Bernardino de Mendoza. She gives this fact in the " Book of Foundations," chapter x.
"On the Feast of All Souls, Don Bernardino de Mendoza had given a house and beautiful garden, situated in Madrid, to St. Teresa, that she might found a monastery in honour of the Mother of God." Two months after this, he was suddenly taken ill, and lost the power of speech, so that he could not make a confession, though he gave many signs of contrition. "He died," says St. Teresa, "very shortly afterwards, and far from the place where I then was. But our Lord spoke to me, and told me he was saved, though he had run a great risk; that mercy had been shown to him because of the donation to the convent of His Blessed Mother; but that his soul would not be freed from suffering until the first Mass was said in the new house. I felt so deeply the pains this soul was enduring, that although I was very desirous of accomplishing the foundation of Toledo, I left it at once for Valladolid on St. Lawrence's Day.
" One day, whilst I was in prayer at Medina del Campo, our Lord told me to make all possible haste, for the soul of De Mendoza was a prey to the most intense suffering.
" I immediately ordered the masons to put up the walls of the convent without delay; but as this would take considerable time, I asked the Bishop for permission to make a temporary chapel for the use of the sisters which I had brought with me. This obtained, I had Mass offered; and at the moment I left my place to approach the Holy Table, I saw our benefactor, who, with hands joined and countenance all radiant, thanked me for having delivered him from Purgatory. Then I saw him enter Heaven. I was the more happy as I did not expect this. For although our Lord had revealed to me that the deliverance of this soul would follow the celebration of the first Mass in the house, I thought that it must mean the first Mass when the Blessed Sacrament should be reserved there."
This beautiful incident shows us not only the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but also the tender goodness with which Jesus interests Himself in favour of the holy souls, even condescending to solicit our suffrages in their behalf.
But since the Divine Sacrifice is of such value, it may here be asked if a large number of Masses procures for the souls more relief than a smaller number, whose defect is supplied only by magnificent obsequies and abundant alms? The answer to this question may be inferred from the spirit of the Church, which is the spirit of Jesus Christ Himself, and the expression of His will.
Now the Church advises the faithful to have prayers said for the dead, to give alms, and perform other good works, to apply indulgences to them, but especially to have Holy Mass celebrated, and to assist thereat. Whilst giving the first place to the Divine Sacrifice, she approves and makes use of various kinds of suffrages, according to the circumstances, devotion, or social condition of the deceased or his heirs.
It is a Catholic custom religiously observed from the remotest antiquity to have Mass celebrated for the dead with solemn ceremonies, and a funeral with as much pomp as their means will allow. The expense of this is an alms given to the Church, an alms which, in the eyes of God, greatly enhances the price of the Holy Sacrifice, and its satisfactory value for the deceased.
It is well, however, so to regulate the funeral expenses, that a sufficient sum be left for a certain number of Masses, and also to give alms to the poor.
That which must be avoided is, to lose sight of the Christian character of funerals, and to look upon the funeral service less as a great act of religion than a display of worldly vanity.
What must be further avoided are the profane mourning emblems which are not conformable to Christian tradition, such as the wreaths of flowers, with which, at a great expense, they load the coffins of the dead. This is an innovation justly disapproved by the Church, to which Jesus Christ has intrusted the care of religious rites and ceremonies, not excepting funeral ceremonies. Those of which she makes use at the death of her children are venerable by their antiquity, full of meaning and consolation. All that presents itself to the eyes of the faithful on such occasions, the cross and the holy water, the lights and the incense, the tears and prayers, breathe compassion for the poor souls, faith in the Divine Mercy, and the hope of immortality.
What is there of all this in the cold wreaths of violet? They say nothing to the Christian soul; they are but profane emblems of this mortal life, that contrast strangely with the cross, and which are foreign to the rites of the Catholic Church.
CHAPTER XXI.
Relief of the Souls — Prayer — Brother Corrado d'Offida — The Golden Fish-Hook and the Silver Thread.
After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we have a multitude of secondary though most efficacious means of relieving the holy souls, if we employ them with spirit, faith, and fervour.
In the first place comes prayer, prayer in all its forms. The Annals of the Seraphic Order speak with admiration of Brother Corrado d'Offida, one of the first companions of St. Francis. He was distinguished by a spirit of prayer and charity, which contributed greatly to the edification of his brethren. Among the latter there was a young monk, whose relaxed and disorderly conduct disturbed the holy community; but, thanks to the prayers and charitable exhortations of Corrado, he entirely corrected himself and became a model of regularity. Soon after this happy conversion, he died, and his brethren gave him the ordinary suffrages. A few days elapsed, when Brother Corrado being in prayer before the altar, heard a voice asking the assistance of his prayers. "Who are you?" said the servant of God. " I am," replied the voice, " the soul of the young Religious whom you reanimated to fervour." " But did you not die a holy death? Are you still in so great need of prayers? " "1 died a good death, and am saved, but on account of my former sins, which I had not the time to expiate, I suffer the most terrible chastisement, and I beseech you not to refuse me the assistance of your prayers." Immediately the good brother prostrated himself before the tabernacle, and recited a Pater, followed by the Requiem AEternam. "Oh, my good Father," cried the apparition, "what refreshment your prayer procures for me! Oh, how it relieves me! I entreat you to continue." Corrado devoutly repeated the same prayers. "Beloved Father," again repeated the soul, " still more! still more! I experience such great relief when you pray." The charitable Religious continued his prayers with renewed fervour, and repeated the Our Father a hundred times. Then, in accents of unspeakable joy, the deceased soul said unto him, " I thank you, my dear Father, in the name of God. I am delivered; behold! I am about to enter the Kingdom of Heaven."
We see by the preceding example how efficacious are the smallest prayers, the shortest supplications, to alleviate the sufferings of the poor souls. "I have read," says Father Rossignoli, "that a holy Bishop, rapt in ecstasy, saw a child, who, with a golden fish-hook and a silver thread, drew forth from the bottom of a well a woman who had been drowned therein. After his prayer, and whilst on his way to the church, he saw the same child praying at a grave in the cemetery. ' What are you doing there, my little friend? ' he asked. ' I am saying the Our Father and Hail Mary,' answered the child, 'for the soul of my mother, whose body lies buried here.' The prelate immediately understood that God had wished to show him the efficacy of the most simple prayer; he knew that the soul of that woman had been delivered, that the fish-hook was the Pater, and that the Ave was the silver thread of that mystic line."
CHAPTER XXII.
Relief of the Holy Souls — The Holy Rosary — Father Nieremberg — Mother Frances of the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary.
We know that the Holy Rosary holds the first place among all the prayers which the Church recommends to the faithful. This excellent prayer, the source of so many graces for the living, is also singularly efficacious in relieving the dead. Of this we have a touching proof in the Life of Father Nieremberg, whom we have mentioned elsewhere. This charitable servant of God imposed upon himself frequent mortifications, accompanied by devotions and prayers for the relief of the poor suffering souls. He never omitted to recite the Rosary each day for their intention, and gained for them all the indulgences in his power; an offering which he recommended to the faithful in a special work which he published on this subject. The chaplet which he used was ornamented with pious medals and enriched with numerous indulgences. It happened one day that he lost it, and he was inconsolable; not that this holy Religious, whose heart was not fettered by anything upon earth, had any material attachment to these beads, but because he saw himself deprived of the means of procuring the relief he was accustomed to give to the poor souls.
He sought everywhere, tried to recollect where he could have put his precious treasure: all was useless, and when evening came, he found himself obliged to replace his indulgenced chaplet by ordinary prayers.
Whilst thus engaged and alone in his cell, he heard a noise in the ceiling like that of his beads, which was well known to him, and raising his eyes, he saw in reality his chaplet, held by invisible hands, descending towards him and fall at his feet. He did not doubt that the invisible hands were those of the souls who were relieved by this means. We can imagine with what renewed fervour he recited his accustomed five decades, and how much this wonder encouraged him to persevere in a practice so visibly approved by Heaven.
Venerable Mother Frances of the Blessed Sacrament had from her infancy the greatest devotion towards the suffering souls, and persevered therein as long as she lived. She was all heart, all devotion towards those poor and holy souls. To assist them she daily recited her Rosary, which she was accustomed to call her almoner, and she ended each decade with the Requiescant in pace. On feast-days, when she had more free time, she added the Office of the Dead. To prayer she joined penances. The greater part of the year she fasted on bread and water, and on vigils she practised other austerities. She had to endure much labour and fatigue, pain and persecution. All these works were turned into profit for the holy souls, Frances offering all to God for their relief.
Not content with assisting them herself as far as was in her power, she engaged others to do the same. If priests came to the convent, she begged for Masses for them; if they were laymen, she advised them to distribute abundant alms for the faithful departed. In recompense for her charity, God frequently permitted the souls to visit her, either to solicit her suffrages or to return her thanks. Witnesses have testified that several times they visibly waited for her at the door when she was going to the Office of Matins, that they might recommend themselves to her prayers. At other times they entered her cell in order to present their request to her; they surrounded her bed, waiting until she awoke. These apparitions, to which she was accustomed, caused her no fear, and that she might not think herself the sport of a dream or a dupe of the devil, they said on entering, " Hail, servant of God, spouse of the Lord! may Jesus Christ be ever with you! " Then they testified their veneration for a large cross and the relics of the saints which their benefactress kept in her cell. If they found her reciting the Rosary, add the same witnesses, they took her hands and kissed them lovingly, as the instrument of their deliverance.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Fasts, Penances, and Mortifications, however Trifling — A Glass of Cold Water — Blessed Margaret Mary.
After prayer comes fasting, that is to say, not only fasting properly so called, which consists in abstaining from food, but also all penitential works of what nature soever they may be. It must here be remarked that this is a question not only of the great austerities practised by the saints, but of all the tribulations, all the contradictions of this life, as also of the least mortifications, the smallest sacrifices which we impose upon ourselves or accept for the love of God, and which we offer to His Divine Mercy for the relief of the holy souls.
A glass of water, which we refuse ourselves when thirsty, is a trifling thing, and if we consider this act in itself, we can scarcely see the efficacy it possesses to alleviate the sufferings of Purgatory. But such is the Divine Goodness that it deigns to accept this as a sacrifice of great value. "If I am permitted," says the Abbé Louvet, speaking of this subject, " I will relate an example which came almost under my own personal experience. One of my relations was a Religious in a community which she edified, not by that heroism of virtue which shone forth in the saints, but by an ordinary virtue and great regularity of life. It happened that she lost a friend whom she had formerly known in the world, and from the time she heard of her death, she made it her duty to recommend her to God. One evening, being very thirsty, her first impulse was to refresh herself with a glass of water, this being allowed by her Rule; but she remembered her deceased friend, and, for the benefit of her soul, refused herself this little gratification. Instead, then, of drinking this glass of water which she held in her hand, she poured it out, praying God to show mercy to the departed. This good sister reminds us of King David, who, finding himself with his army in a place without water and oppressed with thirst, refused to drink the refreshing water which was brought to him from the cisterns of Bethlehem. Instead of raising it to his parched lips, he poured it out as a libation to the Lord, and Holy Scripture cites this act of the holy King as one most agreeable to God. Now, this slight mortification which our holy Religious imposed upon herself by denying herself this draught of water was so pleasing to God, that He permitted the departed soul to make it manifest by an apparition. On the following night she appeared to the sister, heartily thanking her for the relief she had received. Those few drops of water, which in the spirit of mortification she had denied herself, were changed into a refreshing bath, to temper the heat of Purgatorial fires.
We wish to remark that what we here say is not restricted to acts of supererogatory mortification; it must be understood of obligatory mortification; that is to say, of all that we have to undergo in the fulfilment of our duties, and in general to all those good works to which our duties as Christians or those of our particular state of life oblige us.
Thus every Christian is bound by virtue of the law of God to refrain from wanton words, slander, and murmuring; thus every Religious must observe silence, charity, and obedience as prescribed by the Rule. Now, these observances, though of obligation, when practised in the true spirit of a Christian, with a view to please God, in union with the labours and sufferings of Jesus Christ, may become suffrages and serve to relieve the holy souls.
In that famous apparition where Blessed Margaret Mary saw the deceased Religious suffering intensely for her tepidity, the poor soul, after having related in detail the torments which she endured, concluded with these words: "Alas! one hour of exactitude in silence would cure my parched mouth; another passed in the practice of charity would heal my tongue; another passed without murmuring or disapprobation of the actions of the Superior would cure my tortured heart."
By this we see that the soul asked not for works of supererogation, but only the application of those to which the Religious are obliged.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Relief of the Holy Souls— Holy Communion—St. Magdalen de Pazzi delivering her Brother— General Communion in the Church.
If ordinary good works procure so much relief for the souls, what will not be the effects of the holiest work a Christian can accomplish, I mean Holy Communion? When St. Magdalen de Pazzi saw her brother in the sufferings of Purgatory, touched with compassion, she melted into tears and cried in a lamentable voice, " Oh, afflicted soul, how terrible are your pains! Why are they not understood by those who lack the courage to carry their cross here below? Whilst you were still in this world, my dear brother, you would not listen to me, and now you desire so ardently that I should hear you. Poor victim! what do you require of me?" Here she stopped and was heard to count up to the number one hundred and seven; then she said aloud that this was the number of Communions which he begged in a tone of supplication. "Yes," she said to him, "I can easily do what you ask, but, alas! what a length of time it will take me to pay that debt! Oh, if God permitted, how willingly would I go where you are, to deliver you, or to prevent others from descending into it."
The saint, without omitting her prayers and other suffrages, made with the greatest fervour all the Communions which her brother desired for his deliverance.
It is, says Father Rossignoli, a pious custom established in the churches of the Society of Jesus to offer each month a general Communion for the benefit of the souls in Purgatory, and God has deigned to show by a prodigy how agreeable this practice is to Him.
In the year 1615, when the Fathers in Rome celebrated this monthly Communion in the church of Our Lady in Trastevere, a crowd of persons was present. Amongst the fervent Christians there was one great sinner, who, although taking part in the pious ceremonies of religion, had for a long time led a very wicked life. This man, before entering the church, saw coming out and advancing towards him a man of humble appearance, who asked of him an alms for the love of God. He at first refused, but the poor man, as is customary with beggars, persisted, asking for the third time in a most pitiful tone of supplication. Finally, yielding to a good inspiration, our sinner recalled the mendicant and gave him a piece of money.
Then the poor man changed his entreaties into other language. "Keep your money," - said he; "I stand in no need of your liberality; but you yourself greatly need to make a change in your life. Know that it was to give you this salutary warning that I came from Mount Gargano to the ceremony which was to take place in this church to-day. It is now twenty years since you have been leading this deplorable life, provoking the anger of God instead of appeasing it by a sincere confession. Hasten to do penance if you would escape the stroke of Divine Justice ready to fall upon your head."
The sinner was struck by these words: a secret fear took possession of him when he heard the secrets of conscience revealed, which he thought were known to God alone. His emotion increased when he saw the poor man vanish like smoke before his eyes. Opening his heart to grace, he entered the church, cast himself upon his knees and shed a torrent of tears. Then sincerely repenting, he sought a confessor, made an avowal of his crimes and asked pardon. After confession, he related to the priest what had happened to him, begging him to make it known in order that devotion towards the holy souls might be increased; for he had no doubt that it was a soul just delivered that had obtained for him the grace of conversion.
It may here be asked who was that mysterious mendicant that appeared to this sinner in order to convert him? Some have believed that it was none other than the Archangel Michael, because he said that he came from Mount Gargano. We know that this mountain is celebrated throughout Italy for an apparition of St. Michael, in whose honour a magnificent shrine has been erected. However this may be, the conversion of this sinner by such a miracle, and at the same moment when prayers and Holy Communion were being offered for the faithful departed, shows plainly the excellence of this devotion and how pleasing it must be in the sight of God.
Let us therefore conclude in the words of St. Bernard, "May charity lead you to communicate, for there is nothing more efficacious for the eternal repose of the dead."
CHAPTER XXV.
Relief of the Holy Souls — The Stations of the Cross — Venerable Mary d'Antigna.
After Holy Communion we shall speak of the Stations of the Cross. This holy exercise may be considered in itself, and in the indulgences with which it is enriched. In itself, it is a solemn and very excellent manner of meditating on the Passion of our Saviour, and consequently the most salutary exercise of our holy religion.
In its literal sense, the Way of the Cross is the distance traversed by the Man-God whilst carrying the weight of His cross from the palace of Pilate, where He was condemned to death, to the summit of Calvary, where He was crucified. After the death of her Divine Son, the Blessed Virgin, either alone or in company with the holy women, frequently visited that dolorous path. After her example, the faithful of Palestine, and in the course of ages numerous pilgrims from the most distant countries, went to visit those holy places, bedewed with the sweat and blood of Jesus Christ; and the Church, to encourage their piety, opened to them her treasures of spiritual blessings. But as every one cannot go to the Holy Land, the Holy See allows to be erected in the churches and chapels in other countries, crosses, paintings, or bas-reliefs representing the touching scenes which took place on the real road to Calvary at Jerusalem.
In permitting the erection of these holy Stations, the Roman Pontiffs, who understood all the excellency and all the efficacy of this devotion, deigned also to enrich it with all the Indulgences which they had granted to a real visit to the Holy Land. And thus, according to the Briefs and Constitutions of the Sovereign Pontiffs Innocent XL, Innocent XII., Benedict XIIL, Clement XIL, and Benedict XIV., those who m ake the Stations of the Cross with proper dispositions gain all the Indulgences granted to the faithful who visit in person the Holy Places of Jerusalem, and these Indulgences are applicable to the dead.
Now it is certain that numerous Indulgences, whether plenary or partial, were granted to those who visited the Holy Places of Jerusalem, as may be seen in the Bullarium Terrce Sanctce, so that as regards Indulgences we may say that of all practices of piety the Way of the Cross is the most richly endowed.
Thus this devotion, as well on account of the excellence of its object as by reason of the Indulgences, constitutes a suffrage of the greatest value for the Holy Souls.
We find an incident relating to this subject in the Life of Venerable Mary d'Antigna. [25] For a long time she had the pious custom of making the Stations of the Cross each day for the relief of the souls departed; but later, for motives more apparent than solid, she did it but rarely, and finally omitted it altogether. Our Lord, who had great designs in regard to this pious virgin, and who desired to make her a victim of love for the consolation of the poor souls in Purgatory, vouchsafed to give her a lesson which serves as an instruction to us all. A Religious of the same convent, who had died a short time previously, appeared to her, complaining sorrowfully. "My dear sister," she said, "why do you no longer make the Stations of the Cross for the souls in Purgatory? You were formerly accustomed to relieve us every day by that holy exercise; why do you deprive us of that assistance?"
Whilst the soul was still speaking our Lord Himself appeared to His servant, and reproached her with her negligence. "Know, my daughter," He added, "that the Stations of the Cross are very profitable to the souls in Purgatory, and constitute a suffrage of the greatest value. This is why I have permitted this soul, for her own sake and for the sake of others, to implore this of you. Know also that it was on account of your exactitude in practising this devotion that you have been favoured by frequent communication with the dead. It is for this reason also that those grateful souls never cease to pray for you, and to plead your cause at the tribunal of My Justice. Make known this treasure to your sisters, and tell them to draw from it abundantly for themselves and for the dead."
CHAPTER XXVI.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Indulgences — Blessed Mary of Quito and the Heaps of Gold.
Let us pass to those indulgences applicable to the dead. Here Divine Mercy reveals itself with a sort of prodigality. We know that an indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, granted by the power of the Keys, outside of the Sacrament of Penance.
In virtue of the power of the Keys, which she has received from Jesus Christ, the Church may free the faithful from every obstacle to their entrance into glory. She exercises this power in the Sacrament of Penance, where she absolves them from their sins; she exercises it also outside of the Sacrament, in remitting the debt of temporal punishment which remains after the absolution; in this second instance it is the indulgence. The remission of temporal punishment by indulgences is granted to the faithful in this life only; but the Church may authorise her children whilst still living to transfer to their departed friends the remission accorded to themselves; this is the indulgence applicable to the souls in Purgatory. To apply an indulgence to the dead is to offer it to God in the name of His Holy Church, that He may deign to employ it for the benefit of the suffering souls. The satisfactions thus offered to the Divine Justice in the name of Jesus Christ are always accepted, and God applies it either to some soul in particular or to certain souls which He Himself wishes to benefit, or to all in general. Indulgences are either plenary or partial. A plenary indulgence is, to such as gain it, a remission of all the temporal punishment which it deserves in the sight of God. Suppose that, in order to acquit ourselves of this debt, we should be obliged to perform a hundred years of canonical penance upon earth, or suffer for a still longer time in Purgatory, by the virtue of a plenary indulgence properly gained all this punishment is remitted, and the soul no longer retains in the sight of God any shadow of sin, which prevents it from seeing His Divine face.
The partial indulgence consists in the remission of a certain number of days or years. These days and years in no way represent days and years of suffering in Purgatory; it must be understood of days and years of public canonical penance, consisting principally in fasts, and such as were formerly imposed upon sinners, according to the ancient discipline of the Church. Thus, an indulgence of forty days or seven years is a remission such as was merited before God by forty days or seven years of canonical penance. What proportion exists between those days of penance and the duration of the sufferings of Purgatory? This is a secret which it has not pleased God to reveal to us.
Indulgences are, in the Church, a true spiritual treasure laid open to all the faithful; all are permitted to draw therefrom, to pay their own debts and those of others. It was under this figure that God was one day pleased to show them to Blessed Mary of Quito. [26] One day, rapt in ecstasy, she saw in the midst of a large space an immense table covered with heaps of silver, gold, rubies, pearls, and diamonds, and at the same time she heard a voice saying, "These riches are public property; each one may approach and take as much as he pleases." God made known to her that this was a symbol of indulgences. [27] We may say with the pious author of the Merveilles how culpable we are if in such abundance we remain poor and destitute ourselves and neglect to assist others. Alas! the souls in Purgatory are in such extreme necessity, they supplicate us with tears in the midst of their torments; we have the means of paying their debts by indulgences, and we make no endeavour to do so.
Does access to this treasury demand painful efforts on our parts, such as fastings, journeys, and privations insupportable to nature? "Even though such were the case," says with reason the eloquent Father Segneri, "we should submit to them." Do we not see how men for love of gold, in order to preserve a work of art, to save a part of their fortune or a precious fabric, expose themselves to the flames of a fire? Ought we not then to do at least as much to save from expiatory flames those souls ransomed by the Blood of Jesus Christ? But Divine goodness asks nothing so painful: it requires only such works as are ordinary and easy — a Rosary, a Communion, a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, an alms, or the teaching of the elements of the Catechism to abandoned children. And we neglect to acquire the most precious treasures by such easy means, and have no desire to apply them to our poor relatives languishing in the flames of Purgatory.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Relief of the Holy Souls— Indulgences— Mother Frances of Pampeluna and the Bishop de Ribera — St. Magdalen de Pazzi — St. Teresa.
Venerable Mother Frances, of the Blessed Sacrament, of whose charity towards the holy souls we have already spoken, was also most zealous in relieving them by indulgences. One day God showed her the souls of three prelates who had previously occupied the See of Pampeluna, and who still languished in the sufferings of Purgatory. The servant of God understood that she must employ every means to effect their deliverance. As the Holy See had then granted to Spain the Bulls of the Crusade, which permitted the gaining of a plenary indulgence under certain conditions, she believed that the best means of assisting those poor souls would be to procure for each of them the advantage of a plenary indulgence.
She spoke to her Bishop, Christopher de Ribera, acquainting him with the fact that three of his predecessors were still in Purgatory, and urging him to procure for her three indulgences of the Crusade. She fulfilled all the conditions required, and applied a plenary indulgence to each of the three Bishops. The following night they all appeared to Mother Frances, delivered from all their sufferings. They thanked her, and begged her to thank also the Bishop Ribera for the indulgences which had opened Heaven to them. [28]
The following is related by Father Cepari in his Life of St. Magdalen de Pazzi. A professed Religious, who, during her last sickness, had been most tenderly cared for by St. Magdalen, died, and as it was the custom to expose the body in the church, Magdalen felt herself inspired to go and look upon it once more. She went, therefore, to the grid of the chapter-room, whence she could see it; but scarcely had she done so, than she was ravished in ecstasy, and saw the soul of the departed sister take its flight to Heaven. Transported with joy, she was heard to say, " Adieu, dear sister; adieu, blessed soul! Like a pure dove, you fly to your celestial home, and leave us in this abode of misery. Oh, how beautiful and glorious you are! Who can describe the glory with which God has crowned your virtues? What a short time you have passed in Purgatory! Your body has not yet been consigned to the tomb, and behold! your soul is already received into the sacred mansions. You now know the truth of those words I so lately addressed to you, ( That all the sufferings of this life are nothing in comparison with the reward which God has reserved for His friends.'" In the same vision, our Lord revealed to her that this soul had passed but fifteen hours in Purgatory, because she had suffered much during life, and because she had been careful to gain the indulgences granted by the Church to her children, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ.
St. Teresa in her works speaks of a Religious who set the highest value on the smallest indulgence granted by the Church, and endeavoured to gain all in her power. She led otherwise a very ordinary life, and her virtue was of a very common order. She died, and the saint, to her great surprise, saw her soul ascend to Heaven almost immediately after her death, so that she had, so to say, no Purgatory. When St. Teresa expressed her astonishment at this, our Lord made known to her that it was due to the great care she had taken to gain all the indulgences possible during life. "It was by that means," He added, "that she had discharged almost the whole of her debt, which was quite considerable, before her death; and had therefore appeared with great purity before the tribunal of God."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Indulgences — Indulgenced Prayers.
There are certain indulgences which are easy to be gained, and are applicable to the dead. We hope to afford pleasure to the reader by indicating the principal ones.
1. The prayer: Oh, good and most sweet Jesus. — A plenary indulgence for those who, having confessed and communicated, recite this prayer before an image of Christ crucified, and adding some other prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
2. Indulgenced Rosary Beads. — Great indulgences are attached to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, if we make use of beads indulgenced either by our Holy Father, the Pope, or by a priest who has received the faculties.
3. The Stations of the Cross. — As we have said elsewhere, [29] several plenary indulgences, and a great number of partial indulgences, are attached to the Stations of the Cross. These indulgences do not require Confession and Communion; it suffices to be in the state of grace, and to have a sincere sorrow for all our sins. As to the exercise itself of the Stations of the Cross, it requires but two conditions — 1st, to visit the fourteen Stations, passing from one to the other, as much as circumstances will permit; 2nd, to meditate at the same time on the Passion of Jesus Christ. Persons who do not know how to make connected meditation may content themselves with thinking affectionately of some circumstance of the Passion suited to their capacity. We exhort them, without, however, imposing it as an obligation, to recite a Pater and Ave before each cross, and to make an act of contrition for their sins.
4. The Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity. — An indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines each time they are recited.
5. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin. — Three hundred days each time.
6. The Sign of the Cross. — Fifty days each time; with holy water, a hundred days.
7. Divers prayers. My Jesus, mercy. — A hundred days each time. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. — Three hundred days, one a day. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation. — Three hundred days each time.
8. Praised be Jesus Christ. R. For ever and ever, Amen. — Fifty days each time that two persons salute each other with these words.
9. The Angelus. — An indulgence of a hundred days each time it is recited, either in the morning, at noon, or in the evening, at the sound of the bell, kneeling, and with a contrite heart,
CHAPTER XXIX.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Alms — Raban-Maur and Ede lard at the Monastery of Fulda
It remains for us to speak of a last and very powerful means of relieving the poor souls: viz., almsgiving. The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas, gives the preference to alms before fasting and prayer, when there is a question of expiating past faults. "Almsgiving," he says, "possesses more completely the virtue of satisfaction than prayer, and prayer more completely than fasting. This is why the great servants of God and the great saints have chosen it as a principal means of assisting the dead. Amongst them we may mention as one of the most remarkable the holy Abbot Raban-Maur, [30] first Abbot of Fulda, in the tenth century, and afterwards Archbishop of Mayence.
Father Trithemius, a well-known writer of the Order of St. Benedict, caused abundant alms to be distributed for the dead. He had established a rule that whenever a Religious died, his portion of food should be distributed among the poor for thirty days, that the soul of the deceased might be relieved by the alms. It happened in the year 830 that the monastery of Fulda was attacked by a contagious disease, which carried off a large number of the Religious. Raban-Maur, full of zeal and charity for their souls, called Edelard, the Procurator of the monastery, and reminded him of the rule established regarding the alms for the departed. " Take great care," said he, " that our constitutions be faithfully observed, and that the poor be fed for a whole month with the food destined for the brethren we have lost." Edelard failed both in obedience and charity. Under pretext that such liberality was extravagant, and that he must economise the resources of the monastery, but in reality because he was influenced by a secret avarice, he neglected to distribute the food, or did so in a manner far short of the command he had received. God did not leave this disobedience unpunished.
A month elapsed, when one evening, after the community had retired, he walked across the chapter-room with a lamp in his hand. What was his astonishment when, at an hour that the room should be unoccupied, he found there a great number of Religious. His astonishment turned into fear when, looking at them attentively, he recognised the Religious lately deceased. Terror seized him, an icy coldness ran through his veins and riveted him to the spot like a lifeless statue. Then one of the dead brothers addressed him with terrible reproaches. " Unfortunate creature," said he, "why didst thou not distribute the alms which were destined to give relief to the souls of thy departed brethren? Why hast thou deprived us of that assistance amid the torments of Purgatory? Receive, from this moment, the punishment of thy avarice; another and more terrible chastisement is reserved for thee, when, after three days, thou shall appear before thy God."
At these words Edelard fell as though struck by a thunderbolt, and remained immovable until after midnight, at the hour when the community went to choir. There they found him half-dead, in the same condition as was Heliodorus of old, after he had been scourged by the angels in the temple of Jerusalem (2 Mach. hi.).
He was carried to the infirmary, where all possible care was lavished upon him, so that he recovered consciousness. As soon as he was able to speak, in the presence of the Abbot and of all his brethren, he related with tears the terrible occurrence to which his sad condition but too evidently bore witness. Then adding that he was to die within three days, he asked for the last Sacraments, with all signs of humble repentance. He received them with sentiments of piety, and three days later expired, assisted by the prayers of his brethren.
Mass for the dead was immediately sung, and his share of food was distributed to the poor, for the benefit of his soul. Meanwhile, his punishment was not at an end. Edelard appeared to Abbot Raban, pale and disfigured. Touched with compassion, Raban inquired what he could do for him. " Ah! " replied the unfortunate soul, "notwithstanding the prayers of our holy community, I cannot obtain the grace of my deliverance until all my brethren, whom my avarice defrauded of the suffrages due to them, have been released. That which has been given to the poor for me has been of no profit but to them, and this by order of Divine Justice. I entreat you, therefore, O venerated and merciful Father, redouble your alms. I hope that by these powerful means Divine clemency will vouchsafe to deliver us all, my brethren first, and afterwards myself, who am the least deserving of mercy."
Raban-Maur increased his alms, and scarcely had another month elapsed, when Edelard again appeared; but clad in white, surrounded with rays of light and his countenance beaming with joy. He thanked, in the most touching manner, his Abbot and all the members of the monastery for the charity exercised towards him.[31]
What instruction does not this history contain! In the first place, the virtue of almsgiving for the dead shines forth in a most striking manner. Then we see how God chastises, even in this life, those who through avarice fear not to deprive the dead of their suffrages. I speak not here of those heirs who render themselves culpable, by neglecting to make the endowments which devolve upon them by last will and testament of their deceased relatives, a negligence which constitutes a sacrilegious injustice; but of those children or relatives who, through miserable motives of interest, have as few Masses as possible celebrated, are sparing in the distribution of alms, having no pity for the souls of their departed relatives, which they leave to languish in the horrible torments of Purgatory. It is the blackest ingratitude, a hardness of heart entirely opposed to Christian charity, and which will meet its punishment perhaps even in this world.
CHAPTER XXX.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Almsgiving — Christian Mercy — St. Francis de Sales and the Widow at Padua.
Christian almsgiving, that mercy which Jesus Christ so much recommends in the Gospel, comprises not only corporal assistance given to the needy, but also all the good we do for our neighbour by working for his salvation, supporting his defects, and pardoning his offences. All these works of charity may be offered to God for the dead, and contain great satisfactory virtue. St. Francis de Sales relates that at Padua, where he pursued part of his studies, there existed a detestable custom. The young men amused themselves by running through the streets at night armed with arquebuses, and crying out to all those they met, "Who goes there?"
People were obliged to answer, for they fired upon those who gave no reply, and many persons were thus wounded or killed. It happened one evening that a student, not having responded to the question, was struck in the head by a ball and mortally wounded. The perpetrator of this deed, seized with terror, took to flight and sought refuge in the house of a good widow whom he knew, and whose son was nis fellow-student. He confessed to her with tears that he had just killed some one unknown to him, and begged her to give him an asylum in her house. Touched with compassion, and not suspecting that she had before her the murderer of her son, the lady concealed the fugitive in a place of safety where the officers of justice would be unable to discover him.
Half an hour had not elapsed, when a tumultuous noise was heard at the door; a corpse was carried in and placed before the eyes of the widow. Alas! it was her son who had been killed, and whose murderer now lay concealed in her house. The poor mother broke forth into heartrending cries, and entering the hiding-place of the assassin, " Miserable man," said she, " what had my son done to you that you should thus cruelly have murdered him?"
The guilty wretch, learning that he had killed his friend, cried aloud, tearing his hair, and wringing his hands in despair. Then throwing himself upon his knees, he asked pardon of his protectress, and besought her to deliver him up to the magistrate, that he might expiate so horrible a crime.
The disconsolate mother remembered at this moment that she was a Christian; the example of Jesus Christ praying for His executioners stimulated her to heroic action. She replied that provided he asked pardon of God and amended his life, she would let him go, and stay ail legal proceedings against him.
This pardon was so agreeable to God, that He wished to give the generous mother a striking proof thereof. He permitted that the soul of her son should appear to her, resplendent with glory, saying that he was about to enjoy eternal beatitude. "God has shown mercy to me, dear mother," said the blessed soul, "because you showed mercy towards my assassin. In consideration of the pardon which you granted, I have been delivered from Purgatory, where, without the assistance which you have afforded me, I should have had to undergo long years of intense suffering."
CHAPTER XXXI.
Relief of the Holy Souls — The Heroic Act of Charity towards the Holy Souls — Father Mumford— Denis the Carthusian and St. Gertrude.
Thus far we have spoken of the different kinds of good works which we may offer to God as suffrages for the dead. It remains for us to make known an act which comprises all works and means, whereby we can most effectually assist the poor souls; it is the heroic vow, or, as others call it, the Heroic act of Charity towards the souls in Purgatory.
This act consists in ceding to them all our works of satisfaction, that is to say, the satisfactory value of all the works of our life and of all the suffrages which shall be given to us after our death, without reserving anything wherewith to discharge our own debts. We deposit them in the hands of the Blessed Virgin, that she may distribute them according to her good pleasure, to those souls which she desires to deliver from Purgatory.
It is an absolute donation in favour of the souls of all that we can give them; we offer to God in their behalf all the good we do, of what kind soever, either in thought, words, or works, all that we suffer meritoriously during this life, without excepting anything that we may reasonably give them, and adding even those suffrages which we may receive for ourselves after death.
It must be well understood that the matter of this holy donation is the satisfactory value of our works, [32] and in no way the merit which has a corresponding degree of glory in Heaven; for merit is strictly personal, and cannot be transferred to another.
Formula of the Heroic Act: "O Holy and Adorable Trinity, desiring to co-operate in the deliverance of the souls in Purgatory, and to testify my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I cede and renounce in behalf of those holy souls all the satisfactory part of my works, and all the suffrages which may be given to me after my death, consigning them entirely into the hands of the Most Blessed Virgin, that she may apply them according to her good pleasure to those souls of the faithful departed whom she desires to deliver from their sufferings. Deign, O my God, to accept and bless this offering which I make to Thee at this moment. Amen."
The Sovereign Pontiffs, Benedict XIII., Pius VI., and Pius IX., have approved this heroic act, and have enriched it with indulgences and privileges, of which the principal are the following: — i. To priests who have made this act the indult of a privileged altar every day in the year. 2. The simple faithful can gain a plenary indulgence, applicable to the souls in Purgatory only, each time they communicate, provided they visit a church or public oratory, and there pray for the intention of His Holiness. 3. They may apply to the holy souls all those indulgences which are not otherwise applicable by virtue of concession, and which have been granted up to the present time, or which shall be granted in the future. [33]
"I advise all true Christians," says Father Mumford, [34] "to cede with holy disinterestedness to the faithful departed all the fruit of their good works which are at our disposal. I do not believe that they can make a better use of them, since they render them more meritorious and more efficacious, as well for obtaining grace from God as for expiating their own sins and shortening the term of their Purgatory, or even of acquiring an entire exemption therefrom."
These words express the precious advantages of the Heroic Act; and in order to dissipate all subsequent fear which might arise in the mind, we add three remarks: 1. This act leaves us perfect liberty to pray for those souls in whom we are most interested; the application of these prayers is subject to the disposition of the adorable will of God, which is always infinitely perfect and infinitely loving. 2. It does not oblige under pain of mortal sin, and can at any time be revoked. It may be made without using any particular formula; it suffices to have the intention, and to make it from the heart. Nevertheless it is useful to recite the formula of offering from time to time, in order to stimulate our zeal for the relief of the holy souls by prayer, penance, and good works. 3. The Heroic Act does not subject us to the direful consequences of having to undergo a long Purgatory ourselves; on the contrary, it allows us to rely with more assured confidence on the mercy of God in our regard, as is shown by the example of St. Gertrude.
Venerable Denis, the Carthusian, relates that the Virgin, St. Gertrude, had made a complete donation of all her works of satisfaction in favour of the faithful departed, without reserving anything wherewith to discharge the debts which she herself might have contracted in the sight of God. Being at the point of death, and, like all the saints, considering with much sorrow the great number of her sins on the one hand, and, on the other, remembering that she had employed all her works of satisfaction for the expiation of the sins of others, she was afflicted, lest, having given all to others and reserved nothing for herself, her soul, on its departure from this world, should be condemned to horrible suffering. In the midst of her fears our Lord appeared to her and consoled her, saying: "Be reassured, my daughter, your charity towards the departed will be no detriment to you. Know that the generous donation you have made of all your works to the holy souls has been singularly pleasing to me; and to give you a proof thereof, I declare to you that all the pains you would have had to endure in the other life are now remitted; moreover, in recompense for your generous charity, I will so enhance the value of the merits of your works as to give you a great increase of glory in Heaven."
CHAPTER XXXII.
Relief of the Holy Souls — Which of them should be the Objects of our Charity — All the Faithful Departed— St. Andreiu Avellino — Sinners dying without the Sacraments — St. Francis de Sales.
We have seen the resources and the numerous means which Divine Mercy has placed in our hands for relieving the souls in Purgatory; but what souls are in those expiatory flames, and to what souls should we give our assistance? For what souls should we pray and offer our suffrages to God? To these questions we must answer that we should pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, omnium fidelium defimctorum, according to the expression of the Church. Although filial piety imposes special duties upon us with regard to parents and relations, Christian charity commands us to pray for all the faithful departed in general, because they are all our brethren in Jesus Christ, all are our neighbours, whom we must love as ourselves.
By these words, faithful departed, the Church means all all those actually in Purgatory, that is to say, those who are neither in Hell, nor as yet worthy to be admitted into the glory of Paradise. But who are these souls? Can we know them? God has reserved this knowledge to Himself, and, except so far as He is pleased to show us, we should remain in total ignorance of the state of souls in the other life. Now, He rarely makes known that a soul is in Purgatory or in the glory of Heaven; still more rarely does He reveal the reprobation of a soul. In this uncertainty we must pray in general, as does the Church, for all the departed, without prejudice to those souls whom we wish to aid in particular.
We may evidently restrict our intention to those among the dead who are still in need of our assistance, if God grants us the privilege which He accorded to St. Andrew Avellino, of knowing the condition of souls in the other life. When this holy Religious of the Order of Theatines was, according to his pious custom, praying with angelic fervour for the departed, it sometimes happened that he experienced within himself a sort of resistance, a feeling of invincible repulsion \ at other times it was, on the contrary, a great consolation and a particular attraction. He soon understood the meaning of these different impressions; the first signified that his prayer was useless, that the soul which he desired to assist was unworthy of mercy, and condemned to eternal fire; the other indicated that his prayer was efficacious for the relief of the soul in Purgatory. It was the same when he wished to offer the Holy Sacrifice for some one deceased. He felt, on leaving the sacristy, as though withheld by an irresistible hand, and understood that that soul was in Hell; but when he was inundated with joy, light, and devotion, he was sure of contributing to the deliverance of a soul.
This charitable saint prayed, therefore, with the greatest fervour for the dead whom he knew to be suffering, and ceased not to apply his suffrages until the souls came to thank him, giving him the assurance of their deliverance. [35]
As for us, who have not these supernatural lights, we must pray for all the departed, even for the greatest sinners and the most virtuous Christian. St. Augustine knew the great virtue of his mother, St. Monica; nevertheless, not content with offering his own suffrages for her to God, he asked his readers not to cease recommending her soul to Divine Mercy.
As regards great sinners, who die without being outwardly reconciled with God, we may not exclude them from our suffrages, because we have not the certainty of their interior impenitence. Faith teaches us that all men dying in the state of mortal sin incur eternal damnation; but who are those that in reality die in that state? God alone, who reserves to Himself the judgment of the living and the dead, knows this. As to ourselves, we can but draw a conjectural conclusion from exterior circumstances, and from this we must refrain. It must, however, be confessed that there is everything to be feared for those who die unprepared for death, and all hope seems to vanish for those who refuse to receive the Sacraments. The latter quit this life with exterior signs of reprobation. Nevertheless, we must leave the judgment to God, according to the words, Dei judicium est — " To God belongs judgment." [36] There is more to be hoped for those who are not positively hostile to religion, who are benevolent towards the poor, who retain some practice of Christian piety, or who at least approve and favour piety: there is more, I say, to hope for such persons when it happens that they die suddenly, without having had the time to receive the last Sacraments of the Church.
St. Francis de Sales will not have us despair of the conversion of sinners until their last breath, and even after their death he forbids us to judge evil of those who have led a bad life. With the exception of those sinners whose reprobation is made manifest by Holy Scripture, we may not, he says, conclude that a person is damned, but must respect the secret of God. His principal reason was, that as the first grace is gratuitous, so also is the last, which is final perseverance or a good death. This is why we must hope for the departed, how sad soever his death may have been, because our conjectures can be based on the exterior only, whereby the most clever may be deceived.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Relief of the Holy Souls — For whom are we to Pray? — Great Sinners — Father Ravignan and General Exelmans — The Widow in Mourning and the Venerable Cure d'Ars — St. Catherine of St. Augustine and the Sinner Dead in a Grotto.
Father Ravignan, an illustrious and holy preacher of the Society of Jesus, also cherished great hope for the welfare of sinners carried away by a sudden death, when otherwise they had borne no hatred in the heart for the things of God. He lived to speak of the supreme moment, and it seems to have been his opinion that many sinners are converted in their last moments, and are reconciled to God without being able to give any exterior sign thereof. In certain deaths there are mysteries of Mercy where the eye of man sees nothing but strokes of Justice. As a last glimmer of light, God sometimes reveals Himself to those souls whose greatest misfortune has been to ignore Him; and the last sigh, understood by Him who penetrates hearts, may be a groan that calls for pardon; that is to say, an act of perfect contrition. General Exelmans, a relative of this good father, was suddenly carried to the tomb by an accident, and unfortunately he had not been faithful in the practice of his religion. He had promised that he would one day make his confession, but had not had the opportunity to do so. Father Ravignan, who for a long time had prayed and procured prayers for him, was filled with consternation when he heard of such a death. The same day, a person accustomed to receive supernatural communications thought he heard an interior voice, which said to him, " Who then knows the extent of God's mercy? Who knows the depth of the ocean, or how much water is contained therein? Much will be forgiven to those who have sinned through ignorance."
The biographer from whom we borrow this incident, Father de Ponlevoy, goes on to say, "Christians, placed under the law of Hope no less than under the law of Faith and Charity, we must continually lift ourselves up from the depths of our sufferings to the thought of the infinite goodness of God. No limit to the grace of God is placed here below; while there remains a spark of life there is nothing which it cannot effect in the soul. Therefore we must ever hope and petition God with humble persistency. We know not to what a degree we may be heard. Great saints and doctors have gone to great lengths in extolling the powerful efficacy of prayer for the dear departed, how unhappy soever their end may have been. We shall one day know the unspeakable marvels of Divine Mercy. We should never cease to implore it with the greatest confidence."
The following is an incident which our readers may have seen in the Petit Afessager du Cceur de Marie, November 1880. A Religious, preaching a mission to the ladies at Nancy, had reminded them in a conference that we must never despair of the salvation of a soul, and that sometimes actions of the least importance in the eyes of man are rewarded by God at the hour of death. When he was about to leave the church, a lady dressed in mourning approached him and said, " Father, you just recommended to us confidence and hope; what has just happened to me fully justifies your words. I had a husband who was most kind and affectionate, and who, although otherwise leading an irreproachable life, entirely neglected the practice of his religion. My prayers and exhortations remained without effect. During the month of May which preceded his death, I had erected in my room, as I was accustomed to do, a little altar of the Blessed Virgin, and decorated it with flowers, which I renewed from time to time. My husband passed the Sunday in the country, and each time he returned he brought me some flowers, which he himself had plucked, and with these I used to adorn my oratory. Did he notice this? Did he do this to give me pleasure, or was it through a sentiment of piety towards the Blessed Virgin? I know not, but he never failed to bring me the flowers.
" In the beginning of the following month he died suddenly, without having had time to receive the consolations of religion. I was inconsolable, especially as I saw all my hopes of his return to God vanish. In consequence of my grief, my health became completely shattered, and my family urged me to make a tour in the south. As I had to pass through Lyons, I desired to see the Cure' d'Ars. I therefore wrote to him asking an audience, and recommending to his prayers my husband, who had died suddenly. I gave him no further details.
"Arrived at Ars, scarcely had I entered the venerable Cure's room than, to my great astonishment, he addressed me in these words: ' Madame, you are disconsolate; but have you forgotten those bouquets of flowers which were brought to you each Sunday of the month of May? ' It is impossible to express my astonishment on hearing M. Vianney remind me of a circumstance that I had not mentioned to any one, and which he could know only by revelation. He continued, 'God has had mercy on him who honoured His Holy Mother. At the moment of his death your husband repented; his soul is in Purgatory; our prayers and good works will obtain his deliverance.' "
We read in a Life of a holy Religious, Sister Catherine of St. Augustine,[37] that in the place where she lived there was a woman named Mary, who in her youth had given herself up to a very disorderly life, and as age brought no amendment, but, on the contrary, she grew more obstinate in vice, the inhabitants, no longer willing to tolerate the scandal she gave, drove her from the city. She found no other asylum than a grotto in the forest, where, after a few months, she died without the assistance of the Sacraments. Her body was interred in a field, as though it were something contagious.
Sister Catherine, who was accustomed to recommend to God the souls of all those of whose death she heard, thought not of praying for this one, judging, as did every one else, that she was surely damned.
Four months later the servant of God heard a voice saying, " Sister Catherine, how unfortunate I am! You recommend to God the souls of all; I am the only one upon whom you take no pity!" "Who then are you?" replied the sister. " I am poor Mary, who died in the grotto." " What! Mary, are you saved? " " Yes, by the Divine Mercy I am. At the point of death, terrified by the remembrance of my crimes, and seeing myself abandoned by all, I called upon the Blessed Virgin. In her tender goodness she heard me, and obtained for me the grace of perfect contrition, with a desire of confessing, had it been in my power to do so. I thus recovered the grace of God and escaped Hell. But I was obliged to go to Purgatory, where I suffer terribly. My time will be shortened, and I shall soon be liberated, if a few Masses are offered for me. Oh! have them celebrated for me, dear sister, and I shall ever remember you before Jesus and Mary."
Sister Catherine hastened to fulfil this request, and after a few days the soul again appeared, brilliant as a star, and returning thanks for her charity.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Motives for Assisting the Holy Souls — Excellence of this Work— St. Francis de Sales— St. Thomas of Aquin— St. Bridget.
We have just passed in review the means and resources which Divine Mercy has placed in our hands for the relief of our brethren in Purgatory. These means are powerful, the resources rich; but do we make an abundant use thereof? Having it in our power to assist the poor souls, have we zeal enough to do so? Are we as rich in Charity as God is rich in mercy? Alas! how many Christians do little or nothing for the departed! And those who forget them not, those who have sufficient Charity to aid them by their suffrages, how often are they not lacking in zeal and fervour! Compare the care we bestow upon the sick with the assistance which we give to the suffering souls. When a father or mother is afflicted with some malady, when a child or any person dear to us is a prey to suffering, what care, what solicitude, what devotion on our part! But the holy souls, who are no less dear to us, languish under the weight, not of a painful malady, but of expiatory torments a thousand times more cruel. Are we equally fervent, solicitous, eager to procure them relief? "No," says St. Francis de Sales, "we do not sufficiently remember our dear departed friends. Their memory seems to perish with the sound of the funeral-bells, and we forget that the friendship which finds an end, even in death, was never genuine friendship."
From whence this sad and culpable forgetfulness? Its principal cause is want of reflection. Quia nullus est qui recogitat corde — " Because there is none that considereth in the heart." [38] We lose sight of the great motives which urge us to the exercise of this Charity towards the dead. It is, therefore, to stimulate our zeal that we are about to recall to mind these motives, and to place them in the strongest possible light.
We may say that all these motives are summed up in these words of the Holy Ghost: It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins, that is, from the temporal punishment due to their sins. [39] In the first place, it is a work holy and excellent in itself, as also agreeable and meritorious in the sight of God. Accordingly, it is a salutary work, supremely profitable for our own salvation, for our welfare in this world and the next.
" One of the holiest works, one of the best exercises of piety that we can practise in this world," says St. Augustine, "is to offer sacrifices, alms, and prayers for the dead." [40] " The relief which we procure for the departed," says St. Jerome, "obtains for us a like mercy."
Considered in itself, prayer for the dead is a work of Faith, Charity, and frequently even of Justice.
1st, Who are, indeed, the persons whom there is question of assisting? Who are those holy, predestined souls, so dear to God and our Lord Jesus Christ, so dear to their Mother, the Church, who unceasingly recommends them to our charity; souls who are dear also to ourselves, that were, perhaps, intimately united to us upon earth, and who supplicate us in these touching words: Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends. [41] 2nd, In what necessities do they find themselves? Alas! their necessities being very great, the souls who thus suffer have a right to our assistance proportionate to their utter helplessness to do anything for themselves. 3rd, What good do we procure for the souls? The greatest good, since we put them in possession of eternal beatitude.
"To assist the souls in Purgatory," says St. Francis de Sales, "is to perform the most excellent of the works of Mercy, or rather it is to practise in a most sublime manner all the works of Mercy together: it is to visit the sick; it is to give drink to those who thirst for the vision of God; it is to feed the hungry, to ransom prisoners, to clothe the naked, to procure for poor exiles the hospitality of the Heavenly Jerusalem; it is to comfort the afflicted, to instruct the ignorant — in fine, to practise all works of Mercy in one." This doctrine agrees very well with that of St. Thomas, who says in his Summa, " Suffrages for the dead are more agreeable to God than suffrages for the living; because the former stand in more urgent need thereof, not being able to assist themselves, as are the living." [42]
Our Lord regards every work of Mercy exercised towards our neighbour as done to Himself, "It is to Me" says He, "that you have done it" — Mihifecistis. This is most especially true of Mercy practised towards the poor souls. It was revealed to St. Bridget that he who delivers a soul from Purgatory has the same merit as if he delivered Jesus Christ Himself from captivity.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Motives for aiding the Holy Souls—Excellence of the Work—Controversy between Brother Benedict and Brother Bertrand.
When we so highly extol the merits of prayer for the dead, we do not in any way infer that other good works must be omitted; for all other works must be exercised according to time, place, and circumstances. The only intention we had in view was, to give a correct idea of Mercy towards the dead, and to inspire others with a desire to practise it.
Moreover, the spiritual works of Mercy, which have for object the salvation of souls, are all of equal excellency, and it is only in certain respects that we may place the assistance of the dead above zeal for the conversion of sinners.
It is related in the Chronicles of the Friars Preachers,[43] that a spirited controversy arose between two Religious of that Order, Brother Benedict and Brother Bertrand, on the subject of suffrages for the departed. It was occasioned by the following: — Brother Bertrand often celebrated Holy Mass for sinners, and prayed continually for their conversion, imposing upon himself the most severe penances; but he was rarely seen to say Mass in black for the dead. Brother Benedict, who had great devotion towards the souls in Purgatory, having remarked this conduct, asked him why he thus acted.
"Because," replied he, "the souls in Purgatory are sure of their salvation, while sinners are continually exposed to the danger of falling into Hell. What more deplorable condition than that of a soul in the state of mortal sin? She is in enmity with God, and bound in the chains of the devil, suspended over the abyss of Hell by the frail thread of life, that may be broken at any moment. The sinner walks in the way of perdition; if he continues to advance, he will fall into the eternal abyss. We must, therefore, come to his assistance, and preserve him from this, the greatest of misfortunes, by labouring for his conversion. Moreover, was it not to save sinners that the Son of God came upon earth and died upon a cross? St. Denis also assures us that the most divine of all divine things is to work with God for the salvation of souls. As regards the souls in Purgatory, they are safe, their eternal salvation is secure. They suffer, they are a prey to great torments, but they have nothing to fear from Hell, and their sufferings will have an end. The debts they have contracted diminish each day, and they will soon enjoy eternal light; whilst sinners are continually menaced with damnation, the most terrible misfortune that can befall one of God's creatures."
" All that you have said is true," replied Brother Benedict, "but there is another consideration to be made. Sinners are slaves of Satan, of their own free will. Their yoke is of their own choosing, they could break their chains if they pleased; whereas the poor souls in Purgatory can but sigh and implore the assistance of the living. It is impossible for them to break the fetters which hold them captive in those penal flames. Suppose you met two beggars, the one sick, maimed, and helpless, absolutely incapable of earning his livelihood; the other, on the contrary, although in great distress, young and vigorous; which of the two would deserve the greater share of your alms? "
" Assuredly the one who was unable to work," answered Brother Bertrand.
"Well, my dear Father," continued Benedict, "this is just the case with regard to sinners and the holy souls. They can no longer help themselves. The time of prayer, confession, and good works is past for them; we alone are able to relieve them. It is true they have deserved these sufferings in punishment for their sins, but they now bewail and detest those sins. They are in the grace and friendship of God; whereas sinners are His enemies. Certainly we must pray for their conversion, but without prejudice to that which we owe to the suffering souls, so dear to the heart of Jesus. Let us compassionate sinners, but let us not forget that they have all the means of salvation at their disposal; they must break the bonds of sin and fly the danger of damnation which threatens them. Does it not appear evident that the suffering souls are in greater need and merit a larger share in our charity? "
Notwithstanding the force of these arguments, Brother Bertrand persisted in his first opinion. But the night following he had an apparition of a soul from Purgatory, which made him experience for a short time the pain which she herself endured. This suffering was so atrocious that it seemed impossible to bear it. Then, as Isaias says, torture gave him understanding: Vexatio intelledum dabit[44] and he was convinced that he ought to do more for the suffering souls. The next morning, filled with compassion, he ascended the altar steps vested in black, and offered the Holy Sacrifice for the dead.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Motives for assisting the Holy Souls — Intimate Ties which unite us to them — Filial Piety — Cimon of Athens and his Father in Prison — St. John of God saving the Sick from the Conflagration.
If we are obliged to assist the holy souls because of the extreme necessity in which they are, how much greater does this motive become when we remember that these souls are united to us by the most sacred ties, the ties of blood, by the Blood of Jesus Christ, and by the ties of human flesh and blood, whence we have been brought forth according to the flesh?
Yes, there are in Purgatory souls united to us by the closest family ties. It may be a father or a mother, who, languishing in those horrible torments, extend their arms in supplication towards me. What would we not do for our father or for our mother, if we knew they were pining away in some loathsome dungeon? An ancient Athenian, the celebrated Cimon, had the grief to see his father imprisoned by heartless creditors whom he was unable to satisfy. What was worse, he could not raise a sum sufficient to effect his father's ransom, and the old man died in prison. Cimon hastened to the prison and requested that they would at least grant him the body of his father that he might give it burial. This was refused him, under pretext that, not having had wherewith to pay his debts, he could not be set at liberty. "Allow me first to bury my father," cried Cimon. "I will then return and take his place in prison."
We admire this act of filial piety, but are we not also bound to imitate it? Have we not also, perhaps, a father or a mother in Purgatory? Are we not obliged to deliver them at the cost of the greatest sacrifices? More fortunate than Cimon, we have wherewith to pay their debts; we need not take their place; on the contrary, to deliver them is to purchase our own ransom.
We admire, also, the charity of St. John of God, who braved the fury of the flames to save the poor sick during a conflagration. This great servant of God died at Granada in the year 1550, kneeling before an image of Jesus crucified, which he embraced and continued to hold clasped tightly within his arms, even after he had breathed forth his soul to God. Born of very poor parents, and obliged to support himself by tending flocks, he was rich in faith and confidence in God. He took great delight in prayer and hearing the Word of God; this was the foundation of the great sanctity which he afterwards attained. A sermon by the Venerable Father John d'Avila, the Apostle of Andalusia, made such an impression upon him, that he resolved to consecrate his entire life to the service of the sick poor. Without other resource than his charity and confidence in God, he succeeded in purchasing a house, in which he assembled all poor abandoned sick, that he might give them nourishment for soul and body. This asylum soon developed into the Royal Hospital of Granada, an immense establishment, filled with a multitude of the aged and infirm. One day a fire having broken out in the hospital, many of the sick were in danger of perishing by a most horrible death. They were surrounded on all sides by flames, so that it was impossible for any one to attempt their rescue. They uttered the most heartrending cries, calling Heaven and earth to their assistance. John sees them, his charity is inflamed, he rushes into the fire, battles through flame and smoke until he reaches the beds of the sick; then raising them upon his shoulders, he carries these unfortunate creatures one after another to a place of safety. Obliged to traverse this vast furnace, working in the heat of the fire for a whole half-hour, the saint had not sustained the least injury; the flames respected his person, his clothing, and even the least hair of his head, God wishing to show by a miracle how pleasing to Him was the charity of His servant. And those who save, not the body, but souls from the flames of Purgatory, is their work less agreeable to God? Are the necessities, the cries and moans of those souls less touching to a heart of faith? Is it more difficult to aid them? Is it necessary to cast ourselves into the flames in order to rescue them?
Assuredly, we have every facility in our power for affording them relief, and God does not demand great efforts on our part. Yet the charity of fervent souls inspires them to make the most heroic sacrifices, and even to share the torments of their brethren in Purgatory.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Motives for Assisting the Holy Souls— Facility in Believing them — The Example of the Saints a?id of all Fervent Christians — The Servant of God, Mary Villani—The Burned Forehead.
We have already seen how St. Catherine de Ricci and several others carried their heroism so far as to suffer instead of the souls in Purgatory. Let us add a few more examples of this admirable Charity. The servant of God, Mary Villani, of the Order of St. Dominic, whose life was written by Father Marchi, applied herself day and night to the practice of satisfactory works in favour of the departed. One day — it was the Vigil of the Epiphany — she remained a long time in prayer, beseeching God to alleviate their sufferings in consideration of those of Jesus Christ, offering to Him the cruel scourging of our Saviour, His crown of thorns, His cords, the nails and cross — in a word, all His bitter pains and all the instruments of His Passion. The following night God was pleased to manifest how agreeable to Him was this holy practice.
During her prayer she was rapt in ecstasy, and saw a long procession of persons robed in white garments and radiant with light. They were carrying the emblems of the Passion and entering into the glory of Paradise. The servant of God knew that they were the souls delivered by her fervent prayers and by the merits of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
On another occasion, the Feast of All-Souls, she was ordered to work at a manuscript, and to pass the day in writing. This task, imposed by obedience, was a trial to her piety: she experienced some repugnance to obey, because she wished to devote that whole day to prayer, penance, and pious exercises for the relief of the suffering souls. She forgot for a moment that obedience should take precedence over all else, as it is written, Melior est obedientia quam victima — " Obedience is better than sacrifice." [45] Seeing her great charity towards the poor souls, God vouchsafed to appear to her, in order to instruct and console her. " Obey, my daughter," He said to her; "do the work imposed upon you by Obedience, and offer it for the souls: each line which you shall write to-day in the spirit of Obedience and Charity, will procure the deliverance of a soul." It will be easily understood that she laboured with the greatest diligence, and wrote as many as possible of those lines, so acceptable to God.
Her charity towards the holy souls did not confine itself to prayer and fasting; she desired to endure a part of their sufferings. One day, whilst praying for that intention, she was rapt in spirit and led into Purgatory. There, amongst the multitude of suffering souls, she saw one more grievously tormented than the others, and which excited her most tender compassion. " Why," she asked, " have you to suffer such excruciating torture? Do you receive no alleviation? " "I have been," replied the soul, " a great length of time in this place, enduring the most frightful torments, in punishment for my former vanity and scandalous extravagance. Thus far I have not received the least relief, because God has permitted that I should be forgotten by my parents, my children, my relatives, and friends: they offer not a single prayer for me. When I was upon earth, being exclusively occupied with my extravagant toilet and worldly vanities, with feasting and pleasure, I cast but a passing thought upon God and my duties. My only serious desire was to further the worldly interests of my family. I am well punished; for you see I am entirely forgotten by all."
These words made a painful impression upon Mary Villani. She begged this soul to allow her to feel something of what she suffered; and at the same instant it seemed as though a finger of fire touched her forehead, and the pain which she felt was so acute as to cause her ecstasy to cease. The mark remained so deeply impressed upon her forehead, that two months afterwards it was still visible, and caused her intolerable suffering. The servant of God offered this, together with prayers and other good works, for the soul to which we have just referred. This soul appeared to Mary at the end of two months, and said that having been delivered by her intercession, she was about to enter Heaven. At the same moment the scar on the forehead disappeared.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Motives for Assisting the Holy Souls — Examples of Holy Persons — Father James Laynez — Father Fabricius — Father Nieremberg, a Victim of his Charity.
" He who forgets his friend, after death has taken him away from his sight, never had a true friendship." These words Father Laynez, second General of the Society of Jesus, continually repeated to the sons of St. Ignatius. He desired that the interests of souls should be as dear to them after death as they were during life. Joining example to precept, Laynez applied to the souls in Purgatory a large part of his prayers, sacrifices, and the satisfaction which he merited before God by his labours for the conversion of sinners. The Fathers of the Society, faithful to his lessons of charity, ever manifested particular zeal for this devotion, as may be seen in the book entitled " Heroes and Victims of Charity in the Society of Jesus," from which I will here transcribe but one page.
"At Minister, in Westphalia, towards the middle of the seventeenth century, an epidemic broke out which each day swept away innumerable victims. Fear paralysed the charity of the greater part of the inhabitants, and few were found to devote themselves to the relief of the unfortunate plague-stricken creatures. Then Father John Fabricius, animated with the spirit of Laynez and Ignatius, rushed into the arena of self-sacrifice. Putting aside all personal precaution, he employed his time in visiting the sick, in procuring remedies for them, and in disposing them to die a Christian death. He heard their confessions, administered the other sacraments, buried them with his own hands, and finally celebrated the Holy Sacrifice for the repose of their souls.
"In fact, during his whole lifetime this servant of God had the greatest devotion towards the holy souls.
"Among all his exercises of piety, the one most dear to him, and which he always earnestly recommended, was that of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the departed whenever the Rubrics permitted. As a result of this counsel, all the Fathers in Munster resolved to consecrate one day in each month to the faithful departed; they draped their church in black, and prayed with all solemnity for the dead.
" God deigned, as He often does, to recompense Father Fabricius, and encouraged his zeal by several apparitions of the suffering souls. Some besought him to hasten their deliverance, others thanked him for the relief he had procured for them; others, again, announced to him the happy moment of their deliverance.
" His greatest act of Charity was that which he accomplished at the moment of his death. With a generosity truly admirable, he made a sacrifice of all the suffrages, prayers, Masses, indulgences, and mortifications which the Society applies to her deceased members. He asked God to deprive him of them for the relief of the suffering souls most pleasing to his Divine Majesty."
We have already spoken of Father Nieremberg, renowned as well for the works of piety which he published as for the eminent virtue which he practised. His devotion for the holy souls, not content with sacrifices and frequent prayers, urged him to suffer for them with a generosity which often amounted to heroism.
There was among his penitents at the court of Madrid a lady of rank, who, under his wise direction, had attained a high degree of virtue in the midst of the world, but she was tormented with an excessive fear of death in view of Purgatory which follows it. She fell dangerously ill, and her fears increased to such a degree,- that she almost lost her Christian sentiments. Her holy confessor employed every means that his zeal could suggest, but to no purpose; he could not succeed in restoring her to tranquillity, nor could he prevail upon her even to receive the last Sacraments.
To crown this misfortune, she suddenly lost consciousness, and was reduced to the last extremity. The Father, justly alarmed at the peril of this soul, retired into a chapel near the chamber of the dying woman. There he offered the Holy Sacrifice with the greatest fervour to obtain for the sick person time sufficient to receive the Sacraments of the Church. At the same time, prompted by truly heroic charity, he offered himself as a victim to Divine Justice, to undergo during this life all the sufferings reserved for that poor soul in the next.
His prayer was heard. The Mass was no sooner ended than the sick lady regained consciousness, and found that she was entirely changed. She was so well disposed that she asked for the last Sacraments, which she received with the most edifying fervour. Then her confessor, having told her that she had nothing to fear from Purgatory, she expired perfectly calm, and with a smile upon her lips.
From that hour, Father Nieremberg was afflicted with all manner of suffering, both of body and soul. The remaining sixteen years of his life was one long martyrdom and a most rigorous Purgatory. No human remedy could give him relief; his only consolation was in the remembrance of the holy cause for which he endured them. Finally, death came to terminate his terrible sufferings, and at the same time, we may reasonably believe, to open to him the gates of Paradise, since it is written, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Motives and Incentives to Devotion towards the Holy Souls — Examples of Generosity — St. Peter Damian and his Father — A Young Annamite — The Doorkeeper at the Seminary and the Propagation of the Faith.
Examples of generous Charity towards the departed are by no means rare, and it is always useful to recall them to mind. We may not omit the beautiful and touching example of St Peter Damian, Bishop of Ostia, Cardinal and Doctor of the Church, an example which never wearies by repetition. Whilst still young, Peter had the misfortune to lose his mother, and soon afterwards his father marrying again, he was left to the care of a stepmother. Although he showed all possible affection for her, this woman was incapable of returning the love of this dear child; she treated him with barbarous severity, and, in order to rid herself of him, sent him away to her eldest brother, who employed him to take care of the swine. His father, whose duty it was to have prevented this, left him to his unhappy fate. But the child lifted up his eyes to Heaven, where he saw another Father, in whom he placed all his confidence. He accepted all that happened as coming from His divine hands, and resigned himself to the hardships of his situation. "God," he said, "has His designs in all that He does, and they are designs of mercy; we have but to abandon ourselves into His hands, He will direct all things for our good." Peter was not deceived; it was in this painful trial that the future Cardinal of the Church, he who was to astonish his age by the extent of his learning, and to edify the world by the lustre of his virtues, laid the foundation of his future sanctity.
Barely covered with rags, his biographer tells us that he had not always sufficient to appease his hunger, but he prayed to God and was satisfied.
Meanwhile his father died. The young saint forgot the harshness with which he had been treated, and, like a good son, prayed continually for the repose of his father's soul. One day he found upon the road a gold piece, which Providence seemed to have placed there for him. It w r as quire a fortune for the poor child. But, instead of making use of it to relieve his own misery, his first thought was to carry it to a priest, and beg him to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the soul of his deceased father. Holy Church considers this trait of filial devotion so touching that she has inserted it at length in the Office of the feast.
" May I be allowed," says the missionary, Father Louvet, " to add one more incident of my own personal experience? When I was preaching the faith in Cochin-China, a poor little Annamite girl, who had just been baptized, lost her mother. At the age of fourteen she saw herself obliged to provide for her own support and that of her two younger brothers from her scanty earnings, which amounted to about eight sous, or about seven cents a day. What was my surprise when, at the end of the week, I saw her bring me the earnings of two days, that I might say Mass for the repose of their dear mother's soul. Those poor little ones had fasted during a part of the week to procure this humble suffrage for their departed mother. Oh, holy alms of the poor and the orphan! If my own heart was so deeply touched by it, how much more so the heart of our Heavenly Father, and what blessings it will have called down upon that mother and upon her children.
" Behold the generosity of the poor! What an example and reproach to so many of the rich, extravagant in luxury and pleasure, but miserly when there is question of giving an alms to have Masses celebrated for their deceased relatives.
"Although before all other intentions they should devote part of their alms to have Masses offered for their own souls, or those of their friends, it is proper to use a portion for the relief of the poor, or for other good works, such as for the benefit of Catholic schools, the Propagation of the Faith, and other purposes, according to circumstances. This is a holy liberality, conformable to the spirit of the Church, and very profitable to the souls in Purgatory."
The Abbe Louvet, from whom we have taken the above, relates another incident which deserves a place here. It concerns a man in humble circumstances who made a generous sacrifice in favour of the Propagation of the Faith, but under circumstances which rendered this act particularly valuable for the future needs of his soul in Purgatory.
A poor porter at a seminary during his long life had, penny by penny, amassed the sum of eight hundred francs. Having no family, he destined this sum for the celebration of Masses after his death. But what can charity not effect when once it has inflamed the heart with its sacred fire? A young priest was on the point of quitting the seminary for the foreign missions. The old man felt himself inspired to give him his little treasure for the beautiful work of the Propagation of the Faith. He therefore gave it and said, " Dear sir, I beg you to accept this small alms to aid you in the work of spreading the Gospel. I kept it to have Masses said after my death, but I would rather remain a little longer in Purgatory that the name of the good God be glorified." The seminarian was moved even to tears. He would not accept the too generous offer of the poor man, but the latter insisted so earnestly that he had not the heart to refuse him.
A few months later the good old man died. No apparition has revealed his fate in the other world. But is he in need? Do we not know that the Heart of Jesus cannot allow itself to be surpassed in generosity? Do we not understand that a man who was generous enough to consign himself to the flames of Purgatory in order that Jesus Christ might be made known to infidel nations will surely have found abundant mercy before the Sovereign Judge?
CHAPTER XL.
Motives of Assisting the Holy Souls— Obligation not only of Charity, but also of Justice — Pious Legacies — Father Rossignoli and the Devastated Property — St. Thomas of Cantimpre and the Soldier of Charlemagne.
We have just considered devotion to the souls in Purgatory as a work of Charity. Prayer for the dead, we have said, is a holy work, because it is a very salutary exercise of that most excellent of virtues, Charity. This Charity towards the departed is not only optional and of counsel, but it is also of precept, no less than to give alms to the poor. As there exists a general obligation of Charity for almsgiving, with how much greater reason are we not bound by the general law of Charity to assist our suffering brethren in Purgatory?
This obligation of Charity is often joined to an obligation of strict Justice. When a dying person, either by word of mouth or by written testament, expresses his last wishes in regard to works of piety; when he charges his heirs to have a certain number of Masses celebrated, to distribute a certain sum in alms, for any good work whatsoever, the heirs are obliged in strict justice, from the moment they come into possession of the property, to fulfil without delay the last wishes of the deceased.
This duty of Justice is the more sacred as these pious legacies are frequently but disguised restitutions. Now, what does daily experience teach us? Do people hasten with religious exactitude to acquit themselves of these pious obligations which concern the soul of the departed? Alas! quite the contrary. A family which comes into possession of a considerable fortune doles out to its poor departed relative the few suffrages that he has reserved for his own spiritual benefit; and if the subtilities of the civil law favour them, the members of this family are not ashamed, under the pretext of some informality, to fraudulently set aside the will in order to rid themselves of the obligation of making those pious legacies. It is not in vain that the author of the "Imitation" counsels us to make satisfaction for our sins during our life, and not to depend too much upon our heirs, who often neglect to execute the pious endowments made by us for the relief of our poor souls.
Let such families beware! This is sacrilegious injustice combined with atrocious cruelty. To steal from a poor person, says the Fourth Council of Carthage, is to become his murderer (Egentium necatores). What, then, shall we say of those who rob the dead, who unjustly deprive them of their suffrages, and leave them without assistance in the terrible torments of Purgatory.
Moreover, those who render themselves guilty of this infamous theft are frequently most severely punished by God even in this life. We are sometimes astonished to see a considerable fortune melt away, as it were, in the hands of certain heirs; a sort of malediction seems to hover over certain inheritances. In the Day of Judgment, when that which is now hidden shall be made manifest, we shall see that the cause of this ruin has frequently been the avarice and injustice of the heirs, who neglected the obligations imposed upon them in regard to pious bequests when they succeeded to the property.
It happened in Milan, says Father Rossignoli, that a magnificent estate, situated a short distance from the city, was completely devastated by hail, whilst the neighbouring fields remained uninjured. This phenomenon attracted attention and astonishment; it reminded one of the plagues of Egypt. The hail ravaged the fields of the Egyptians and respected the land of Gessen, inhabited by the children of Israel. This was looked upon as a similar scourge. The mysterious hail could not have confined itself exclusively within the limits of one property without obeying an intelligent cause. People knew not how to explain this phenomenon, when an apparition of a soul from Purgatory revealed that it was a chastisement inflicted upon ungrateful and culpable children, who had neglected to execute the last will of their departed father relative to certain works of piety.
We know that in all countries and in all places there are spoken of haunted houses, rendered uninhabitable, to the great loss of their proprietors. Now, if we try to fathom the cause of this, we shall generally find that a soul forgotten by its relatives returns to claim the suffrages justly due to it. Whether it be attributed to credulity, to the excitement of imagination, to hallucination, or even to deception, it will ever remain a well-proved fact to teach unfeeling heirs how God punishes such unjust and sacrilegious conduct even in this life.
The following incident, which we borrow from Thomas of Cantimpre, proves clearly how culpable in the sight of God are those heirs who defraud the dead. During the wars of Charlemagne, a valiant soldier had served in the most important and honourable positions. His life was that of a true Christian. Content with his pay, he refrained from every act of violence, and the tumult of the camp never prevented him from the fulfilment of his essential duties, although in matters of minor importance he had been guilty of many little faults common to men of his profession. Having reached a very advanced age, he fell ill; and seeing that his last hour had come, he called to his bedside an orphan nephew, to whom he had been a father, and expressed to him his dying wishes. "My son," he said, "you know that I have no riches to bequeath to you: I have nothing but my weapons and my horse. My weapons are for you. As to my horse, sell it when I shall have rendered my soul to God, and distribute the money among the priests and the poor, that the former may offer the Holy Sacrifice for me, and the others may assist me by their prayers." The nephew wept, and promised to execute without delay the last wishes of his dying uncle and benefactor. The old man dying soon after, the nephew took possession of the weapons, and led away the horse. It was a very beautiful and valuable animal. Instead of selling it immediately, as he had promised his deceased uncle, he began by using it for short journeys, and as he was well pleased with it, he did not wish to part with it so soon. He deferred under the double pretext that there was nothing that urged the prompt fulfilment of his promise, and that he would await a favourable opportunity to obtain a high price for him. Thus delaying from day to day, from week to week, and from month to month, he ended by stifling the voice of conscience, and forgot the sacred obligation which he had towards the soul of his benefactor.
Six months had elapsed, when one morning the deceased appeared to him addressing him in terms of severe reproach. "Unhappy man," he said, "thou hast forgotten the soul of thy uncle; thou hast violated the sacred promise which thou didst make at my deathbed. Where are the Masses which thou oughtest to have had offered? where the alms that thou shouldst have distributed to the poor for the repose of my soul? Because of thy guilty negligence I have suffered unheard-of torments in Purgatory. Finally, God has taken pity on me; to-day I am to enjoy the company of the blessed in Heaven. But thou, by a just judgment of God, shalt die in a few days, and be subjected to the same tortures which would have remained for me to endure had God not shown mercy to me. Thou shalt suffer for the same length of time that I should have suffered, after which thou shalt commence the expiation of thine own faults."
A few days later the nephew fell dangerously ill. He immediately called a priest, related to him the vision, and confessed his sins, weeping bitterly. " I shall soon die," said he, "and I accept death from the hands of God as a chastisement which I have but too well merited." He expired in sentiments of humble repentance. This was but the least part of the sufferings which had been announced to him in punishment of his injustice; we tremble with horror at the thought of the remaining portion which he was about to undergo in the other life.
CHAPTER XLI.
Motives of Justice — St. Bernardine of Sienna and the Unfaithful Widow — Disguised Restitutions — Neglect to Execute the Last Will.
St. Bernardine relates that a married couple having no children made a contract that in case one should die before the other, the one who survived was to distribute the property left by the other, for the repose of the soul of the deceased. The husband died first, and his widow neglected to fulfil her promise. The mother of the widow was still living, and the deceased appeared to her, begging her to go to her daughter and urge her. in the name of God, to fulfil her engagement. " If she delays," he said, " to distribute in alms the sum which I have destined for the poor, tell her on the part of God that in thirty days she will be struck by a sudden death." When the impious widow heard this solemn warning, she had the audacity to treat it as a dream, and persisted in her sacrilegious infidelity to her promise. Thirty days passed and the unfortunate woman, having gone to an upper room in the house, fell through the window and was killed on the spot.
Injustice towards the dead, of which we have just spoken, and fraudulent manoeuvres to escape the obligation of executing their pious legacies, are grievous sins, crimes which merit the eternal punishment of Hell. Unless a sincere confession, and at the same time due restitution be made, this sin will meet its chastisement not in Purgatory but in Hell.
Alas! yes, it is especially in the other life that Divine Justice will punish the guilty usurpers of the property of the dead. Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy, says the Holy Ghost. [46] If these words be true, how rigorous a judgment awaits those whose detestable avarice has left the soul of a parent, a benefactor, for months, years, perhaps even for centuries, in the frightful torments of Purgatory. This crime, as we have said above, is the more grievous, because in many cases these suffrages which the deceased asks for his soul are but disguised restitutions. This fact is in some families but too often overlooked. People find it very convenient to speak of intrigue and clerical avarice. The finest pretexts are made use of to invalidate a last will and testament, which often, perhaps in the majority of cases, involves a necessary restitution. The priest is but a medium in this indispensable act, bound to absolute secrecy by virtue of his sacramental ministry.
Let us explain this more clearly. A dying man has been guilty of some injustice during his life. This is of a more frequent occurrence than we imagine, even in regard to men who are most upright in the eyes of the world. At the moment when he is about to appear before God, this sinner makes his confession; he wishes to make a full reparation, as he is bound to do, of all the injury which he has caused his neighbour, but he has not the time left to do so himself, and is not willing to reveal the sad secret to his children. What does he do? He covers his restitution under the veil of a pious legacy.
Now, if this legacy is not paid, and consequently the injustice not repaired, what will become of the soul of the deceased? Will it be detained for an indefinite length of time in Purgatory? We know not ail the laws of Divine Justice, but numerous apparitions serve to give us some idea of them, since they " all declare that they cannot be admitted into eternal beatitude so long as any part of the debt of Justice remains to be cancelled." Moreover, are not these souls culpable for having deferred until their death the payment of a debt of Justice which they had owed for so long a time? And if now their heirs neglect to discharge it for them, is it not a deplorable consequence of their own sin, of their own guilty delay? It is through their fault that these ill-gotten goods remain in the family, and they will not cease to cry out against them as long as restitution be not made. Res clamat domino, property cries out for its lawful owner; it cries out against its unjust possessor. (See Note 13.)
If, through the malice of the heirs, restitution is never made, it is evident that that soul cannot remain in Purgatory for ever; but in this case a long delay to his entrance into Heaven seems to be a fitting chastisement for an act of injustice, which the soul has retracted, it is true, but which still abides in its efficacious cause. Let us therefore think of these grave consequences when we allow days, weeks, months, and perhaps even years, to elapse before discharging so sacred a debt.
Alas! how feeble is our faith! If a domestic animal, a little dog, falls into the fire, do you delay to draw it out? And see, your parents, benefactors, persons most dear to you, writhe in the flames of Purgatory, and you do not consider it your urgent duty to relieve them; you delay, you allow long days of suffering to pass for those poor souls, without making an effort to perform those good works which will release them from their pains.
CHAPTER XLII.
Motives of Justice — Barren Tears — Thomas of Cantimpre and his Grandmother — Blessed Margaret of Cortona.
We have just spoken of the obligation of Justice which is incumbent upon heirs for the execution of pious legacies. There is another duty of strict Justice which regards children; they are obliged to pray for their deceased parents. Reciprocally in their turn parents are bound by natural right not to forget before God those of their children who have preceded them into eternity. Alas! there are parents who are inconsolable at the loss of a son or of a dearly beloved daughter, and who, instead of praying for them, bestow upon them nothing but a few fruitless tears. Let us hear what Thomas of Cantimpre relates on this subject; the incident happened in his own family.
The grandmother of Thomas had lost a son in whom she had centred her fondest hopes. Day and night she wept for him and refused all consolation. In the excess of her grief she forgot the great duty of Christian love, and did not think of praying for that soul so dear to her. The unfortunate object of this barren tenderness languished amid the flames of Purgatory, receiving no alleviation in his sufferings. Finally God took pity on him. One day, whilst plunged in the depths of her grief, this woman had a miraculous vision. She saw on a beautiful road a procession of young men, as graceful as angels, advancing full of joy towards a magnificent city. She understood that they were souls from Purgatory making their triumphal entry into Heaven. She looked eagerly to see if among their ranks she could not discover her son. Alas! the child was not there; but she perceived him approaching far behind the others, sad, suffering, and fatigued, his garments drenched with water. " Oh, dear object of my grief," she cried out to him, "how is it that you remain behind that brilliant band? I should wish to see you at the head of your companions."
" Mother," replied the child in a plaintive tone, "it is you, it is these tears which you shed over me that moisten and soil my garments, and retard my entrance into the glory of Heaven. Cease to abandon yourself to a blind and useless grief. Open your heart to more Christian sentiments. If you truly love me, relieve me in my sufferings; apply some indulgences to me, say prayers, give alms, obtain for me the fruits of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is by this means that you will prove your love; for by so doing you will deliver me from prison where I languish, and bring me forth to eternal life, which is far more desirable than the life terrestrial which you have given me."
Then the vision disappeared, and that mother, thus admonished and brought back to true Christian sentiments, instead of giving way to immoderate grief, applied to the practice of every good work which could give relief to the soul of her son.
The great causes of this forgetfulness, this indifference, guilty neglect, and injustice towards the dead, is lack of faith. For do we not see that true Christians, those animated by a spirit of faith, make the most noble sacrifices in behalf of their departed friends? Descending in spirit into those penal flames, there contemplating the rigours of Divine Justice, listening to the voice of the dead who implore their compassion, they think only how to give relief to those poor souls, and consider it their most sacred duty to procure for their parents and departed friends all the suffrages possible, according to their means and condition. Happy are those Christians; they show their faith by their works; they are merciful, and in their turn they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed Margaret of Cortona was at first a great sinner; but after she had been sincerely converted, she blotted out her past disorders by great penances and works of mercy. Her charity towards the poor souls knew no bounds; she sacrificed everything, time, repose, satisfactions, to obtain their deliverance from Almighty God. Understanding that devotion towards the holy souls, when well directed, has for its first object our parents, her father and mother being dead, she never ceased to offer for them her prayers, mortifications, vigils, sufferings, Communions, and the Masses at which she had the happiness to assist. In reward for her filial piety, God revealed to her that by all her prayers she had shortened the long term of suffering which her parents would have had to endure in Purgatory; that she had obtained their complete deliverance and entrance into Paradise.
CHAPTER XLIII.
Motives of Justice — Prayer for Departed Parents — St. Catherine of Sienna and her Father Jacomo.
St. Catherine of Sienna has left us a similar example. It is thus related by her biographer, Blessed Raymond of Capua. " The servant of God," he writes, " had an ardent zeal for the salvation of souls. I will first speak of that which she did for her father, Jacomo, of whom we have already made mention. This excellent man had remarked the sanctity of his daughter, and was filled with respectful tenderness towards her; he advised every one in his house never to oppose her in anything, but to leave her perfect liberty in the practice of her good works. Thus the affection which united father and daughter increased day by day. Catherine constantly prayed for her father's salvation; Jacomo took a holy delight in the virtues of his daughter, hoping through her merits to obtain favour before God.
"The life of Jacomo finally approached its end, and he was confined to bed by a dangerous illness. Seeing his condition, his daughter, as was her custom, betook herself to prayer, beseeching her Heavenly Spouse to cure him whom she so tenderly loved. He answered that Jacomo was at the point of death, and that to live longer would not be profitable to him. Catherine then went to her father, and found him so perfectly resigned to leave this world, and without any regret, that she thanked God with all her heart.
" But her filial love was not content; she returned to prayer in order to obtain from God, the Source of all grace, to grant her father not only the pardon of all his faults, but also that at the hour of his death he might be admitted into Heaven, without so much as passing through the flames of Purgatory. She was answered that Justice could not sacrifice its rights; that the soul must be perfectly pure to enter the glory, of Paradise. 'Your father,' said our Lord, 'has led a good life in the married state, and has done much that was very pleasing in My sight; above all, his conduct towards you has been most agreeable to Me; but My Justice demands that his soul should pass through fire, in order to purify it from the stains which it contracted in the world.' ' O my loving Saviour,' replied Catherine, 'how can I bear the thought of seeing him who has nourished me, who has brought me up with such tender care, who has been so good to me during his whole life, tormented in those cruel flames? I beseech your Infinite Goodness not to permit his soul to leave his body until in some way or another it shall have been so perfectly cleansed that it shall have no need to pass through the fires of Purgatory.' "
Admirable condescension! God yielded to the prayer and desire of His creature. The strength of Jacomo was exhausted, but his soul could not depart as long as the conflict lasted between our Lord, who alleged His Justice, and Catherine, who implored His Mercy. Finally, Catherine resumed: " If I cannot obtain this grace without satisfying Thy Justice, let, then, that Justice be exercised upon me; I am ready to suffer for my father all that Thy Goodness may be pleased to send me." Our Lord consented. "I will accept thy proposal," He said, "on account of thy love for Me. I exempt thy father's soul from ail expiation, but thou shalt suffer as long as thou livest the pain that was destined for him." Full of joy, Catherine cried out, "Thanks for Thy word, O Lord, and may Thy will be done! "
The saint immediately returned to her father, who had just entered upon his agony. She filled him with courage and joy by giving him, on the part of God, the assurance of his eternal salvation, and she left him not until he had breathed forth his soul.
At the same moment that the soul of her father was separated from the body, Catherine was seized with most violent pains, which remained until her death, without allowing her one moment of repose. " She herself," adds Blessed Raymond, '; often assured me of this, and indeed it was evident to all who saw her. But her patience was greater than her malady. All that I have related I learned from Catherine, when, touched at the sight of her sufferings, I asked her the cause thereof. I must not forget to say that at the moment her father expired she was heard to cry out, her face beaming with joy and a smile upon her lips, 1 May God be praised! My dear father, how I wish I were like you.' During the celebration of the funeral obsequies, when all were in tears, Catherine seemed transported with delight. She consoled her mother and every one as though unaffected by her father's death. It was because she had seen that beloved soul come forth triumphant from the prison of the body and pass without any hindrance into eternal beatitude. This sight had inundated her with consolation, because a short time previous she herself had tasted the joys of eternal light.
"Let us here admire the wisdom of Providence. The soul of Jacomo could surely have been purified in another manner, and have been immediately admitted into Heaven, like the good thief who confessed our Saviour on the cross. But God willed that his purification should be effected through the sufferings of Catherine, as she herself had requested, and this not to try her, but to increase her merits and her crown.
" It was fitting that this holy maid, who so ardently loved the soul of her father, should receive some recompense for her filial affection; and since she had preferred the salvation of his soul to that of her own body, her bodily suffering contributed to the happiness of her soul. Thus she always spoke of her sweet, her dear sufferings. And she was right, for these afflictions augmented the sweetness of grace in this life and the delights of glory in the next. She confided to me that long after his death her father Jacomo continually came to thank her for the happiness she had procured for him. He revealed many hidden things to her, warned her of the snares of the demon, and preserved her from all danger."
CHAPTER XLIV.
Motives and Incentives to Devotion towards the Holy Souls — St. John of God — Give Alms for your Own Sake — St. Bridget — Blessed Peter Lefevre.
We have just seen how holy and meritorious Charity towards the holy souls is before God — Sanda cogitatio. It remains to show how salutary, at the same time, it is for ourselves — Salubris cogitatio. If the excellence of the work in itself is so powerful an incentive, the precious advantages which we derive from it are no less a stimulus. They consist, on the one hand, of the graces which we receive in recompense for our generosity, and, on the other, of the Christian fervour with which this good work inspires us.
Blessed, said our Saviour, are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [47] Blessed is he, says the Holy Ghost, that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day. [48] As long as you did it to one of these My brethren, you did it to Me. [49] The Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead. [50] These different sentences express, in their strongest sense, Charity towards the departed.
All that we offer to God in Charity to the dead, says St. Ambrose in his book of Offices, is changed into merit for ourselves, and we shall find it after our death increased a hundredfold — Omne quod defunctis impenditur, in nostrum tandem meritum commutator, et illud post mortem centuplum recipimus duplicatum. We can say that the spirit of the Church, the sentiments of the doctors and the saints, are expressed in these words: What you do for the dead, you do in a most excellent manner for yourself. The reason of this is, that this work of mercy will be returned to you increased a hundred-fold, in the day when you yourself shall be in distress. We may here apply the celebrated words of St. John of God when he asked the inhabitants of Granada to give him an alms for the love of themselves. To provide for the needs of the sick whom he took into his hospital, the charitable saint traversed the streets of Granada, crying, " Give alms, my brethren, give alms for the love of yourselves." People were astonished at this new form of expression, because they had always been accustomed to hear: alms for the love of God. " Why," said they to the saint, "do you ask us to give alms for the love of ourselves? " " Because," replied he, " it is the great means of redeeming your sins, according to the words of the Prophet: Redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy to the poor." [51] In giving alms, you labour in your own interest, since you thereby diminish the terrible chastisements which your sins have merited. Must we not conclude that all this is true of alms bestowed upon the souls in Purgatory? To assist them is to preserve ourselves from those terrible expiations which we shall not otherwise escape. We may, therefore, cry with St. John of God, Give them the alms of your suffrages: assist them for the love of yourself. Generosity towards the departed is always repaid; it finds its recompense in ail kinds of graces, the source of which is the gratitude of the holy souls and that of our Lord, who considers as done to Himself all that we do for the suffering souls.
St. Bridget declares in her Revelations, and her testimony is quoted by Benedict XIII., [52] that she heard a voice from the depths of the Purgatorial flames pronouncing these words: "May those be blessed, may those be rewarded, who relieve us in these pains! " And on another occasion: "O Lord God, show Thy Almighty power in recompensing a hundred-fold those who assist us by their suffrages, and make the rays of the divine light to shine upon us." In another vision the saint heard the voice of an angel saying: " Blessed be upon earth those who, by their prayers and good works, come to the assistance of the poor suffering souls! "
Blessed Peter Lefevre, of the Company of Jesus, so well known for his devotion towards the holy angels, had also a special devotion towards the souls in Purgatory. " Those souls," he said, " have bowels of Charity, which are ever open to those who still walk amidst the dangers of this life; they are filled with gratitude towards those who assist them. They can pray for us, and offer up their torments to God in our behalf. It is a most excellent practice to invoke the souls in Purgatory, that we may obtain from God, through their intercession, a true knowledge of our sins and a perfect contrition for them, fervour in the exercise of good works, care to produce worthy fruits of penance, and in general, all virtues, the absence of which has been the cause of their terrible chastisement. [53]
CHAPTER XLV.
Advantages of Devotion towards the Holy Souls — Their Gratitude — St Margaret of Cortona — St. Philip Neri — Cardinal Baronius and the Dying Woman.
Is it difficult to understand the gratitude of the holy souls? If you had ransomed a captive from the galling yoke of slavery, would he be grateful for such a benefit? When the Emperor Charles V. took possession of the city of Tunis, he restored to liberty twenty thousand Christian slaves, who before his victory had been reduced to a most deplorable condition. Penetrated with gratitude towards their benefactor, they surrounded him, blessing him and singing his praises. If you gave health to a person dangerously sick, fortune to an unhappy creature who had been reduced to poverty, would you not receive in return their gratitude and their benedictions? And those souls, so holy and so good, will they conduct themselves differently with regard to their benefactors? — those poor souls whose captivity, poverty, suffering, and necessity far surpass all captivity, indigence, or malady to be found upon earth. They come especially at the hour of death, to protect them, to accompany and introduce them into the happy abode of their eternal rest.
We have already spoken of St. Margaret of Cortona, and of her devotion to the holy souls. It is related in her biography that at her death she saw a multitude of souls that she had delivered from Purgatory form in procession to escort her to Paradise. God revealed this favour granted to Margaret of Cortona through the medium of a holy person in the city of Castello. This servant of God, wrapt in ecstasy at the moment when Margaret departed this life, saw her soul in the midst of this brilliant cortege, and on recovering from her rapture she related to her friends what our Lord had been pleased to manifest to her.
St. Philip Neri, founder of the Congregation of the Oratory, had a most tender devotion towards the holy souls in Purgatory, and he felt a particular attraction to pray for those who had been under his spiritual direction. He considered himself under greatest obligation to them, because Divine Providence had confided them in a special manner to his zeal. It seemed to him that his charity ought to follow them until their final purification was accomplished, and they were admitted into the glory of Heaven. He confessed that many of his spiritual children appeared to him after their death, either to ask his prayers or to return him thanks for what he had already done for them. He declared also that by this means he had obtained more than one grace.
After his death, a Franciscan Father of great piety was praying in the chapel in which the venerated remains of the saint had been deposited, when the latter appeared to him surrounded with glory and in the midst of a brilliant train. Encouraged by the air of amiable familiarity with which the saint regarded him, he ventured to ask the meaning of that bright band of blessed spirits which accompanied him. The saint replied that they were the souls of those whose spiritual guide he had been during life, and whom by his suffrages he had delivered from Purgatory. He added that they had come to meet him on his departure from this world, that in their turn they might introduce him into the Heavenly Jerusalem.
"There is no doubt," says the devout Father Rossignoli, "that on their entrance into eternal glory the first favours which they ask of the Divine Mercy are for those who have opened to them the gates of Paradise, and they will never fail to pray for their benefactors, whenever they see them in any necessity or danger. In reverses of fortune, sicknesses, and accidents of all kinds they will be their protectors. Their zeal will increase when the interests of the soul are at stake; they will powerfully assist them to vanquish temptation, to practise good works, to die a Christian death, and to escape the sufferings of the other life."
Cardinal Baronius, whose authority as historian is well known, relates that a person who was very charitable towards the holy souls was afflicted with a terrible agony when on her deathbed. The spirit of darkness suggested to her the most gloomy fears, and veiled from her sight the sweet light of Divine Mercy, endeavouring to drive her into despair; when suddenly Heaven seemed to open before her eyes, and she saw thousands of defenders fly to her aid, reanimating her courage, arid promising her the victory. Comforted by this unexpected assistance, she asked who were her defenders? "We are," they replied, " the souls which you have delivered from Purgatory; we, in our turn, come to help you, and very soon we shall conduct you to Paradise." At these consoling words the sick person felt that her fears were changed into the sweetest confidence. A short time afterwards she tranquilly expired, her countenance serene and her heart filled with joy.
CHAPTER XLVI.
Advantages — Gratitude of the Souls — The Return of an Exiled Priest — Father Mumford and the Printer, William Freyssen.
In order to understand the gratitude of the souls, it is necessary that we should have a most clear conception of the benefit they receive from their liberators; that we should know what it is to enter Heaven. " Who will make known to us," says the Abbe Louvet, " the joys of that blessed hour! Represent to yourself the happiness of an exile who at length returns to his fatherland. During the Reign of Terror, a poor priest of La Vendee was condemned to be drowned. Having escaped by miracle, he was obliged to emigrate in order to save his life. When peace was restored to the Church and to France, he hastened to return to his beloved parish.
" It was a festival day in the village. All the parishioners went to meet their pastor and father; the bells in the old tower rang joyously, and the church was decorated as upon days of great solemnity. The old man advanced smiling in the midst of his children, but when the doors of the holy place opened before him, when he beheld again the altar that had so long rejoiced the days of his youth, his heart, too weak to bear such transports of joy, broke within his bosom. With a trembling voice he intoned the Te Deum, but it was the Nunc Dimittis of his priestly life; he fell dying at the foot of the altar. The exile had not the strength to support the joys of his return."
If such are the joys of the return of an exile to his terrestrial fatherland, who will make known to us the transports we shall experience upon entering Heaven, the true home of our souls? And how can we wonder at the gratitude of the blessed whom we have caused to enter there?
Father James Mumford, of the Society of Jesus, who was born in England in 1605, and who struggled during forty years in the cause of the Church in that country, given up to heresy, composed a remarkable work on Purgatory, which he had printed at Cologne by William Freyssen, a well-known Catholic publisher. This book obtained a large circulation, and effected a great good among souls, the publisher, Freyssen, being one of those who derived the greatest advantage from it. This is what he wrote to Father Mumford in 1649: —
" I write, Father, to inform you of the miraculous and twofold cure of my son and my wife. During the holidays, whilst my office was closed, I set to work reading the book, ' Mercy Exercised towards the Souls in Purgatory,' which you have sent me to print. I was still engaged in reading the work when I was informed that my young son, four years of age, showed symptoms of a serious illness. The malady made rapid progress, the physician lost hope, and preparations for his burial were already thought of. It occurred to me that I might perhaps save him by making a vow in favour of the souls in Purgatory.
" I went to church early in the morning, and fervently besought God to have pity on me, promising by a vow to distribute a hundred copies of your book among the ecclesiastics and Religious free of charge, in order to remind them of the zeal with which they should interest themselves in behalf of the Church Suffering, and of the practices that are best suited to fulfil this duty.
" I acknowledge that I was full of hope. Upon my return home I found the child better. He already asked for nourishment, although for several days he had been incapable of swallowing even a single drop of liquid. The following day his cure was complete: he arose, went out for a walk, and ate with as good an appetite as if he had never been sick. Penetrated with gratitude, my most urgent desire was to fulfil my promise. I went to the College of the Society of Jesus and besought the Fathers to accept my hundred copies, to keep what they wanted for themselves, and to distribute the remainder among the other communities and ecclesiastics of their acquaintance, that the suffering souls, my benefactors, might be comforted by new suffrages.
" Three weeks later, another and not less serious accident happened to me. My wife upon entering the house was suddenly seized with a violent trembling in all her limbs, which caused her to fall insensible to the ground. She soon lost her appetite and the power of speech. All manner of remedies were employed, but in vain. The malady only increased, and all hope seemed lost. Her confessor, seeing her reduced to this condition, sought words to console me, exhorting me to be resigned to the will of God. As for myself, after the protection I had experienced from the good souls in Purgatory, I could not think of despairing. I returned to the same church, prostrated myself before the Blessed Sacrament, and renewed my supplication with all the fervour of which I was capable. 'O my God! I exclaimed, ' thy mercy is without limit! In the name of thine Infinite Goodness, permit not that the restoration of my son to health be atoned for by the death of my wife! ' I then made a vow to distribute two hundred copies of your book in order to obtain copious relief for the suffering souls. At the same time I besought the souls that had formerly been delivered to unite their prayers to those of the others still retained in Purgatory. After this prayer I returned home, and saw my servants running to meet me. They told me that my dear wife was considerably better, that the delirium had ceased and her speech had returned. I hastened to her side and found all was true. I offered her nourishment, which she took with relish. A very short time afterwards she was so completely restored that she accompanied me to the church to return thanks to God for all His mercy.
"Your Reverence may place entire confidence in this statement. I pray you to aid me in thanking our Lord for this double miracle. Freyssen."
CHAPTER XLVII.
Advantages — Temporal Favours — L'Abbe Postel and the Servant of Paris.
The following is related as a fact by the Abbe Postel, the translator of F Rossignoli's work. It took place in Paris, he says, about the year 1827, and is inserted as No. 27 in. the Mervei les dn Purgatoire.
A poor servant, who had been brought up as a good Christian in her native village, had adopted the pious practice of having a Mass said every month for the suffering souls. Her employers, having taken her with them to the capital, she never once neglected it, and furthermore made it her rule to assist at the Divine Sacrifice, and to unite her prayers with those of the priest, especially for the soul that had most nearly completed its expiation. This was her ordinary intention.
God soon tried her by a long illness, that not only occasioned her cruel suffering, but also caused her to lose her place and draw upon her last resources. On the day that she was able to leave the hospital, she had but twenty sous left. After addressing a fervent prayer to Heaven, full of confidence, she went in search of a situation. She was told that she would probably find employment in a certain family at the other end of the city, whither she went, and as she was obliged to pass by the Church of St. Eustache, she entered. The sight of a priest at the altar reminded her that this month she had forgotten her usual Mass for the dead, and that this was the very day upon which, for many years, she had been accustomed to do this good work. But what was she to do? If she disposed of her last franc, she would have nothing left, even to satisfy her hunger. It was a struggle between devotion and human prudence. Devotion gained the day. " After all," she said to herself, " the good God knows it is for Him, and He will not forsake me! " Entering the sacristy, she gave her offering for a Mass, at which she assisted with her usual fervour.
A few moments after, she continued on her way, full of anxiety as may be readily understood. Being absolutely destitute of means, what was she to do if she failed to obtain employment? She was still occupied with these thoughts when a pale young man of a slight figure and distinguished appearance approached her and said, "Are you in search of a situation?" "Yes, sir." "Well, go to a certain street and number, to the house of Madame --- . I think you will suit her, and that you will be satisfied there." Having spoken these words, he disappeared in the passing crowd, without waiting to receive the poor girl's thanks.
She found the street, recognised the number, and ascended to the apartments. A servant came out carrying a package under her arm and uttering words of complaint and anger. "Is Madame there?" asked the newcomer. "She may or she may not be," replied the other. "What does it matter to me? Madame will open the door herself if it suits her; I will trouble myself no longer about it. Adieu!" And she descended the steps.
Our poor girl rang the bell with trembling hand, and a sweet voice bade her enter. She found herself in the presence of an old lady of venerable appearance, who encouraged her to make known her wishes.
" Madame," said the servant, " I learned this morning that you are in need of a servant, and I came to offer my services. I was assured that you would receive me kindly." " Oh, but, my dear child, what you tell me is very extraordinary. This morning I had no need of one; it is only within the last half-hour that I have discharged an insolent domestic, and there is not a soul in the world except her and myself who know it. Who sent you, then? " " It was a gentleman, Madame; a young gentleman whom I met on the street, who stopped me for this purpose, and I praised God for it, for it is absolutely necessary for me to find a place to-day; I have not a penny in my pocket."
The old lady could not understand who the person was, and was lost in conjecture, when the servant raising her eyes to the furniture of the little parlour, perceived a portrait. "Wait, Madame," she said immediately, "do not puzzle yourself any more; this is the exact picture of the young man who spoke to me. It is on his account that I am come."
At these words the lady uttered a loud cry and seemed to lose consciousness. She made the girl repeat the story of her devotion to the souls in Purgatory, of the morning Mass, and her meeting with the stranger; then throwing herself on the neck of the girl, she embraced her amid a flood of tears and said, "You shall not be my servant from this moment; you are my daughter. It is my son, my only son, whom you saw — my son, dead for the past two years, who owes to you his deliverance, whom God directed to send you here. I cannot doubt it. May you, then, be blessed, and let us pray continually for all those who suffer before entering into a blessed eternity."
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Advantages — Temporal Favours — The Neapolitan Woman and the Mysterious Note.
To prove that the souls in Purgatory show their gratitude even by temporal favours, Father Rossignoli relates a fact that happened at Naples, which bears some resemblance to that which we have just read.
If it is not given to all to offer to God the abundant alms of Judas Machabeus, who sent twelve thousand drachms to Jerusalem for sacrifices and prayers to be offered in behalf of the dead, there are very few who cannot at least make the offering of the poor widow of the Gospel, who was praised by our Saviour Himself. She gave only two mites, but, said Jesus, " these two mites were of more value than all the gold of the rich, because she of her want east in all she had, even her whole living." [54] This touching example was imitated by a humble Neapolitan woman, who had the greatest difficulty in providing for the wants of her family. The resources of the house depended upon the daily earnings of the husband, who each evening brought home the fruit of his labours.
Alas! one day this poor father was imprisoned for debt, so that the responsibility of supporting the family rested upon the unhappy mother, who possessed nothing but her confidence in God. With faith she besought Divine Providence to come to her aid, and especially to deliver her husband, who languished in prison for no other crime than his poverty.
She went to a wealthy and benevolent gentleman, and, relating to him the sad story of her woes, entreated him with tears to assist her. God permitted that she should receive but a trifling alms, a carlin, a piece of money worth about ten cents of our coin. Deeply afflicted, she entered a church to implore the God of the indigent to succour her in her distress, since she had nothing to hope from earth. She was absorbed in her prayers and tears, when, by an inspiration, no doubt, of her good angel, it occurred to her to interest the sympathy of the holy souls in her behalf, for she had heard much of their sufferings, and of their gratitude towards those who befriend them. Full of confidence, she went into the sacristy, offered her little piece of money, and asked if a Mass could be celebrated for the dead. The good priest, who was there, hastened to say Mass for her intention, and ascended the altar for that purpose, whilst the poor woman, prostrate on the pavement, assisted at the Holy Sacrifice, offering her prayers for the departed.
She returned quite consoled, as though she had received the assurance that God had heard her prayer. Whilst traversing the populous streets of Naples, she was accosted by a venerable old man, who inquired whence she came and w r hither she was going? The unfortunate woman explained her distress, and the use she had made of the small alms she had received. The old man seemed deeply touched by her misery, spoke some words of encouragement, and gave her a note enclosed in an envelope, which he directed her to take to a gentleman whom he designated, and then left her.
The woman went in all haste to deliver the note to the gentleman indicated. The latter, on opening the envelope, was seized with astonishment, and was on the point of fainting away; he recognised the handwriting of his father, who had died some time previous. " Where did you get this letter?" he cried, quite beside himself. "Sir," replied the good woman, "it was from an old man who accosted me in the street. I told him of my distress, and he sent me to give you this note in his name. As regards his features, he very much resembles that portrait which you have there over the door." More and more impressed by these circumstances, the gentleman again took up the note, and read aloud: — "My son, your father has just been delivered from Purgatory, thanks to a Mass which the bearer has had celebrated this morning. She is in great distress, and I recommend her to you." He read and re-read those lines, traced by that hand so dear to him, by a father who was now among the number of the elect. Tears of joy coursed down his cheeks as he turned towards the woman. " Poor woman," he said, " by your trifling alms you have secured the eternal felicity of him who gave me life. In my turn I will secure your temporal happiness. I take upon myself to supply all the needs of yourself and your whole family."
What joy for that gentleman! what joy for that poor woman! It is difficult to say on which side was the greatest happiness. What is most important and most easy is, to see the instruction to be derived from this incident; it teaches us that the smallest act of charity towards the members of the Church Suffering is precious in the sight of God, and draws down upon us miracles of mercy.
CHAPTER XLIX.
Advantages — Spiritual and Temporal Favours — Christopher Sandoval at Louvain — The Lawyer Renouncing the World — Brother Lacci and Dr. Verdiano.
Let us here cite another example, the more worthy of mention as a great Pope, Clement VIII., saw therein the finger of God, and recommended its publication for the edification of the Church. " Several authors," says Father Rossignoli, " have related the marvellous assistance which Christopher Sandoval, Archbishop of Seville, received from the souls in Purgatory. Whilst still a child, he was accustomed to distribute part of his pocket-money in alms for the benefit of the holy souls. His piety increased with his age; for the sake of the poor suffering souls he gave away all that he could dispose of, and even went so far as to deprive himself of a thousand little things which were useful or necessary. When he was pursuing his studies at the University of Louvain, it happened that some letters which he expected from Spain were delayed, in consequence of which he found himself reduced to such pecuniary straits that he had scarcely wherewith to purchase food. At this moment a poor person asked of him an alms for love of the souls in Purgatory, and, what had never happened to him before, he was obliged to refuse.
"Afflicted by this circumstance, he went into a church. ' If,' said he, ' I cannot give an alms for my poor souls, I can at least give them the assistance of my prayers.'
"Scarcely had he finished his prayer, when, on leaving the church, he was accosted by a beautiful young man, dressed as a traveller, who saluted him with respectful affability. Christopher experienced a feeling of religious awe, as though he were in the presence of a spirit in human form. But he was soon reassured by his amiable interlocutor, who spoke to him with the greatest gentleness of the Marquis of Dania, his father, his relatives and friends, just as a Spaniard who had recently arrived from the Peninsula. He ended by Legging him to accompany him to an hotel, where they could dine together and be more at their ease. Sandoval, who had not eaten anything since the previous day, gladly accepted the gracious offer. They therefore seated themselves at table, and continued to converse most pleasantly together. After the repast, the stranger gave Sandoval a sum of money, entreating him to accept it, and to make use of it for any purpose he pleased, adding that the Marquis, his father, would make him compensation on his return to Spain. Then, under pretext of transacting some business, he withdrew, and Christopher never saw him again. Notwithstanding all his inquiries concerning the stranger, he never succeeded in obtaining any information regarding him. No one, neither in Louvain nor Spain, had ever seen or known a young man corresponding to his description. As regards the sum of money, it was exactly the amount which the pious Christopher needed to defray expenses until the arrival of his letters, and this money was never afterwards claimed from his family.
He was, therefore, convinced that Heaven had worked a miracle in his favour, and had sent to his assistance one of those souls that he himself had relieved by his prayers and alms. He was confirmed in this opinion by Pope Clement VIII. , to whom he related the incident when he went to Rome to receive the Bulls raising him to the Episcopate. This Pontiff, struck by the extraordinary circumstances of the case, advised him to make it known for the edification of the faithful; he looked upon it as a favour from Heaven, which proved how precious in the sight of God is charity towards the departed.
Such is the gratitude of the holy souls which have left this world, that they testify it even for favours bestowed upon them whilst they were still in this life. It is related in the Annals of the Friars Preachers that among those who went to receive the habit from the hands of St. Dominic in 1241, there was a lawyer who had quitted his profession under extraordinary circumstances. He was united by ties of friendship to a young man of great piety, whom he charitably assisted during the sickness of which he died. This was sufficient to move the deceased to procure for him the greatest of all benefits, that of conversion and vocation to a religious life. About thirty days after his death he appeared to the lawyer, and implored his assistance, because he was in Purgatory. "Are your sufferings intense?" he asked of his friend. "Alas!" replied the latter, "if the whole earth with its forests and mountains were on fire, it would not form a furnace such as the one into which I am plunged." Seized with fear, his faith revived, and thinking only of his own soul, he asked, "In what state am I in the eyes of God?" " In a bad state," replied the deceased, "and in a dangerous profession." " What have I to do? What advice do you give me?" "Quit the perverse world in which you are engaged, and occupy yourself only with the affairs of your soul." The lawyer, following this counsel, gave all his goods to the poor and took the habit of St. Dominic.
Let us see how a holy Religious of the Society of Jesus showed his gratitude, even after death, to the physician who had attended him during his last illness. Francis Lacci, a Brother Coadjutor, died in the College of Naples in 1598. He was a man of God, full of charity, patience, and tender devotion towards the Blessed Virgin. Some time after his death, Dr. Verdiano entered the church of the College to assist at Mass before beginning his visits. It was the day on which were celebrated the obsequies of King Philip II., who had died four months previous. When, on leaving the church, he was about to take holy water, a Religious approached and asked him why the catafalque had been prepared, and whose was the service about to be celebrated. "It is that of King Philip II.," he replied.
At the same time Verdiano, astonished that a Religious should ask such a question of a stranger, and not distinguishing the features of his interlocutor in the obscurity of the place where he stood, asked who he was. "I am," he answered, " Brother Lacci, whom you attended during my last illness." The doctor looked at him attentively, and recognised perfectly the features of Lacci. Stupefied with astonishment, he said, "But you died of that disease! Are you then suffering in Purgatory, and do you come to ask our suffrages? " " Blessed be God, I am no longer in pain nor sorrow. I need not your suffrages. I am in the joys of Paradise." "And King Philip, is he also already in Paradise?" "Yes, he is there, but placed as much below me as he was elevated above me upon earth. As for you, Dr. Verdiano, where do you propose to make your first visit to-day?" Verdiano having replied that he was then going to the Patrician di Maio, who was dangerously ill, Lacci warned him to guard against a great danger which menaced him at the door of the house. In fact, the doctor found there a large stone so placed, that on being shaken, it would have fallen and mortally injured him.
This material circumstance seems to have been designed by Providence to prove to Verdiano that he had not been the sport of an illusion.
CHAPTER L.
Advantages—Prayers of the Souls for us—Suarez—St. Bridget—St. Catherine of Bologna—Venerable Vianney.
We have just spoken of the gratitude of the holy souls. This they sometimes manifest, as we have seen, in a clearly visible manner, but most frequently they exercise it invisibly by their prayers. The souls pray for us not only when, after their deliverance, they are with God in Heaven, but even in their place of exile and in the midst of their sufferings. Although they cannot pray for themselves, yet, by their supplications, they obtain great grace for us. Such is the express doctrine of two eminent theologians, Bellarmine and Suarez. "These souls are holy," says Suarez, "and dear to God. Charity urges them to love us, and they know, at least in a general way, to what dangers we are exposed, and what need we have of the Divine assistance. Why, then, would they not pray for their benefactors?
Why? But it will be answered because they know them not. In that dismal abode, in the midst of their torments, how can they know who are those that assist them by their suffrages?
To this objection it may be replied, the souls feel at least the alleviation which they receive and the assistance which is given them; this suffices, even should they be ignorant of the source whence it came, to call down the benedictions of Heaven upon their benefactors, whosoever they may be, and who are known to God.
But in reality do they not know from whom they receive assistance in their sufferings? Their ignorance of this is nowise proved, and we have strong reason to believe that no such ignorance exists. Would their angel-guardian, who dwells there with them to give them all the consolation in his power, deprive them of this consoling knowledge? Is this knowledge not conformable to the doctrine of the Communion of Saints? Would the intercourse which exists between us and the Church Suffering not be the more perfect for its being reciprocal, and that the souls know their benefactors better?
This doctrine is confirmed by a great number of particular revelations, and by the practice of several holy persons. We have already said that St. Bridget, in one of her ecstasies, heard several souls cry aloud, " Lord God all-powerful, reward a hundred-fold those who assist us by their prayers, and who offer to you their good works, in order that we may enjoy the light of your Divinity."
We read in the Life of St. Catherine of Bologna that she had a most tender devotion towards the holy souls in Purgatory; that she prayed for them very frequently, and with the greatest fervour; that she recommended herself to them with the greatest confidence in her spiritual necessities, and advised others to do the same, saying, " When I wish to obtain any favour from our Father in Heaven, I have recourse to the souls that are detained in Purgatory; I entreat them to present my request to the Divine Majesty in their own name, and I feel that I am heard through their intercession." A holy priest of our own day, the cause of whose beatification has been commenced in Rome, Venerable Vianney, Cure' of Ars, said to an ecclesiastic who consulted him, " Oh! if it were but known how great is the power of the good souls in Purgatory with the Heart of God, and if we knew all the graces we can obtain through their intercession, they would not be so much forgotten. We must, therefore, pray much for them, that they may pray much for us."
These last words of Venerable Vianney indicate the true manner of having recourse to the souls in Purgatory; we must assist them, to obtain their prayers and the effects of their gratitude in return— We must pray much for them that they may pray much for us.
There is no question here of invoking them as we invoke the saints in Heaven. Such is not the spirit of the Church, which, before all else, prays for the departed, and assists them by her suffrages. But it is nowise contrary to the spirit of the Church nor to Christian piety to procure relief for the souls, with the intention of obtaining in return, through the assistance of their prayers, the favours which we desire. Thus it is a laudable and pious act to offer a Mass for the departed when we are in need of any particular grace. If, when the holy souls are still in their sufferings, their prayers are so powerful, we may easily conceive that they will be much more efficacious when, being entirely purified, these souls stand before the throne of God.
CHAPTER LI.
Advantages — Gratitude of the Divine Spouse of Souls — Venerable Ardiangela Panigarola and her Father, Gothard.
If the souls are so grateful towards their benefactors, our Lord Jesus Christ, who loves those souls, who receives as done to Himself all the good which we procure for them, will bestow an abundant recompense, very often even in this life, and always in the next. He regards those who show mercy, and punishes those who forget to show it, towards the suffering souls.
Let us first see an example of chastisement. Venerable Archangela Panigarola, a Dominican Religious and Prioress of the Monastery of St. Martha in Milan, had extraordinary zeal for the relief of the souls in Purgatory. She prayed, and obtained prayers for all her deceased friends, and even for those unknown to her, but of whose death she had been notified. Her father, Gothard, whom she tenderly loved, was one of those Christians of the world who seldom thought of praying for the dead. He himself died, and, quite disconsolate, Archangela understood that her dear father stood more in need of her prayers than of her tears. She therefore took the resolution of recommending him to God by special suffrages. But, strange to say, this resolution was scarcely ever carried into effect; this girl, so pious and devoted to her father, did very little for his soul. God permitted that, notwithstanding her holy resolutions, she continually forgot him, and interested herself in behalf of others. Finally, an unexpected event explained this unwonted forgetfulness, and aroused her devotion in behalf of her father. On the Feast of All Souls she remained secluded in her cell, exclusively occupied in exercises of piety and penance for the relief of the poor souls. Suddenly her angel appeared to her, took her by the hand, and conducted her in spirit into Purgatory. Among the first souls which she saw, she recognised that of her father, plunged in a pond of icy water. Scarcely had Gothard seen his daughter than, coming towards her, he reproached her sorrowfully for having abandoned him in his sufferings, whilst she showed so much Charity towards others, whom she constantly relieved, and frequently delivered those who were strangers to her.
Archangela stood for some time confused by these reproaches, which she knew she had merited; soon, however, shedding a torrent of tears, she replied, " I will do, my dear father, all that you ask of me. May it please God to give ear to my supplications and speedily deliver you." Meanwhile she could not recover from her astonishment, nor understand how she could thus have forgotten her beloved father. Having taken her back, her angel told her that this forgetfulness had happened by a disposition of Divine Justice. "God," he said, "has permitted it in punishment for the little zeal which, during life, your father manifested for God, his own soul, and that of his neighbour. You saw how he was tormented and benumbed in a lake of ice; this was the chastisement of his tepidity in the service of God, and his indifference with regard to the salvation of souls. Your father was not an immoral man, it is true, but he showed little inclination for the acquirement of virtue and for the practice of those works of piety and charity to which the Church exhorts the faithful. . . . This is the reason why God permitted that he should be forgotten, even by you, who would have given him too much relief. This is the chastisement ordinarily inflicted by Divine Justice upon those who are lacking in fervour and charity. He permits that others should conduct themselves in their regard as they have acted towards God and towards their brethren." Moreover, this is the rule of Justice which our Saviour has established in the Gospel, With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. [55]
CHAPTER LII.
Advantages — Charity towards the Holy Souls recompensed by Jesus Christ — St. Catherine of Sienna and Palmerine — St. Magdalen de Pazzi and her Mother.
God is more inclined to reward than to punish, and if He inflict a chastisement upon those who forget the souls so dear to His Heart, He shows Himself truly grateful towards those who assist Him in the person of His suffering spouses. In recompense He will one day say to them, Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom which is prepared for you. You have exercised mercy towards your necessitous and suffering brethren; Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you- did it to Me. [56] Very often in this life Jesus rewards compassionate and charitable souls by the bestowal of many favours. St. Catherine of Sienna by her charity had converted a sinner named Palmerine, who died and went to Purgatory. The saint gave herself no rest until she had delivered this soul. In recompense, our Lord permitted her to appear to the saint, or rather our Saviour Himself showed her to His servant, as a glorious conquest of her Charity. Blessed Raymond thus gives the details: — In the middle of the fourteenth century, when St. Catherine edified her native city by all sorts of works of mercy, a woman named Palmerine, after having been the object of her tenderest charity, conceived a secret aversion towards her benefactors, which even degenerated into implacable hatred. No longer able to see or listen to the saint, the ungrateful Palmerine, embittered against the servant of God, ceased not to blacken her reputation by the most atrocious calumnies. Catherine did all in her power to conciliate her, but in vain. Then, seeing that her kindness, her humility, her benefits served but to excite the fury of this unfortunate woman, she earnestly implored God to vouchsafe Himself to move her obdurate heart.
God heard her prayer by striking Palmerine with a mortal malady; but this chastisement did not suffice to make her enter into herself. In return for all the tender care which the saint lavished upon her, the wretched woman loaded her with insults and drove her from her presence. Meanwhile, her end approached, and a priest was called to administer the last Sacraments. The sick person was unfit to receive them, on account of the hatred which she nourished, and which she refused to give up. On hearing this, and seeing that the unfortunate creature had already one foot in Hell, Catherine shed a torrent of tears and was inconsolable. For three days and three nights she ceased not to supplicate God on her behalf, adding fasting to prayer. "What! Lord," she said, "will you allow this soul to be lost on my account? I conjure you, grant me at any price her conversion and her salvation. Punish me for her sin, of which I am the occasion: it is not her, but me, the chastisement should strike. Lord, refuse me not the grace which I ask of you; I shall not leave you until I shall have obtained it. In the name of your Goodness, of your Mercy, I conjure you, most merciful Saviour, not to permit the soul of my sister to leave her body until it has been restored to your grace."
Her prayer, adds her biographer, was so powerful, that she prevented the sick woman from dying. Her agony lasted for three days and three nights, to the great astonishment of her nurses. Catherine during this time continued to intercede, and ended by gaining the victory. God could no longer resist, and worked a miracle of mercy. A ray of heavenly light penetrated the heart of the dying woman, showed her her fault, and nerved her to repentance. The saint to whom God revealed this hastened to her side. As soon as the sick person saw her, she gave her every possible mark of friendship and respect, accused herself aloud of her fault, received with piety the last Sacraments, and died in the grace of God.
Notwithstanding the sincerity of her conversion, it was to be feared that a sinner who had barely escaped Hell would have to undergo a severe Purgatory. The charitable Catherine continued to do all in her power to hasten the moment when Palmerine would be admitted to the glory of Paradise.
So much Charity could not fail to meet its reward. " Our Lord," writes Blessed Raymond, "showed to His spouse that soul saved by her prayers. It was so brilliant, that she told me she could find no words capable of expressing its beauty. It was not yet admitted to the glory of the beatific vision, but had that brightness which creation and the grace of baptism imparts. Our Lord said to her, * Behold, My daughter; this lost soul which you have found' And He added, ' Does she not appear to you most beautiful and precious? Who would not endure all sorts of suffering to save a creature so perfect and to introduce it into eternal life? If I, who am the Supreme Beauty, from whom all beauty emanates, have been so far captivated by the beauty to souls as to descend upon earth and shed My blood to redeem them; with how much greater reason should you not labour one for another; that such admirable creatures be not lost? If I have showed you this soul, it was that you should be all the more zealous in all that concerns the salvation of souls.'"
St. Magdalen of Pazzi, so full of devotion for the dead, exhausted all the resources of Christian Charity on behalf of her mother, after the latter had departed this life. A fortnight after her death, Jesus, wishing to console His spouse, showed her the soul of her beloved parent. Magdalen saw her in Paradise, arrayed in dazzling splendour, and surrounded by saints, who appeared to take great interest in her. She heard the blessed soul give her three commands, which ever remained impressed upon her memory: " Take care, my daughter," she said, " to descend as low as possible in humility, to observe religious obedience, and to carry out with prudence all that it prescribes." Saying this, Magdalen saw her blessed mother vanish from sight, and she remained inundated with the sweetest consolation. [57]
CHAPTER LIII.
Advantages — Charity towards the Dead Reivarded — St. Thomas of Aqtiin, his Sister, and Brother Romano — The Archpriest Ponzoni and Don Alphonso Sanchez — Blessed Margaret Mary and Mother Greffier.
The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas of Aquin, was likewise very devout towards the suffering souls, who appeared to him several times, and we know of them by the testimony of the illustrious Doctor himself. [58]
He offered his prayers and sacrifices to God, particularly for the departed souls whom he had known or who were related to him. When he was Professor of Theology at the University of Paris he lost a sister, who died in Capua, at the convent of St. Mary, of which she was Abbess. As soon as he heard of her decease, he recommended her soul to God with great fervour. Some days later she appeared to him, conjuring him to have pity on her, and to redouble his suffrages, because she suffered cruelly in the flames of the other life. Thomas hastened to offer for her all the satisfaction in his power, and solicited also the suffrages of several of his friends. He thus obtained the deliverance of his sister, who came herself to announce the glad tidings.
Some time after this, having been sent to Rome by his superiors, the soul of this sister appeared to him in all the glory of triumphant joy. She told him that his prayers had been heard, that she was freed from suffering, and was going to enjoy eternal repose in the bosom of God. Familiarised with these supernatural communications, the saint feared not to interrogate the apparition, and asked what had become of his two brothers, Arnold and Landolph, who had died some time previous. " Arnold is in Heaven," replied the soul, "and there enjoys a high degree of glory for having defended the Church and the Sovereign Pontiff against the aggressions of the Emperor Frederic. As to Landolph, he is still in Purgatory, where he suffers much, and is greatly in need of assistance. As regards yourself, my dear brother," she added, " a magnificent place awaits you in Paradise, in recompense for all you have done for the Church. Hasten to put the last stroke to the different works which you have undertaken, for you will soon join us." History tells us that, in fact, he lived but a short time after this event. On another occasion, the same saint being in prayer in the Church of St. Dominic at Naples, saw approaching him Brother Romano, who had succeeded him at Paris in the chair of theology. The saint thought at first that he had just arrived from Paris, for he was ignorant of his death. He, therefore, arose, went to meet him, saluted him, and inquired of him concerning his health and the motive of his journey. " I am no longer of this world," said the Religious with a smile, "and by the mercy of God I am already in the enjoyment of eternal beatitude. I come by the command of God to encourage you in your labours." "Am I in the state of grace?" asked Thomas immediately. "Yes, dear brother, and your works are very agreeable to God." "And you, had you to suffer Purgatory? " " Yes, for fourteen days, on account of little infidelities, which I had not sufficiently expiated on earth."
Then Thomas, whose mind was constantly occupied with questions of theology, profited by the opportunity to penetrate the mystery of the beatific vision; but he was answered with this verse of Psalm xlvii., Sicut audivimus, sic vidimus in civitate Dei nostri— "As we have learned by faith, we have seen with our eyes in the city of our God." Saying these words, the apparition vanished, leaving the Angelic Doctor inflamed with the desire of the Eternal Good.
More recently, in the sixteenth century, a favour of the same nature, but perhaps more wonderful, was granted to a zelator of the souls in Purgatory, an intimate friend of St. Charles Borromeo. Venerable Gratian Ponzoni, Archpriest of Arona, interested himself in the cause of the poor suffering souls throughout his whole lifetime. During the pest which carried off so many victims in the diocese of Milan, Ponzoni, not content with administering the Sacraments to the plague-stricken, hesitated not to become sexton, and to bury the dead bodies; for fear had paralysed the courage of all, and no one would take upon themselves that terrible task. With a zeal and charity truly apostolic, he had assisted a large number of the unfortunate victims in Arona in their last moments, and had interred them in the cemetery near his church of St. Mary. One day, after the office of Vespers, as he was passing by the cemetery in com;. any with Don Alphonso Sanchez, then governor of Arona, he stopped suddenly, struck with an extraordinary vision. Fearing some delusion, he turned towards Sanchez and said, " Sir, do you see the same spectacle which presents itself to my view?" "Yes," replied the governor, who had the same vision, " I see a procession of the dead, advancing from their graves towards the church; and I avow that until you spoke I could not believe my eyes." Assured of the reality of the apparition, the Archpriest added, " They are probably the recent victims of the pest, who wish to make known that they are in need of our prayers." He immediately caused the bells to be rung, and invited the parishioners to assemble on the following morning for a solemn service for the dead. [59]
We see here two persons whose sound judgment guarded them against all danger of illusion, and who, both struck at the same time, seeing the same apparition, hesitate to give credence to it until they were convinced that their eyes saw the same phenomenon. There is not the least room for hallucination, and every sensible man must admit the reality of a supernatural occurrence, attested by such witnesses. Nor can we call in question those apparitions based upon the testimony of a St. Thomas of Aquin, as related above. We must also guard against too easily rejecting other facts of the same nature, from the moment they are attested by persons of recognised sanctity and truly worthy of belief. We must be prudent, no doubt, but ours must be a Christian prudence, equally removed from credulity and from that proud, conceited spirit with which, as we have remarked elsewhere, Jesus repr ached His Apostles, "Noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis." [60]
Monseigneur Languet, Bishop of Soissons, makes the same remark with reference to a circumstance which he relates in the Life of Blessed Margaret Alacoque. Madame Billet, wife of the doctor of the house — that is to say, of the convent of Paray — where the blessed sister resided, had just died. The soul of the deceased appeared to the servant of God, asking her prayers, and charging her to warn her husband of two secret affairs that concerned his salvation. The holy sister gave an account of what had taken place to her Superior, Mother Greffier. The Superior ridiculed the vision, and the one who related it to her; she imposed silence upon Margaret, forbidding her to say or do anything regarding what had been asked of her. " The humble Religious obeyed with simplicity; and with the same simplicity she related to Mother Greffier the second solicitation which she received from the deceased some days later; but the Superior treated this with the same contempt. However, the following night she herself was aroused by such a horrible noise in her room that she thought she would die from fright. She called the sisters, and when assistance came, she was on the point of swooning away. When she somewhat recovered, she reproached herself with her incredulity, and no longer delayed to acquaint the doctor with what had been revealed to Sister Margaret.
"The doctor recognised the warning as coming from God, and profited by it. As for Mother Greffier, she learned by experience that if distrust is ordinarily the wisest policy, it is sometimes wrong to carry it too far, especially when the glory of God and the good of our neighbour is concerned."
CHAPTER LIV.
Advantages — Salutary Thoughts — Make Satisfaction in this Life rather than in the Next — St. Augustine and St. Louis Bertrand — Brother Lourenco — Father Michel de la Fontaine.
Besides the advantages which we have already considered, Charity towards the departed is very salutary to those who practise it, because it stimulates them to fervour in the service of God, and inspires the holiest thoughts. To think of the souls in Purgatory is to think of the sufferings of the other life; it is to call to mind that all sin demands expiation, either in this life or the next.
Now, who does not understand that it is better to make satisfaction here, since future chastisements are so terrible? A voice seems to come forth from Purgatory, repeating these words of the " Imitation," " Better is it to purge away our sins and to cut off our vices now, than to keep them for purgation hereafter."[61]
We call to mind, also, this other sentence, of which we read in the same chapter, " There, one hour of punishment will be more grievous than a hundred years of the most bitter penance here." Then, penetrated with salutary fear, we willingly endure the sufferings of the present life, and we say to God with St. Augustine and St. Louis Bertrand, Domine, hie ure, hie seca, hie non parcas, ut in ætemum parcas — "Lord, apply here iron and fire; spare me not in this life, in order that you may spare me in the next."
Penetrated with these thoughts, the Christian regards the tribulations of the present life, and especially the sufferings of a painful malady, as a Purgatory upon earth which will dispense him from Purgatory after death. On January 6, 1676, there died in Lisbon, at the age of sixty-nine years, the servant of God, Gaspar Lourenco, Brother Coadjutor of the Society of Jesus, and porter of the professed house of that Institute. He was full of charity towards the poor and towards the souls in Purgatory. He knew not how to spare himself in the service of the unfortunate, and was marvellously ingenious in teaching them to bless God for their misery, which was to purchase Heaven for them. He himself was so penetrated with the happiness of suffering for our Lord, that he crucified his flesh almost withour. measure, and added other austerities on the vigils of Communion days. At the age of seventy-eight, he would accept of no dispensation from the fasts and abstinences of the Church, and allowed no day to pass without taking the discipline at least twice. Even in his last illness, the Brother Infirmarian said that the approach of death did not make him divest himself of his hair-shirt, so great was his desire to die upon the cross. The sufferings of his agony, which were most cruel, might have taken the place of the most rigorous penances. When asked if he suffered much. "I am undergoing my Purgatory before departing for Heaven" he replied with a joyous air. Brother Lourenco was born on the day of Epiphany; and our Lord had revealed to him that this beautiful day was to be also that of his death. He designated the hour on the previous night; and when the Infirmarian visited him at daybreak, he said to him with a smile expressive of doubt, " Is it not to-day, brother, that you expect to go and enjoy the vision of God? " " Yes," he replied, " as soon as I shall have received the Body of my Saviour for the last time." In fact, he received Holy Communion and expired without struggle and without agony.
There is, then, every reason to believe that he spoke with a supernatural knowledge of the truth when he said, " I am undergoing my Purgatory before departing for Heaven."
Another servant of God received from the Blessed Virgin herself the same assurance that her earthly suffering would take the place of Purgatory. I speak of Father Michel de la Fontaine, who slept sweetly in the Lord on February 11, 1606, at Valencia, in Spain. He was one of the first missionaries who laboured for the salvation of the people of Peru. His greatest care when instructing the new converts was to inspire them with a sovereign horror of sin, and to lead them to great devotion towards the Mother of God, by speaking of the virtues of that admirable Virgin, and teaching them to recite the beads in her honour.
Mary, on her part, did not refuse the favours asked of her. One day when, exhausted with fatigue, he lay prostrate in the dust, not having strength to rise, he was visited by her whom the Church styles with reason Comforter of the Afflicted. She reanimated his courage, saying to him, " Confidence, my son; your fatigues will take the place of Purgatory for you; bear your sufferings patiently, and on leaving this life your soul will be received into the abode of the blessed."
This vision was for Father de la Fontaine during life, but especially at the hour of his death, a source of abundant consolation. In gratitude for this favour, he each week practised some particular penance. At the moment when he expired, a Religious of eminent virtue saw his soul take its flight to Heaven in company of the Blessed Virgin, the Prince of the Apostles, St. John the Evangelist, and of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Company of Jesus.
CHAPTER LV.
Advantages — Salutary Instruction — Blessed Mary of the Angels— St. Peter Claver and the Sick Negro — The Negro and the Rosary.
Besides the holy thoughts which devotion to the holy souls suggests, the latter sometimes contribute directly to the spiritual welfare of their benefactors. In the Life of Blessed Mary of the Angels, of the Order of Mount Carmel, it is said that it is almost beyond belief how frequent were the apparitions of the souls of Purgatory who came to implore her assistance, and afterwards to thank her for their deliverance. Very often they conversed with the blessed sister, giving her useful advice for herself or for her sisters, and revealing things relating to the other world. " On the Wednesday within the Octave of the Assumption," she writes, " whilst saying the evening prayers, one of our good sisters appeared to me. She was clad in white, surrounded with glory and splendour, and so beautiful that I know of nothing here below to which I could compare her. Fearing some illusion of the devil, I armed myself with the sign of the cross; but she smiled, and disappeared shortly after. I begged our Lord not to permit me to be deceived by the demon. The following night the sister again appeared, and calling me by my name, said, C I come on the part of God to let you know that I am in the enjoyment of eternal bliss. Tell our Mother Prioress that it is not the design of God to reveal to her the destiny that awaits her: tell her to place her confidence in St. Joseph and in the souls in Purgatory.' Having said this, she disappeared."
St. Peter Claver, Apostle of the Negroes of Carthagena, was aided by the souls in Purgatory in this work of the apostolate. He did not abandon the souls of his dear negroes after their death; penances, prayers, masses, indulgences, as far as depended upon himself, he applied to them, says Father Fleurian, his biographer. Thus it often happened that those poor afflicted souls, sure of his power with God, came to ask the assistance of his prayers.
The fastidiousness and incredulity of our century, says the same author, does not prevent us from relating some few additional facts. They may perhaps appear worthy of the raillery of freethinkers, but does it not suffice to know that God is the Master of these occurrences, and that they are, moreover, so well authenticated as to deserve a place in a history written for Christian readers?
A sick negro, whom he had taken into his room and laid upon his own bed, having heard a noise as of loud moaning during the night, fear made him run to Father Claver, who was kneeling in prayer. " Oh, Father! " he cried, " what is that dreadful noise, which terrifies me and prevents me from sleeping?" "Return, my son," replied the holy man, "and go to sleep without fear." Then, having assisted him to get into bed, he opened the door of the chamber, said a few words, and immediately the moaning ceased.
Several other negroes, being occupied in repairing a house at some distance from the city, one of them went out to cut wood upon a neighbouring mountain. As he approached the forest he heard himself called by his name from the top of a tree. He raised his eyes in the direction whence the voice came, and not seeing any one, was about to take to flight and join his companions, but he was stopped in a narrow path by a frightful spectre, who discharged a shower of blows upon him with a whip furnished with pieces of red-hot iron, and saying, "Why have you not got your rosary? Carry it about you in future, and say it for the souls in Purgatory." The phantom then ordered him to ask of the mistress of the house for three gold pieces which were due to him, and which he was to take to Father Claver, that Masses might be offered for his intention, after which he disappeared.
In the meantime the noise of the blows and the cries of the negro had brought his companions to the spot, where they found him more dead than alive, covered with the wounds he had received, and unable to utter a word. They carried him to the house, where the mistress acknowledged that in reality she owed the sum of money in question to a negro who had died some time previous. Father Claver, on being informed of what had occurred, said the Masses which were asked of him, and gave a rosary to the negro, who ever afterwards wore it, and never omitted to say it daily.
CHAPTER LVI.
Advantages — Salutary Instructions — St. Magdalen de Pazzi and Sister Benedicta — Father Paul Hoffee — Venerable Father de la Colombiere — Louis Corbinelli.
St. Magdalen de Pazzi, in an apparition of a departed soul, received the most wholesome instruction on religious virtues. There was in her convent a sister named Mary Benedicta, who was distinguished for her piety, her obedience, and all other virtues which are the ornament of holy souls. She was so humble, says Father Cepari, and had such contempt for herself, that, without the guidance of her Superiors, she would nave gone to extremes, with the sole view of acquiring the reputation of being a person without prudence and without judgment. She therefore said that she could not help feeling jealous of St. Alexis, who found a means of living a hidden life, contemptible in the eyes of the world. She was so docile and prompt in obedience, that she ran like a little child at the least sign of the will of her Superiors, and the latter were obliged to use great circumspection in the orders which they gave her, lest she should go beyond their desires. In fact, she had gained such control over her passions and appetites, that it would be difficult to imagine a more perfect mortification.
This good sister died suddenly, having had but a few hours of sickness. The following morning, which was Saturday, when, during the Mass which was celebrated, the Religious were singing the Sa?ictus, Magdalen was rapt in ecstasy. During the rapture, God showed her this soul under a corporal form in the glory of Heaven. She was adorned with a golden star, which she had received in recompense for her ardent charity. All her fingers were covered with costly rings, on account of her fidelity to all the rules, and the care she had taken to sanctify her most ordinary actions. Upon her head she wore a very rich crown, because she had always loved obedience and suffering for Jesus Christ. In fact, she surpassed in glory a great multitude of virgins, and she contemplated her Spouse Jesus with singular familiarity, because she had so loved humiliation, according to these words of our Saviour, He that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Such was the sublime lesson which the saint received in reward for her charity towards the departed.
The thought of Purgatory incites us to labour zealously, and to fly the least faults, in order to avoid the terrible expiations of the other life. Father Paul Hoffee, who died a holy death at Ingolstadt in the year 1608, made use of this thought for his own benefit and that of others. He never lost sight of Purgatory, nor ceased to relieve the poor souls who frequently appeared to him to solicit his suffrages. As he was Superior of his brethren in religion, he often exhorted them, first to sanctify themselves, the better to be able afterwards to sanctify others, and never to neglect the smallest prescription of their rules; then he would add with great simplicity, "Otherwise I fear you will come, like several others have done, to ask my prayers that you may be delivered from Purgatory." In his last moments he was wholly occupied in loving colloquies with our Lord, His Blessed Mother, and the Saints. He was sensibly consoled by a visit of a very holy soul, who had preceded him to Heaven but two or three days previous, and who now invited him to go and enjoy the eternal love of God.
When we say that the thought of Purgatory makes us use all means to avoid it, it is evident that we have reason to fear that we shall go there. Now on what is this fear based? If we but reflect a little upon the sanctity required to enter Heaven, and the frailty of human nature, which is the source of so many faults, we easily understand that this fear is but too well founded. Moreover, do not the examples we have read above show us clearly that very often even the holiest souls have sometimes to undergo expiation in the other life?
Venerable Father Claude de la Colombiere died in the odour of sanctity at Paray, February 15, 1682, as Blessed Margaret Mary had predicted to him. As soon as he had expired, a pious girl came to announce his death to Sister Margaret. The holy Religious, without showing any disturbance or breaking forth into vain regrets, said simply to that person, " Go and pray to God for him, and cause prayers to be everywhere offered for the repose of his soul." The Father had died at five o'clock in the morning. That same evening she wrote a note to the same person in these terms: "Cease to be afflicted; invoke Him. Fear nothing. He is more powerful to aid us than ever." These words give us to understand that she 'had been supernaturally enlightened regarding the de;th of this holy man, and of the state of his soul in the other life.
Sister Margaret's peace and tranquillity at the death of a director who had been useful to her was another sort of miracle. The blessed sister loved nothing except in God and for God; God held the place of all else in her heart, and consumed by the fire of His love all other attachment. The Superior was surprised at her perfect tranquillity on the death of the holy missionary, and still more so that Margaret did not ask to do any extraordinary penance for the repose of his soul, as was her custom on the death of any one of her acquaintances in whom she was particularly interested. The Mother Superior asked the servant of God the reason of this, and she replied quite simply, " He is in no need of it; he is in a condition to pray for us, since he is exalted in Heaven by the Sacred Heart of our Divine Lord. Only to expiate some slight negligence in the practice of Divine Love," she added, "his soul was deprived of the vision of God from the time it left his body until the moment when his remains were consigned to the tomb."
Let us add one example more, that of Father Corbinelli. This holy person was not exempted from Purgatory. It is true he was not detained there, but he had to pass through the flames before being admitted into the presence of God. Louis Corbinelli, of the Company of Jesus, died in the odour of sanctity at the professed house in Rome, in the year 1591, almost at the same time with St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The tragic death of Henry II., King of France, gave him a disgust for the world, and he decided to consecrate himself entirely to the service of God. In the year 1559 the marriage of the Princess Elizabeth was celebrated with great pomp in the city of Paris. Among other amusements, a tournament was organised, in which figured the flower of the French nobility and chivalry. The King himself appeared in the midst of his brilliant court. Among the spectators, gathered even from foreign lands, was young Louis Corbinelli, who had come from his native city, Florence, to assist at the festival. Corbinelli contemplated with admiration the glory of the French monarch, now at the zenith of his grandeur and prosperity, when suddenly he saw him fall, struck by a fatal blow aimed by an imprudent tiller. The lance badly directed by Montgomery transpierced the King, who expired bathed in his blood.
In the twinkling of an eye all his glory vanished and the royal magnificence was covered with a shroud. This event made a salutary impression upon Corbinelli; seeing the vanity of human greatness thus exposed, he renounced the world and embraced a religious life in the Society of Jesus. His life was that of a saint, and his death filled with joy all those who were witnesses of it. It took place a few days before that of St. Aloysius, who was then sick in the Roman College. The young saint announced to Cardinal Bellarmine that the soul of Father Corbinelli had entered into glory; and when the Cardinal asked him if it had not passed through Purgatory, " It passed through," he replied, " but it did not stay."
CHAPTER LVII.
Advantages — Stimulant to Fervour — Cautions to us — Probability of going to Purgatory — Means of Escaping it — Employment of those Means — St. Catherine of Genoa.
If holy Religious pass through Purgatory, although not detained there, have we not to fear that we shall not only pass through it, but also remain for a longer or shorter time? Can we live in a security that would be, to say the least, very imprudent? Our faith and our conscience tell us that our fear of Purgatory is well grounded. I go still further, dear reader, and say that with a little reflection you yourself must acknowledge that it is very probable, and almost certain, that you will go to Purgatory. Is it not true that on leaving this earth your soul will enter into one of those three abodes pointed out to us by faith, Hell, Heaven, or Purgatory? Will you go to Hell? It is not probable, because you have a horror of mortal sin, and for nothing in the world would you commit one, or keep it upon your conscience after having committed it. Will you go to Heaven? You answer immediately that you think yourself unworthy of such a favour. There remains, then, but Purgatory; and you must own that it is very probable, almost certain, that you will go into that place of expiation.
By setting this grave truth before your eyes, do not think, dear reader, that we wish to frighten you, or take from you all hope of entering Heaven without Purgatory. On the contrary, this hope must ever remain deeply impressed upon our hearts, for it is the spirit of Jesus Christ, who nowise desires that His disciples should stand in need of future expiation. He even instituted Sacraments and established all sorts of means to assist us to make full satisfaction in this world. But these means are too often neglected; and it is especially by a salutary fear that we are stimulated to make use of them.
Now, what are those means which we have to employ in order to avoid, or at least shorten, our Purgatory and mitigate its rigour? They are evidently those exercises and good works which most assist us to satisfy for our faults in this world and to find mercy before God, namely, the following: devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and fidelity in wearing her scapular; charity towards the living and the dead; mortification and obedience; a pious reception of the Sacraments, especially on the approach of death; confidence in the Divine Mercy; and, finally, the holy acceptation of death in union with the death of Jesus upon the cross.
These means are sufficiently powerful to preserve us from Purgatory, but we must make use of them. Now, to employ them seriously and with perseverance, one condition is necessary: it is to form a firm resolution of satisfying in this world rather than in the next. This resolution must be based upon faith, which teaches us how easy is satisfaction in this life, how terrible is Purgatory. Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, says Jesus Christ, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest, perhaps, thy adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Amen, 1 say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.[62]
To be reconciled with our adversary in the way, signifies, in the mouth of our Lord, to appease Divine Justice, and to make satisfaction on our way through life, before reaching that unchangeable end, that eternity where all penance is impossible, and where we shall have to submit to all the rigours of Justice. Is not this counsel of our Divine Saviour most wise?
Can we appear before the tribunal of God burdened with an enormous debt, which we might so easily have discharged by some works of penance, and which we shall then have to pay by years of torment? "He who purifies himself from his faults in the present life," says St. Catherine of Genoa, "satisfies with a penny a debt of a thousand ducats; and he who waits until the other life to discharge his debts, consents to pay a thousand ducats for that which he might before have paid with a penny." We must, therefore, begin with the firm and efficacious resolution of making satisfaction in this world; that is the foundation-stone. This foundation once laid, we must employ the means enumerated above.
CHAPTER LVIII.
Means to avoid Purgatory — Great Devotion to the Blessed Virgin — Father Jerome Carvalho — St. Bridget — The Scapular of Mount Carmel.
A servant of God sums up these means, and reduces them to two, saying, "Let us cleanse our souis by water and by fire;" that is to say, by the water of tears, and by the fire of charity and good works. In fact, we may classify them all under these two exercises, and this is conformable to Holy Scripture, where we see that souls are cleansed from their stains, and purified like gold in the crucible. But since we must seek above everything to be practical, let us follow the method we have indicated, and which has been practised, with so much success, by the saints and by all fervent Christians.
In the first place, in order to obtain great purity of soul, and in consequence to have little reason to fear Purgatory, we must cherish a great devotion towards the Blessed Virgin Mary. This good Mother will so assist her dear children in cleansing their souls and in shortening their Purgatory, that they may live in the greatest confidence. She even desires that they should not trouble themselves on this subject, and that they should not allow themselves to be discouraged by excessive fear, as she herself deigned to declare to her servant, Jerome Carvalho, of whom we have already spoken. "Have confidence, my son" she said to him. "I am the Mother of Mercy for my dear children in Purgatory, as well as for those still living upon earth" In the Revelations of St. Bridget we read something similar: "law," said the Blessed Virgin to her, "the Mother of all those who are in the place of expiation; my prayers mitigate the chastisements inflicted upon them for their faults?
Those who wear the holy scapular have a special right to the protection of Mary. The devotion of the holy scapular, unlike that of the Rosary, does not consist in prayer, but in the pious practice of wearing a sort of habit, which is as the livery of the Queen of Heaven. The scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, of which we here speak, traces its origin back to the thirteenth century, and was first preached by Blessed Simon Stock, fifth General of the Order of Mount Carmel. This celebrated servant of Mary, born in Kent, England, in the year 1100, whilst yet young, retired into a solitary forest to apply himself to prayer and penance. He chose as his dwelling the hollow of a tree, to which he attached a crucifix and a picture of the Blessed Virgin, whom he honoured as his Mother, and ceased not to invoke with the tenderest affection. For twelve years he entreated her to make known to him what he could do that would be most agreeable to her Divine Son, when the Queen of Heaven told him to enter the Order of Mount Carmel, which was particularly devoted to her service. Simon obeyed; and, under the protection of Mary, became an exemplary Religious and the ornament of the Order of Mount Carmel, of which he was elected Superior General in 1245. (See Note 14.)
One day — it was the 16th July 1251 — the Blessed Virgin appeared to him surrounded by a multitude of heavenly spirits, and, with a countenance radiant with joy, she presented to him a scapular of a brown colour, saying, "Receive, my dear son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the badge of my Confraternity and the pledge of a privilege which I have obtained for thee and for thy brethren of Mount Carmel. Those who die devoutly clothed in this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in peril, a pledge of peace and special protection, until the end of time." The happy old man everywhere published the favour he had received, showing the scapular, healing the sick, and working other miracles in proof of his marvellous mission. Immediately, Edward I., King of England, Louis IX., King of France, and after their example almost all the sovereigns of Europe, as also a great number of their subjects, received the same habit. From that time commenced the celebrated Confraternity of the Scapular, which was soon afterwards canonically erected by the Holy See.
Not content with granting this first privilege, Mary made another promise in favour of the members of the Confraternity of the Scapular, by assuring them of a speedy deliverance from the sufferings of Purgatory. About fifty years after the death of Blessed Simon, the illustrious Pontiff, John XXII., whilst at prayer in the early morning, saw the Mother of God appear surrounded with light, and bearing the habit of Mount Carmel. Among other things she said to him, "If among the Religious or members of the Confraternity of Mount Carmel there are any who, on account of their faults, are condemned to Purgatory, I will descend into the midst of them like a tender Mother on the Saturday after their death; I will deliver them and conduct them to the holy mount of eternal life." These are the words which the Pontiff places in the lips of Mary in his celebrated Bull of 3rd March 1322, commonly called the Sabbatine Bull. He concludes in these words: " I therefore accept this holy indulgence; I ratify and confirm it upon earth, as Jesus Christ has graciously granted it in Heaven through the merits of the most Blessed Virgin." This privilege was afterwards confirmed by a great many Bulls and Decrees of the Sovereign Pontiffs.
Such is the devotion of the holy scapular. It is sanctioned by the practice of pious souls throughout the Christian world, by the testimony of twenty-two Popes, by the writings of an incalculable number of pious authors, and by multiplied miracles during the past 600 years; so that, says the illustrious Benedict XIV., " He who dares call in question the validity of the devotion of the scapular, or deny its privileges, would be a proud despiser of religion."
CHAPTER LTX.
Means to avoid Purgatory — Privileges of the Holy Scapular — Venerable Father de la Colombiere — The Hospital at Toulon — The Sabbatine — St. Teresa — A Lady at Otranto.
According to what we have said, the Blessed Virgin has attached two great privileges to the holy scapular; on their part, the Sovereign Pontiffs have added to them the richest indulgences. We shall not speak here of the two indulgences; but we consider it useful to make these two precious privileges thoroughly known, the one under the name of Preservation, the other under that of Deliverance.
The first is the exemption from the torments of Hell: In hoc moriens aternum non patietur incendium — "He who dies wearing this habit shall not suffer the fire of Hell." It is evident that he who dies in mortal sin, even whilst wearing the scapular, will not be exempt from damnation; and such is not the meaning of Mary's promise. This good Mother has promised mercifully so to dispose all things that he who dies wearing that holy habit will receive an efficacious grace worthily to confess and bewail his faults; or, if he is surprised by sudden death, he will have the time and will to make an act of perfect contrition. We might fill a volume with the miraculous events which prove the fulfilment of this promise. Let it suffice to relate a few of them.
Venerable Father de la Colombiere tells us that a young person, who was at first pious and wore the holy scapular, had the misfortune to stray from the path of virtue. In consequence of bad literature and dangerous company, she fell into the greatest disorders, and was about to lose her honour. Instead of turning to God and having recourse to the Blessed Virgin, who is the refuge of sinners, she abandoned herself to despair. The demon soon suggested a remedy to her evils — the frightful remedy of suicide, which would put an end to her temporal miseries to plunge her into eternal torments. She ran to the river, and, still wearing the scapular, threw herself into the water. But, oh, wonder! she floated instead of sinking, and could not find the death she sought. A fisherman, who saw her, hastened to give her assistance, but the wretched creature prevented him: tearing off her scapular, she cast it far from her and sank immediately. The fisherman was unable to save her, but he found the scapular, and recognised that this sacred livery while she wore it had prevented the sinner from committing suicide.
In the hospital at Toulon there was an officer, a most impious man, who refused to see a priest. Death approached, and he fell into a sort of lethargy. The attendants profited by this to place a scapular about his neck, without his knowledge. On recovering soon after, he cried out in a fury, "Why have you put fire upon me, a fire which bums me? Take it away, take it away!" Then they invoked the Blessed Virgin, and tried again to put on the scapular. He perceived this, tore it off in a rage, threw it far away from him, and with a horrible blasphemy upon his lips he expired.
The second privilege, that of the Sabbatine or Deliverance, consists in being released from Purgatory by the Blessed Virgin on the first Saturday after death. To enjoy this privilege, certain conditions are to be fulfilled: — 1st, To observe the chastity of our state. 2nd, To recite the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. Those who recite the Canonical Office satisfy this condition. Those who are unable to read must, instead of saying the Office, observe the fasts prescribed by the Church, and abstain from flesh-meat on all Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. 3rd, In case of necessity, the obligation of reciting the Office, the abstinence and fasting, may be commuted into other pious works, by those who have the power to grant such dispensations. Such is the privilege of the Sabbaiine or Deliverance, with the conditions necessary to enjoy it. If we remember what has been said of the rigours of Purgatory and its duration, we shall find that this privilege is most precious, and its conditions very easy.
We know that doubts have been raised concerning the authenticity of the Sabbatine Bull, but besides constant tradition and the pious practice of the faithful, the great Pope, Benedict XIV, whose eminent learning and moderation of opinions are well known, has pronounced in its favour. (See Note 15.)
At Otranto, a city in the kingdom of Naples, a lady of high rank experienced great pleasure in assisting at the sermons of a Carmelite Father who was a great promoter of the devotion to Mary. He assured his auditors that all Christians who piously wore the scapular, and fulfilled the prescribed conditions, would see the Divine Mother at their departure from this world, and that this great consoler of the afflicted would come on the Saturday after their death to deliver them from Purgatory, and take them into the abode of the Blessed. Struck with these precious advantages, this lady immediately put on the livery of the Blessed Virgin, firmly resolved to observe faithfully the rules of the Confraternity. Her piety made rapid progress. She prayed to Mary day and night, placed all her confidence in her, and rendered her all possible homage. Among other favours which she asked, she implored that of dying on a Saturday, in order that she might be the sooner delivered from Purgatory. Her prayers were heard. Some years later, having fallen ill, notwithstanding the contrary opinion of her physician, she declared that her malady would carry her to the grave. "I bless God," she added, "in the hope of being soon united with Him in Heaven." Her sickness made such rapid progress that the doctors unanimously declared that she was at the point of death, and that she could not live through the day, which was Wednesday. "You are again mistaken," said the sick lady; " I shall live three days more, and shall not die until Saturday." The event justified her words. Regarding the days of suffering which remained to her as an inestimable treasure, she profited of them to purify her soul and to increase her merits. When Saturday came, she rendered her soul into the hands of her Creator.
Her daughter, who was also very pious, was inconsolable in her bereavement. Whilst praying in her oratory for the soul of her dear mother, and shedding abundant tears, a great servant of God, who was habitually favoured with supernatural communications, went to her and said, "Cease to weep, my child, or rather let your grief be turned into joy. I come to assure you, on the part of God, that to-day, Saturday, thanks to the privileges granted to the members of the Confraternity of the Scapular, your mother has gone to Heaven, and is numbered among the elect. Be consoled and bless the most August Virgin, the Mother of Mercy."
CHAPTER LX.
Means to Avoid Purgatory — Charity and Mercy — The Prophet Daniel and the King of Babylon — St. Peter Damian and John Pairizzi.
We have just seen the first means of avoiding Purgatory, a tender devotion towards Mary; the second consists in Chanty and works of Mercy of every kind. Many sins are forgiven her, said our Lord, speaking of Magdalen, because she hath loved much. [63] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. [64] Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. [65] If you forgive men their offences, your Heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. [66] Give to every one that asketh of thee: give, and it shall be given to you: for with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. [67] Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail (when you leave this world) they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. [68] And the Holy Ghost says by the mouth of the Royal Prophet, Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day. [69] All these words indicate clearly that Charity, Mercy, and Benevolence, whether towards the poor or towards sinners, towards our enemies and those who injure us. or towards the departed who are in great need of our assistance, we shall find mercy at the tribunal of the Sovereign Judge.
The rich of this world have much to fear. Woe to you that are rich, says the Son of God, for you have had your consolation. Woe to you that are filled: for you shall hunger. Woe to you that laugh now: for you shall mourn and weep. [70] Certainly, these words of God should cause the wealthy votaries of this world to tremble: but if they wished, their wealth itself could become for them a great means of salvation; they might redeem their sins and pay their terrible debt by abundant alms. Let my counsel, O king, be acceptable to thee, said Daniel to the proud Nabuchodonosor, and redeem thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy to the poor. [71] For alms deliver from all sin and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness. Alms shall be a great confidence before the Most High God to all them that give it, said Tobias to his son. [72] Our Saviour confirms all this, and goes even further when He says to the Pharisees, But yet that which remaineth, give alms; and behold all things are clean unto you. How great, then, is the folly of the rich, who have in hand so easy a means of ensuring their future spiritual welfare, and yet neglect to employ it! What folly not to make a good use of that fortune of which they shall have to render an account to God! What folly to go and bum in Hell or Purgatory, and leave a fortune to avaricious and ungrateful heirs, who will not bestow upon the departed so much as a prayer, a tear, or even a passing thought! But, on the contrary, how happy are those Christians who understand that they are but the dispensers, before God, of the goods which they have received from Him, who think only of disposing of them according to the designs of Jesus Christ, to whom they must render an account, and, in fine, who make use of them only to procure friends, defenders, and protectors in eternity!
St. Peter Damian, in one of his treatises, relates the following. [73] A Roman lord, named John Patrizzi, died. His life, although Christian, had been like that of the generality of the rich, far different from that of his Divine Master, poor, suffering, crowned with thorns. Fortunately, however, he had been very charitable towards the poor, even so far as to give away his garments to clothe them. A few days after his death, a holy priest, being in prayer, was rapt in ecstasy, and transported to the Basilica of St. Cecilia, one of the most celebrated in Rome. He there saw a number of heavenly virgins, St. Cecilia, St. Agnes, St. Agatha, and others, grouped around a magnificent throne, upon which sat the Queen of Heaven, surrounded by angels and blessed spirits.
At this moment appeared a poor woman, dressed in a miserable garment, but having a cape of costly fur upon her shoulders. She knelt humbly at the feet of the Heavenly Queen, and joining her hands, her eyes filled with tears, she said with a smile, " Mother of Mercy, in the name of thy ineffable goodness, I beg thee to have pity on the unfortunate John Patrizzi, who has just died, and who suffers most cruelly in Purgatory." Three times she repeated the same prayer, each time with more fervour, but without receiving any answer. " Thou knowest well,
most merciful Queen, that I am that beggar who, at the entrance to your great Basilica, asked alms in the depth of winter with nothing to cover me but my rags. Oh, how
1 trembled with cold! Then John, whom I petitioned in the name of Our Lady, took from his shoulder this costly fur and gave it to me, depriving himself of it in order to give it to me. Does so great an act of charity, performed in thy name, O Mary, not merit some indulgence?"
At this touching appeal the Queen of Heaven cast a glance of love upon the supplicant. " The man for whom you pray," she replied, " is condemned for a long time to the most terrible suffering, on account of his numerous sin?. But since he had two special virtues, mercy towards the poor and devotion for my altars, I will condescend to give him my assistance." At these words the holy assembly testified its joy and gratitude towards the Mother of Mercy. Patrizzi was brought in; he was pale, disfigured, and loaded with chains, which had made deep wounds. The Holy Virgin looked upon him for a moment with tender compassion, then ordered that his chains should be taken off, and garments of glory to be put upon him, in order that he might join the saints and blessed spirits who surrounded her throne. This order was immediately executed, and all disappeared.
The holy priest who had enjoyed this vision ceased not from that moment to preach the clemency of Our Lady towards the poor suffering souls, especially towards those who had been devoted to her service, and who had had great charity towards the poor.
CHAPTER LXI.
Means to Avoid Purgatory— Blessed Margaret Mary and the Suffering Souls— The Novice and her Father— A Soul that had Suffered without Complaint.
Among the revelations of our Lord to Margaret Mary on the subject of Purgatory there is one which shows how particularly severe are the punishments inflicted for faults against Charity. " One day," relates Monseigneur Languet, " our Lord showed His servant a number of souls deprived of the assistance of the Blessed Virgin and the saints, and even of the visits of their angel-guardians; this was," said her Divine Master, " in punishment for their want of union with their superiors, and certain misunderstandings. Many of those souls were destined to remain for a great length of time in horrible flames. The blessed sister recognised also many souls who had lived in religion, and who, on account of their lack of union and charity with their brethren, were deprived of their suffrages and received no alleviation."
If it is true that God punishes thus severely those that have failed in Charity, He will be infinitely merciful towards those who have practised this virtue so dear to His Heart. But before all things. He says to us by the mouth of His Apostle, St. Peter, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves, for charity covereth a multitude of sins.[74]
Let us hear Monseigneur Languet again in the Life of Margaret Mary. It is Mother Greffier, he says, who, in the memoir she wrote after the death of the blessed sister, attests the following fact. " I cannot omit the cause of certain particular circumstances which manifest the truth of a revelation made on this occasion to the servant of God. The father of one of the novices was the cause of it. This gentleman had died some time previous, and had been recommended to the prayers of the community. The charity of Sister Margaret, then Mistress of Novices, urged her to pray more especially for him.
"Some days later the novice went to recommend him to her prayers. 'My daughter,' said her holy mistress, 'be perfectly tranquil; your father is rather in a condition to pray for us. Ask your mother what was the most generous action your father performed before his death; this action has obtained for him from God a favourable judgment.'
" The action to which she alluded was unknown to the novice; no one in Paray knew the circumstance of a death which had happened so far away from that town. The novice did not see her mother until long afterwards, on the day of her profession. She then asked what was that generous Christian action which her father had performed before dying. 'When the Holy Viaticum was brought to him,' replied her mother, ' the butcher joined those who accompanied the Blessed Sacrament, and placed himself in a corner of the room. The sick, on perceiving him, called him by his name, told him to approach, and, pressing his hand with a humility uncommon in persons of his rank, asked pardon for some hard words which he had addressed to him from time to time, and desired that all present should be witness of the reparation which he made.' Sister Margaret had learned from God alone what had taken place, and the novice knew by that the consoling truth of what she had told her concerning her father's happy state in the other life."
Let us add that God, by this revelation, has shown us once more how Charity covereth a multitude of sins, and will cause us to find Mercy in the day of Justice.
Blessed Margaret Mary received from our Divine Lord another communication relative to Charity. He showed her the soul of a deceased person who had to undergo but a light chastisement, and he told her that among all the good works which this person had performed in the world, He had taken into special consideration certain humiliations to which she had submitted in the world, because she had suffered them in the spirit of charity, not only without murmuring, but even without speaking of them. Our Lord added, that, in recompense, He had given her a mild and favourable judgment.
CHAPTER LXII.
Means to Avoid Purgatory— Christian Mortification — St. John Berchmans — Blessed Emily de Verceil and the Religious who was Weary of Choir.
The third means of satisfying in this world is the practice of Christian mortification and religious obedience. We bear about in our body the mortification of Jesus ', says the Apostle, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies.[75] This mortification of Jesus, which the Christian must bear about in him, is, in its broadest sense, the part that he must take in the sufferings of his Divine Master, by bearing in union with Him the trials he may have to encounter in this life, or the suffering which he voluntarily inflicts upon himself. The first and best mortification is that which is attached to our daily duties, the pains we have to take, the effort we must make to acquit ourselves properly of the duties of our state, and to bear the contradictions of each day. When St. John Berchmans said that his chief mortification was the common life, he said nothing else than this, because for him the common life embraced all the duties of his state.
Moreover, he who sanctifies the duties and sufferings of each day, and who thus practises fundamental mortification, will soon advance, and impose voluntary privations and sufferings upon himself in order to escape the pains of the other life.
The slightest mortifications, the most trifling sacrifice, especially when done through obedience, are of great value in the sight of God.
Blessed Emily, a Dominican, and Prioress of the Monastery of St. Mary at Vercelli, inspired her Religious with a spirit of perfect obedience in view of Purgatory. One of the points of the Rule prohibited the Religious to drink between meals without express permission of the Superior. Now, the latter, knowing, as we have seen, the value of the sacrifice of a glass of water in the eyes of God, was generally accustomed to refuse this permission, that she might afford her sisters an opportunity to practise an easy mortification, but she sweetened her refusal by telling them to offer their thirst to Jesus, tormented by a cruel thirst upon the cross. She then advised them to suffer this slight privation with a view of diminishing their torments in the expiatory flames of Purgatory.
There was in her community a sister named Mary Isabella, who was too prone to levity, being fond of conversation and other exterior distractions. The consequence was that she had little relish for prayer, was negligent in reciting the Office, and only acquitted herself of this her chief duty with the greatest repugnance. Thus she was never in any haste to go to choir, and as soon as the office was ended she was the first to go out. One day whilst she was hurrying to leave the choir, she passed by the stall of the Prioress, who stopped her. " Where are you going in such haste, my good sister? " she said to her, " and why are you so anxious to get out before the other sisters?" The sister, taken by surprise, at first observed a respectful silence, then she acknowledged with humility that the Office was wearisome to her and seemed too long. " That is all very well," replied the Prioress, " but if it costs you so much to chant the praises of God seated comfortably in the midst of your sisters, what will you do in Purgatory, where you will be obliged to remain in the midst of flames? To spare you that terrible trial, my daughter, I order you to leave your place the last of all." The sister submitted with simplicity, like a truly obedient child; she was recompensed. The disgust which she had experienced thus far for the things of God was changed into devotion and spiritual joy. Moreover, as God revealed to Blessed Emily, having died some time afterwards, she obtained a great diminution of the suffering which awaited her in the other life. God counted as so many hours in Purgatory the hours which she passed in prayer through a spirit of obedience.
CHAPTER LXIII.
Means to Avoid Purgatory — The Sacraments — Receiving them Promptly — Medicinal Effect of Extreme Unction — St. Alphonsus Liguori.
We have indicated, as a fourth means of satisfying in this world, the use of the Sacraments, and especially a holy and Christian reception of the last Sacraments on the approach of death.
The Divine Master admonishes us in the Gospel to prepare ourselves well for death, in order that it may be precious in His eyes and the worthy crowning of a Christian life. His love for us makes Him desire ardently that we should leave this world entirely purified, divested of all debt towards Divine Justice; and that on appearing before God, we should be found worthy to be admitted among the elect, without need of passing through Purgatory. It is for this end that He ordinarily sends us the pains of sickness before death, and that He has instituted the Sacraments, to aid us in sanctifying our sufferings, and the more perfectly to dispose us to appear before His face.
The Sacraments which we receive in time of sickness are three: Confession, which we may receive as soon as we wish; Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction, which we may receive as soon as there is danger of death. This circumstance of the danger of death must be taken in the broad sense of the word.
It is not necessary that there should be an imminent danger of dying, and that all hope of recovery be lost; it is not even necessary that the danger of death be certain; it suffices that it be probable, and prudently presumed, even when there is no other infirmity than old age. [76]
The effects of the Sacraments, well received, correspond to all the needs, all the lawful desires of the sick. These divine remedies purify the soul from her sins, and increase her treasure of sanctifying grace; they fortify the sick person, and enable him to bear his sufferings with patience, to triumph over the assaults of the demon at the last moment, and to make a generous sacrifice of his life to God. Moreover, besides the effects which they produce upon the soul, the Sacraments exert a salutary influence upon the body. Extreme Unction especially comforts the sick person and alleviates his sufferings; it even restores him to health, if God judges it expedient for his salvation.
The Sacraments are, then, for the faithful, an immense assistance, an inestimable benefit. It is not, therefore, surprising that the enemy of souls makes it his first object to deprive them of so great a good. Not being able to rob the Church of her Sacraments, he endeavours to keep them from the sick, either by making them entirely neglect to receive them, or that they receive them so late as to lose all their benefit. Alas! how many souls allow themselves to be taken in this snare! How many souls for not promptly receiving the Sacraments fall into hell, or into the deepest abyss of Purgatory!
To avoid this misfortune, the first care of a Christian, in case of sickness, must be to think of the Sacraments, and to receive them as promptly as possible. We say, that he should receive them promptly, whilst he is still in possession of the use of his faculties, and we dwell upon this circumstance for the following reasons, 1. In receiving the Sacraments promptly, the patient having yet sufficient strength to prepare himself properly, derives all the fruit of them. 2. He needs to be provided as soon as possible with the Divine assistance, in order to support his sufferings, to overcome temptation, and to sanctify the precious time of sickness. 3. It is only by receiving the holy oils in time, that we can experience the effects of a bodily cure. For we must here remark an important point: the sacramental remedy of the holy unction produces its effect upon the sick person in the same manner as medical remedies. It resembles an exquisite medicine that assists nature, in which there is still supposed to be a certain vigour; so that extreme unction cannot exercise a medicinal virtue when nature has become too feeble, and life is almost extinguished. Thus a great number of sick persons die because they put off receiving the Sacraments until they are at the last extremity; whilst it is not unusual to see those entirely recover who hasten to receive them.
St. Alphonsus [77] speaks of a sick man who delayed to receive extreme unction until it was almost too late, for he died shortly afterwards. Now, God made known by way of revelation, says the holy doctor, that if he had received that Sacrament earlier, he would have been restored to health. However, the most precious effect of the last Sacraments is that which it produces upon the soul; they purify it from the remains of sin, and take away, or at least diminish, its debt of temporal punishment; they strengthen it to bear suffering in a holy manner; they fill it with confidence in God, and assist it to accept death from His hands in union with that of Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER LXIV.
Means to avoid Purgatory—Confidence in God— St. Francis de Saks— St. Philip Neri and Sister Scholastica.
The fifth means for obtaining favour before the tribunal of God is to have great confidence in His Mercy. In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be confounded, says the Prophet. [78] Surely He who said to the good thief, "This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise," well merits that we should have an unbounded confidence in Him. St. Francis de Sales avowed that if he considered his misery only, he deserved Hell; but full of humble confidence in the mercy of God and in the merits of Jesus Christ, he firmly hoped to share the happiness of the elect. " And what would our Lord do with His eternal life," said he, "if not to give it to us, poor, little, insignificant creatures as we are, who have no hope but in His goodness? Blessed be God! I have this firm confidence in the depth of my heart, that we shall live eternally with God. We shall one day be all united in Heaven. Take courage; we shall soon be there above."
"We must," he said again, " die between two pillows; the one, of the humble confession that we merit nothing but Hell; the other, of an entire confidence that God, in His mercy, will give us Paradise." Having one day met a gentleman who was filled with excessive fear of the judgments of God, he said to him, " He who has a true desire to serve God and to avoid sin, must in nowise allow himself to be tormented by the thought of death and judgment. If they are to be feared, it is not with that fear which dejects and depresses the vigour of the soul; but a fear tempered with confidence, and therefore salutary. Hope in God: who hopes in Him shall never be confounded."
We read in the Life of St. Philip Neri, that having gone one day to the Convent of St. Martha in Rome, one of the Religious, named Scholastica, desired to speak to him in private. This lady had been tormented for a long time with a thought of despair, which she had not dared to make known to any one; but, full of confidence in the saint, she resolved to open her heart to him. When she went to him, before she had time to say a word, the man of God said to her with a smile, "You are very wrong, my daughter, to believe that you are destined for eternal flames: Paradise belongs to you! " "I cannot believe it, Father," she replied with a deep sigh. "You do not believe it? That is folly on your part, you will see. Tell me, Scholastica, for whom did Jesus die?" "He died for sinners." "And now tell me, are you a saint?" "Alas!" replied she, weeping, "I am a great sinner." "Therefore Jesus died for you, and most assuredly it was to open Heaven for you. It is thus clear that Heaven is yours. For as to your sins, you detest them, I have no doubt." The good Religious was touched by these words. Light entered her soul, the temptation vanished, and from that moment those sweet words, Paradise is yours', filled her with confidence and joy.
CHAPTER LXV.
Means to Avoid Purgatory—Holy Acceptation of Death—Father Aquitanus—St. Alphonsus Liguori—Venerable Frances of Pampeluna and the Person who was not Resigned to Die—Father Vincent Caraffa and the Condemned Man—Sister Alary of St. Joseph and Mother Isabella—St. John of the Cross—Sweetness of the Death of the Saints.
The sixth means to avoid Purgatory is the humble and submissive acceptation of death in expiation of our sins: it is a generous act, by which we make a sacrifice of our life to God, in union with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross.
Do you desire an example of this holy resignation of life into the hands of the Creator? On December 2, 1638, there died at Brisach, on the right bank of the Rhine, Father George Aquitanus, of the Society of Jesus. Twice he had devoted his life to the service of the plague-stricken. It happened that on two different occasions the pest raged with such fury that it was almost impossible to approach the sick without being attacked by the contagion. Every one fled and abandoned the dying to their unhappy fate. But Father Aquitanus, placing his life in the hands of God, made himself the servant and the apostle of the sick; he employed himself exclusively in relieving their sufferings and in administering to them the Sacraments.
God preserved him during the first visitation of the pest; but when it again broke out with renewed violence, and the man of God was called upon for the second time to devote himself to the care of the sick, God this time accepted his sacrifice.
When, a victim of his Charity, he lay extended upon his bed of death, he was asked if he willingly made the sacrifice of his life to God. "Oh!" he replied, full of joy, "if I had a million lives to offer to Him, He knows how readily I would give them to Him." Such an act, it is easy to understand, is very meritorious in the sight of God. Docs it not resemble that supreme act of charity accomplished by the martyrs who died for Jesus Christ, and which, like Baptism, effaces all sin and cancels all debts? Greater love than this, says our Lord, no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friend. [79]
To make this act in time of sickness, it is useful, not to say necessary, that the patient should understand his condition, and know that his end is approaching. It is therefore to do him great injury to withhold this knowledge from him through a false delicacy. " We must" says St. Alphonsus, "prudently impart to the sick person the knowledge of his danger."
If the patient endeavours to deceive himself with illusions, if, instead of resigning himself into the hands of God, he thinks only of his cure, even when he receives all the Sacraments, he does himself a deplorable wrong.
We read in the Life of Venerable Mother Frances of the Blessed Sacrament, a Religious of Pampeluna, [80] that a soul was condemned to a long Purgatory for not having had a true submission to the Divine will upon her deathbed. She was otherwise a very pious young person, but when the icy hand of death came to touch her in the flower of her youth, nature recoiled, and she had not the courage to resign herself into the ever-loving hands of her Heavenly Father — she would not die yet. She expired, nevertheless, and the Venerable Mother Frances, who received frequent visits from the souls of the departed, learned that this soul had to expiate by long sufferings her want of submission to the decrees of her Creator.
The Life of Venerable Father Caraffa [81] furnishes us with a more consoling example.
Father Vincent CararTa, General of the Society of Jesus, was called to prepare for death a young nobleman who was condemned to be executed, and who thought himself condemned to death unjustly. To die in the flower of one's age, when one is rich, happy, and when the future smiles upon us, is hard, we must own; yet a criminal who is a prey to remorse of conscience may resign himself to it, and accept it as a chastisement in expiation for his crime. But what shall we say of a person who is innocent?
The Father had, therefore, a difficult task to accomplish. Nevertheless, assisted by grace, he knew so well how to manage this unhappy man, he spoke with such unction of the faults of his past life and of the necessity of making satisfaction to Divine Justice, he made him understand so thoroughly how God permitted this temporal chastisement for his good, that he crushed rebellious nature and completely changed the sentiments of his heart. The young man looked upon his sentence as an expiation which would obtain for him the pardon of God, mounted the scaffold not only with resignation, but also with a truly Christian joy. Up to the last moment, even under the axe of the executioner, he blessed God and implored His Mercy, to the great edification of all those who assisted at his execution.
At the moment when his head fell, Father Caraffa saw his soul rise triumphantly to Heaven. He immediately went to the mother of the young man to console her by relating what he had seen. He was so transported with joy, that on returning to his cell he ceased not to cry aloud, " O happy man! O happy man! "
The family wished to have a great number of Masses celebrated for the repose of his soul. "It is superfluous," replied the Father; "we must rather thank God and rejoice, for I declare to you that his soul has not even passed through Purgatory." Another day, whilst engaged in some work, he suddenly stopped, his countenance changed, and he looked towards Heaven; then he was heard to cry out, "O happy lot! O happy lot!" And when his companion asked him an explanation of these words, "Ah! my dear Father," he replied, "it was the soul of that condemned man which appeared to me in glory. Oh, how profitable to him has been his resignation! "
Sister Mary of St. Joseph, one of the four first Carmelites who embraced the reform of St. Teresa, was a Religious of great virtue. The end of her career approached, and our Lord, wishing that his spouse should be received into Heaven in triumph on breathing her last sigh, purified and adorned her soul by the sufferings which marked the end of her life.
During the four last days which she passed upon earth, she lost her speech and the use of her senses; she was a prey to frightful agony, and the Religious were heart-broken to see her in that state. Mother Isabella of St. Dominic, Prioress of the convent, approached the sick Religious, and suggested to her to make many acts of resignation, and total abandonment of herself into the hands of God. Sister Mary of St. Joseph heard her, and made these acts interiorly, but without being able to give any exterior sign thereof.
She died in these holy dispositions, and, on the very day of her death, whilst Mother Isabella was hearing Mass and praying for the repose of her soul, our Lord showed her the soul of His faithful spouse crowned in glory, and said, " She is of the number of those who follow the Lamb." Sister Mary of St. Joseph, on her part, thanked Mother Isabella for all the good she had procured for her at the hour of death. She added that the acts of resignation which she had suggested to her had merited for her great glory in Paradise and had exempted her from the pains of Purgatory. [82] What happiness to quit this miserable life, to enter the only true and blessed one! We all may enjoy this happiness, if we employ the means which Jesus Christ has given us for making satisfaction in this world, and for preparing our souls perfectly to appear in His presence. The soul thus prepared is filled in her last hour with the sweetest confidence; she has, as it were, a foretaste of Heaven; the experiences which St. John of the Cross has written on the death of a saint in his Living Flame of Love.
"Perfect love of God," he says, "renders death agreeable, making the soul taste the greatest sweetness therein. The soul that loves is inundated with a torrent of delights at the approach of that moment when she is about to enjoy the full possession of her Beloved. On the point of being delivered from this prison of the body, she seems already to contemplate the glories of Paradise, and all within her is transformed into love."
- ↑ Matt. v. 26.
- ↑ Matt. x. 28.
- ↑ Imit. i. 24.
- ↑ Apoc. iii. 19.
- ↑ Ps. cxxix,
- ↑ Feb. 13.
- ↑ Revel. S. Brig., lib. iv. c. 50.
- ↑ Rossign., Merv., 50; Marchese, tom. i. p. 56.
- ↑ Opusc. xxxiv. c. 3, p. 2.
- ↑ Merv., 50.
- ↑ Menol, de la Comp. de Jesus.
- ↑ Aug. 17.
- ↑ Legatus Div. Pietatis, lib. v. c. 5.
- ↑ De Corona, c. 5.
- ↑ Serm. 34, De Verbis Apost.
- ↑ Liv. ix. c. 12.
- ↑ Jan. 25.
- ↑ Rossignoli, Merv., 34, and Ferdinand de Castile.
- ↑ Jan. 1.
- ↑ Nov. 3.
- ↑ Ps. cxxxi.
- ↑ Jer. xlviii. 10.
- ↑ Father Mumford, Chartie envers les Defuncts.
- ↑ Merv., 23.
- ↑ Louvet, Le Purgatoire, p. 332.
- ↑ May 26.
- ↑ Rossignoli, Alerv., 29.
- ↑ Vie de Frangoise du Sacrent., Merv., 26.
- ↑ Chap. xxv.
- ↑ Feb. 4.
- ↑ Vie de Raban-Maur'; Rossignoli, Merv. 2.
- ↑ See Chap. ix.
- ↑ Pius IX., Decr. 30 Sept. 1852.
- ↑ Charity to the Departed.
- ↑ Life of the Saint.
- ↑ Deut. i. 17.
- ↑ St. Alphonsus, Paraph, of the Salve Regina.
- ↑ Jerem. xii. 11.
- ↑ 2 Machab. xii. 46.
- ↑ Homil. 16.
- ↑ Job xix. 21.
- ↑ Supplem., q. 71. art. 5.
- ↑ Cf. Rossign., Merv., I.
- ↑ Isaias xxviii. 19.
- ↑ i Kings xv. 22.
- ↑ James ii. 13.
- ↑ Matt. v. 7.
- ↑ Ps. xl.
- ↑ Matt. xxv. 40.
- ↑ Ruth i. 8.
- ↑ Dan. iv. 24.
- ↑ Serm. iv. 12.
- ↑ Memorial of Blessed P. Lefevre. See Messenger of the S. Hearty Nov. 1873.
- ↑ St. Mark xii. 44.
- ↑ Matt. vii. 2.
- ↑ Matt. xxv. 40.
- ↑ Cepari, Life of St. Mag. de Pazzi.
- ↑ March 7.
- ↑ Life of Ven. Ponzoni; cf. Ross., Merv., 75.
- ↑ John xx. 27.
- ↑ Imit., i. 24.
- ↑ Matt v. 25
- ↑ Luke vii. 47.
- ↑ Matt. v. 7.
- ↑ Luke vi. 37.
- ↑ Matt. vi. 14.
- ↑ Luke vi. 30, 38.
- ↑ Luke xvi. 9.
- ↑ Ps. xl.
- ↑ Luke vi. 24.
- ↑ Dan. iv. 24.
- ↑ Tob. iv. 11, 12.
- ↑ Tracts, 34.
- ↑ Peter iv. 8.
- ↑ 2 Cor. iv. 10.
- ↑ See a pamphlet, approved by all the Bishops of Belgium, and entitled Les Medians et les Families. Brussels, Maison Goemaere.
- ↑ Praxis Confess., n. 274.
- ↑ Ps. XXX,
- ↑ John xv. 13.
- ↑ By Joachim of St. Mary; Rossign., Merv., 26.
- ↑ By Father Bartoli; Rossign., Merv., 97.
- ↑ Life of Mother Isabella, lib. iii. c. 7.