DON'T FORGET YOUR DEPARTED LOVED ONES

 

A MOTHER STILL IN PURGATORY

Father Giuseppe Tomaselli recounts an experience he had with his own deceased mother:

“My mother was a great example, and I owe my priestly vocation to her in large part. She went to Mass and received Communion every day, even in her old age. She never stopped praying the Rosary. Charitable, to the point of losing an eye while performing a great act of charity for a poor woman. Always in accordance with God’s will, so much so that when my father lay dead in our house, when I asked myself, ‘What can I say to Jesus at this moment to please Him?’ she told me to repeat, ‘Lord, Thy will be done.’ On her deathbed, she received the Last Rites with fervent faith.”  A few hours before her death, suffering greatly, she repeated: “Oh Jesus, I would like to ask you to lessen my sufferings! But I do not want to oppose your will; do your will!” Thus died the woman who brought me into this world.

Keeping very mindful of Divine Justice, and paying little attention to the praise that acquaintances and even priests might offer my mother, I intensified the prayers for her soul. I offered a great number of Holy Masses, many works of charity, and wherever I preached, I exhorted the faithful to offer Communion, prayers, and good works for her soul.

Two and a half years after her death, she suddenly appeared here in my room, looking very sad, and the following conversation took place:

“You left me in Purgatory!”

“Have you been in Purgatory all this time?”

“And I still am! My soul is surrounded by darkness, and I cannot see the Light, which is God!”  I am at the gates of Paradise, close to eternal joy, and the desire to enter it tears at me, but I cannot! How often I have said: If my children knew my terrible torment, they would come quickly to my aid!

"And why didn't you come sooner to tell me?"

"I wasn't allowed."

"Haven't you seen the Lord yet?"

"As soon as I breathed my last, I saw God, but not in all His light."

"What can we do to free you immediately?"

"I only need a Mass. God has allowed me to come and ask for it."

"As soon as you enter Heaven, come back and tell me!"

"If the Lord permits! What light! What splendor!"

Two Masses were celebrated, and a few days later he appeared again and said, "I am in Paradise!"

Reflecting on what I have said, I tell myself: she led such an exemplary Christian life, and so many prayers were offered for her soul... and yet she remained in Purgatory for two and a half years! Our judgments are so mistaken!

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Let us continue to pray fervently for our deceased, even if they seemed very holy, lest we leave them in Purgatory for too long, thinking they are already in Heaven.

Blessed be Jesus and Mary.

How many souls will spend years and years in purgatory because of those ideas!

And we hear phrases like:

"Finally, he's resting with God."

"We now have a little angel in heaven."

"He was very good, he's at peace now."

No, my friends, only God knows in what state that soul arrived in His presence, but good wishes are not enough to save a soul, no matter how beloved it may be.

Therefore, let us not stop offering prayers, Masses, and sacrifices for the souls in purgatory; they may still need us greatly.

LET US NOT FORGET THEM.

THE STORY OF PADRE PIO AND A SOUL FROM PURGATORY

One night, while praying alone, Padre Pio opened his eyes to find an old man standing before him. Confused, he asked, “Who are you? What do you want?”

The man replied, “I am Pietro Di Mauro. I died in this friary in 1908, and I am still in purgatory. I need a holy Mass to be freed.”

Padre Pio promised to pray for him. The next day, he discovered records confirming the man’s death exactly as described.

This wasn’t the only time souls from purgatory sought Padre Pio’s prayers. He once said, “As many souls of the dead come up this road as that of the souls of the living.”

A powerful reminder of the importance of prayer and the Mass for the faithful departed!

𝗦𝘁. 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

Padre Pio is known for his many mystical experiences during prayer, often piercing the heavenly veil while on earth. One such experience involved an unexpected encounter with a soul from purgatory.

One day while praying alone, Padre Pio opened his eyes to see an old man standing there. He was surprised by the presence of another person in the room and explained in his testimony, “‘I could not imagine how he could have entered the friary at this time of night since all the doors are locked.”

Seeking to unravel the mystery, Pio asked the man, “Who are you? What do you want?”

The man responded, “Padre Pio, I am Pietro Di Mauro, son of Nicola, nicknamed Precoco. I died in this friary on the 18th of September, 1908, in cell number 4, when it was still a poorhouse. One night, while in bed, I fell asleep with a lighted cigar, which ignited the mattress and I died, suffocated and burned. I am still in purgatory. I need a holy Mass in order to be freed. God permitted that I come and ask you for help.”

Pio comforted the poor soul by saying, “Rest assured that tomorrow I will celebrate Mass for your liberation.”

The man left and the next day Pio did some investigative work and discovered the veracity of the story and how a man of the same name died on that day in 1908. Everything was confirmed and Padre Pio celebrated a Mass for the repose of the old man’s soul.

This was not the only appearance of a soul from purgatory asking Padre Pio for prayers. Pio claimed, “As many souls of the dead come up this road [to the monastery] as that of the souls of the living.” Many times the souls would ask for a Mass to be said for them, highlighting the spiritual weight of a Mass and how it can lessen the time a person spends in purgatory before embracing the glories of heaven.

THE BIBLE TEACHES US THAT WE MUST PRAY FOR THE DEAD

 

DON'T FORGET THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

 

Those who die in the grace and friendship of God, but not completely clean, although sure of their eternal salvation, undergo a purification after death, in order to obtain the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

This doctrine is also based on the practice of praying for the dead, of which the Holy Scripture speaks. That is why Judas Maccabaeus made a sacrifice of atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sins (2 Mac 12, 46). From the earliest times, the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered suffrages in their favor, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, so that they might be purified and reach the beatific vision of God. The Church also recommends alms, indulgences and works of penance in favor of the deceased.

Prayer of Saint Gertrude

Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Let us pray for the souls in purgatory!

DON'T FORGET YOUR LOVED ONES WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY. THERE IS A DUTY OF JUSTICE OR CHARITY TO PRAY FOR THEM

 Let us never stop praying for the holy souls in Purgatory, perhaps tomorrow, we will be the ones waiting for a pious prayer.

Sometimes we believe this wrong idea that when a loved one dies, it causes us a lot of pain and sorrow... but that's it. And we hear things like:

- Finally, he/she is resting with Our Lord.

- Now we have little angel in heaven.

-He/she was very good, they are already at peace.

No brethern, only God knows in what state that soul arrived in His presence, but good wishes are not enough to save a soul, however dear it may be to us. Furthermore, human beings never become angels: they obtain the beatific vision if they reach eternal glory.

Let us never stop offering prayers and Masses for the souls of our loved ones and acquaintances, and for the souls in Purgatory in general. They may still need us. Most likely, one day we will be the ones who need the prayers of those left in this valley of tears. Out of gratitude, the souls that have come out of Purgatory through our prayers and indulgences will surely also intercede in Heaven for us.

Let us always pray for them!

Prayer for the holy souls in Purgatory:

Merciful God, who forgives us and wants the salvation of all men, we implore your mercy so that, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy and of all the saints, You grant the souls of our parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends and benefactors, that have left this world, the grace of eternal happiness.

Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Purgatory; I have come to deposit in your Immaculate Heart a prayer on behalf of the holy souls who suffer in the place of atonement. Deign to listen my prayer, most merciful Lady, if this is your will and that of your merciful Son.

Amen.

Mary, Queen of Purgatory, I pray for those souls towards whom I have or may have some obligation, be it charity or justice.

Amen. 

PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

 

HELP RESCUE THE HOLY SOULS FROM THE TORMENTS OF PURGATORY

 

It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins." (2 Machabees 12:46) . 

Who is in more urgent need of our charity than the souls in Purgatory? What hunger, or thirst, or dire sufferings on Earth can compare to their dreadful torments? Neither the poor, nor the sick, nor the suffering, we see around us, have such an urgent need of our help. Yet we find many good-hearted people who interest themselves in every other type of suffering, but alas! scarcely one who works for the Holy Souls. When they are finally released from their pains and enjoy the beatitude of Heaven, far from forgetting their friends on earth, their gratitude knows no bounds. Prostrate before the Throne of God, they never cease to pray for those who helped them. By their prayers they shield their friends from many dangers and protect them from the evils that threaten them. 

REMEMBER THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

THEY WILL PRAY FOR US, WHEN WE ARE IN PURGATORY, IF WE HAVE PRAYED FOR THEM WHEN THEY WERE PURGING THEIR SINS

HELP RESCUE THE HOLY SOULS FROM THE TORMENTS OF PURGATORY

"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins."

(2 Machabees 12:46)

Who is in more urgent need of our charity than the souls in Purgatory? What hunger, or thirst, or dire sufferings on Earth can compare to their dreadful torments? Neither the poor, nor the sick, nor the suffering, we see around us, have such an urgent need of our help. Yet we find many good-hearted people who interest themselves in every other type of suffering, but alas! scarcely one who works for the Holy Souls. When they are finally released from their pains and enjoy the beatitude of Heaven, far from forgetting their friends on earth, their gratitude knows no bounds. Prostrate before the Throne of God, they never cease to pray for those who helped them. By their prayers they shield their friends from many dangers and protect them from the evils that threaten them.

_______________________________

The Story of a Sinner Saved by the Virgin Mary

We read in the life of sister Catherine, an Augustinian nun, that in the place where that servant of God lived, there lived also a woman named Mary, who, in her youth, was a sinner, and obstinately persevered in her evil courses, even to extreme old age. For this she was banished by her fellow citizens, forced to live in a cave beyond the limits of the place, and died in a state of loathsome corruption, abandoned by all, and without the sacraments; and on this account was buried in a field, like a beast.

Now sister Catherine, who was accustomed to recommend very affectionately to God the souls of those who had departed this life, after learning the miserable death of this poor old woman, did not think of praying for her, as she and every one else believed her already among the damned.

Four years having past, a soul from purgatory one day appeared to her, and said,

"Sister Catherine, how unhappy is my fate! You commend to God the souls of all those who die, and for my soul alone you have had no pity." "Who are you?" said the servant of God. "I am," answered she, "that poor Mary who died in the cave." "How! are you saved?" exclaimed sister Catherine. "Yes, I am saved," she said, "by the mercy of the Virgin Mary”.

When I saw death drawing near, finding myself laden with sins, and abandoned by all, I turned to the mother of God and said to her, Lady, thou art the refuge of the abandoned, behold me at this hour deserted by all; thou art my only hope, thou alone canst help me; have pity on me. The holy Virgin obtained for me the grace of making an act of contrition; I died and am saved.

And my queen has also obtained for me the grace that my pains should be abridged, and that I should, by suffering intensely for a short time, pass through that purification which otherwise would have lasted many years. A few masses only are needed to obtain my release from purgatory. I pray thee cause them to be offered for me, and I promise to pray God and Mary for thee."

Sister Catherine immediately caused those masses to be said for her, and that soul, after a few days, appeared to her again, more brilliant than the sun, and said to her, "I thank thee, sister Catherine: behold I am now going to paradise to sing the mercy of God and pray for thee."

Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Glories of Mary, Ch. 1.

Biblical Foundations of Purgatory

The doctrine of the Church on purgatory is based on the Bible, when it is correctly interpreted:

The text of 2 Maccabees 12, 43-46, assumes that there is purification after death.

Judah Maccabee organized a collection among his soldiers… in order to offer a sacrifice for sin… They firmly believed in a valuable reward for those who died in the grace of God… He offered this sacrifice for the dead; so that they were forgiven for their sins.

Protestants do not recognize that this book is part of the Bible, because Luther removed it from his Bible precisely because he knew it referred to purgatory.

However, the New Testament makes a reference to 2 Maccabees. For example, in Hebrews 11, 35:

“Others were racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better resurrection.”

The only ones in the Old Testament to whom this passage is applied are the martyrs of the Maccabees, who were tortured in order to attain resurrection (2 Maccabees 7:11, 14, 23, 29, 36).

Likewise the words of Our Lord:

“And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world, nor in the world to come.” (Mt. 12, 32).

“And when thou goest with thy adversary to the prince, whilst thou art in the way, endeavour to be delivered from him: lest perhaps he draw thee to he judge, and the judge deliver thee to the exacter, and the exacter cast thee into prison. I say to thee, thou shalt not go out thence until thou pay the very last mite.” (Lk. 12: 58-59).

In these passages, Jesus talks about a temporal punishment which cannot be Hell nor Heaven.

This conclusion follows from the letter of Saint Paul, 1 Corinthians 3, 12-13:

“For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. And they, whose works cannot abide the fire, shall suffer loss; yet they themselves, having built upon the right foundation, shall be saved yet so as by fire; being liable to this punishment, by reason of the wood, hay, and stubble, which was mixed with their building.

Hence, there is a fire after death which, unlike that from Hell, is temporal. The soul that passes through it will be saved. We call this state of purgation “purgatory”.

1 Cor. 15, 29: “Otherwise, what shall they do that are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not again at all? Why are they then baptized for them?”

The word “baptism” is used here as a metaphor to express suffering or penance (Mk. 10, 38-39; Lk. 3, 16; 12, 50). Saint Paul writes about a practice among Christians, which consisted in being “baptized” for the dead. He does not condemn it, on the contrary, he praises it as valid because it shows faith in resurrection.

Compare 1 Cor. 15, 29 with Maccabees 12, 44 and you will see the similarity.

Let Us Remember Our Dear Departed!

An indulgence consists in this: when we commit a sin and repent, God forgives us, but there is still something that needs to be paid. This obligation or debt that is pending can be totally or partially eliminated through the practice of indulgences.

On the day of the Faithful Departed, there is the possibility of gaining a PLENARY INDULGENCE, which can be applied to the blessed souls in purgatory. We can only gain one plenary indulgence per day.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO:

1. On November 2: Visit a Church or public oratory, and pray there an Our Father.

2. From November 1 to November 8: We can gain a plenary indulgence every day visiting a Cemetery and praying there for the faithful departed.

GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR GAINING PLENARY INDULGENCES:

1. Must be baptized and must not be excommunicated.

2. Having the intention, at least in general, of gaining the indulgence.

3. Confession: It can be made within eight days before or after the day in question.

4. Receiving Communion on the day in question.

5. Praying for the Pope’s intentions: an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be. These intentions are the following ones (they were predetermined by the Church, and they are not the Pope’s personal intentions):

a) The exaltation of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

b) The eradication of heresies.

c) The propagation of Catholic Faith.

d) The conversion of sinners.

e) Peace and concord among Christian princes.

f) All other goods of Christian community.

6. Having no attachment to sin, not even venial sins.

7. Observing that to which the Indulgence was granted.

NOTE: If the conditions are not entirely fulfilled, there is still the possibility of gaining a partial Indulgence.

What the souls in purgatory need are indulgences and Masses, many Masses! Order Masses for your relatives and for all the faithful departed in general, God will know who to apply them to.

See (Click here). WHAT ARE INDULGENCES AND HOW TO GAIN THEM

http://www.catholicityblog.com/2016/01/what-are-indulgences-and-how-to-acquire.html

WHAT ARE INDULGENCES AND HOW TO ACQUIRE THEM

An Indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to those sins in which the guilt related to that sin has been forgiven. The faithful Catholic who is duly disposed of this temporal remission gains it only under certain prescribed conditions defined by the Catholic Church. The Church, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies these Indulgences with full authority, having the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.

In the Sacrament of Baptism, not only is the guilt of sin remitted but also all penalties attached to those sins.

In the Sacrament of Penance (Confession), the guilt of sin is removed as well as the eternal punishment due to mortal sin. However, Divine Justice necessitates that the temporal punishment remains with the requisite that it must be fulfilled either in the present life or in the world to come (i.e. in Purgatory).

As previously stated, the Church has the power to carry out the remission of any temporal punishment. This power was bestowed on to the Church by Christ.

Whenever the Church grants an Indulgence, she applies her treasure (the overabundant merits of Christ and the saints), for the remission of guilt. The Church is the administrator (not owner) of this treasure. She determines the amount and conditions for granting an Indulgence. She takes into account both God’s mercy and the requirements of Divine Justice.

Indulgences are possible due the communal effect also witnessed in sin (all sins committed affect the Mystical Body of Christ). Salvation has a communal dimension, too, and this is why we can pray for each other. The merits of Christ and the saints benefit us all due to our souls being closely united to Him in His Mystical Body.

To acquire an Indulgence, the sinner must comply with the requirements of a good confession, including completing the penance that the confessor imposes. Indulgences are extra-sacramental (i.e. not a sacrament) and it is necessary to receive the sacrament of penance first.

As previously stated, Indulgences can only remove the punishment of sin, and not the guilt attached to it. In order to remove this guilt it is necessary to make a good confession. No Pope or Council has ever granted Indulgences the power to erase guilt, as only a sacramental Confession can do this. Pope Clement V (1305-1314) condemned the practice of providing Indulgences that intended to absolve the guilt and punishment of sin (a culpa et a poena). Indeed, in the Council of Constance (1418), Pope Clement I revoked all Indulgences containing the formula “a culpa et a poena” (session XLII, n.14).

Many canonized saints have confirmed the doctrine of Indulgences. Recent examples include Pope St. Pius X and St. Padre Pio.

-oOo-

Partial Indulgence:

- Having the intention of acquiring an Indulgence.

- Performing the deed or saying the prescribed prayer.

- Being in the state of grace.

Plenary Indulgence:

- Having the intention of acquiring an Indulgence.

- Sacramental Confession.

- Eucharistic Communion.

- Praying an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the Pope’s intentions.

- Having no attachment to sin (not even venial sins).

- Visiting the site/observing that to which the Indulgence was granted.

A plenary Indulgence can only be acquired once a day (except at the time of death due to this allowing for another plenary Indulgence). In addition, to gain a plenary Indulgence, it is required to not having any attachment to sin, even venial sin. (If, however, due to attachment of sin, a soul cannot gain a plenary Indulgence, a partial Indulgence will be given.)

Moreover, though receiving Communion and praying for the Holy Father must be made on the same day the prayer or action takes place, Confession may be made eight days prior or after this occasion.

HOW TO ACQUIRE A PLENARY INDULGENCE

A plenary Indulgence, whether during a Holy Year or not, can be acquired by complying with the requirements already mentioned:

1. Having the intention of acquiring an Indulgence.

2. Sacramental Confession

Make a thorough confession either on the day or, as stated earlier, eight days prior or eight days after the event.

3. Eucharistic Communion

Receive Communion on the same day in which one wishes to acquire the Indulgence.

4. Praying for the Pope’s Intentions

An Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be must be offered up for the Pope’s intentions; these are:

-The exaltation of The Holy Church.

-The eradication of heresies

-The propagation of Catholic faith

-The conversion of sinners

-Peace and concord amongst Christian princes

-All other goods of Christian community

5. Removal of affection towards EVERY kind of sin, even venial and having the intention of avoiding sin.

In addition to the above, to acquire a Plenary Indulgence in a NORMAL year, one may perform one of the following deeds in substitution of Eucharistic Communion, complying with all the requirements previously stated:

a. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament that lasts at least half an hour.
b. Visiting a cemetery/praying for the faithful departed. This Indulgence can only be applied to the souls in Purgatory, from 1 November to 8 November.
c. Adoration of the Cross, on Good Friday during liturgical celebration.
d. In First Communions, to those who receive it and who attend them devotedly.
e. Participants of spiritual exercises that lasts three days at least.
f. Saying the Rosary in a Church or public oratory before the Blessed Sacrament, even if it is not exposed but reserved in the tabernacle, or to say it in family or in pious association.
g. Reading the Holy Bible for at least half an hour.
h. Praying the Way of the Cross in front of the stations, legitimately erected.

Or any other deed disposed by the Church and in force.

NOTE: The deed to be performed for obtaining a plenary Indulgence related to the visitation of a church or oratory consists in piously visiting these places and praying an Our Father and the Creed, unless otherwise stated. The reason for reciting the Our Father is to affirm the dignity, that we received in Baptism, of being God’s children, and the Creed (symbol of faith) is recited to affirm Catholic identity.

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Source of information: Blog CATOLICIDAD http://www.catolicidad.com/2009/09/como-ganar-indulgencias-y-en-que.html Translated from Spanish by: Fabiola Lozano.