Thought for the Day – 3 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Pains of Purgatory
“When we have considered the Doctrine of the Church on this particular question, we should react in two ways. On the one hand, we should have a great horror of sin, even of venial sin because, it offends the good God and earns, for us, such fearful punishments. On the other hand, we should offer our sufferings ,on behalf o the Holy Souls, who are now enduring these torments and who will enjoy, one day, the everlasting happiness of Heaven.
We shall be able to trust in the power of their intercession for us, with Almight y God, the enjoyment of Whose Beatific Vision, we shall have helped them to achieve.”
Thought for the Day – 2 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Purgatory”
“Purgatory is the masterpiece of God’s justice and mercy. St John tells us in the Apocalypse, that nothing defiled can enter into the Heavenly Jerusalem (Apoc 21:27).
There are very few, however, who are privileged to arrive at the supreme moment of death, still wearing their Baptismal robe of innocence. Even the just man falls very often as the Holy Spirit warns us (Prov 24:16). We all possess many failings and have been guilty of many sins, either mortal or venial. It is true, that we can obtain forgiveness by penance and by receiving the Sacraments but, there still remains the temporal punishment due to our sins. Neither the small penances imposed by the confessor, nor our own tiny acts of voluntary mortification, are sufficient to satisfy our debt. We cannot be certain, moreover, that we shall be able, at the hour of our death, to cleanse ourselves of all our sins, by means of one good Confession. Even if we appear before the judgement seat of God without any grave faults, there will still, unfortunately, be many debts to be paid and many imperfections to be purified.
What then will happen to us? The justice of God cannot admit us, imperfect and defiled as we are, into the everlasting happiness of the Beatific Vision. Will He reject us, therefore, even as He rejects those who die in mortal sin and are condemned to eternal punishment? This is unthinkable, for the mercy of God is as infinite as His justice. And so, there is Purgatory, where the souls of those who have died in the state of grace but, still scarred with imperfections and burdened with debts to be paid, can find a way of purifying themselves and, of making themselves worthy of an everlasting reward.
Let us thank God for this gift, the last link in the chain of His mercies, which enables us to prepare ourselves for our entry into the Beatific Vision.”
Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – All Souls Day
“Then, let us run with Him as He presses on to His Passion. Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet Him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms in His path but spreading ourselves before Him as best we can, with humility of soul and upright purpose. So may we welcome the Word as He comes (Jn 1:9); so may God, Who cannot be contained within any bounds, be contained within us. For He is pleased to have shown us this gentleness, He, Who is gentle and who “rides upon the setting sun” (Ps 56:12) which refers to our extreme lowliness. He is pleased to come and live with us and to raise us up or bring us back to Himself.”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“We must live a dying life and we must die a living death in the life of our Lord.”
(The Spirit of St. François de Sales, XV 6 )
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
A Prayer to the Holy Martyrs to Obtain Their Protection in Life and at Death By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
O thou blessed Princes of the heavenly Kingdom! Thou who sacrificed to the Almighty God, the honours, the riches received, in return, the unfading glory and never-ending joys of Heaven! Thou who art secure in the everlasting possession of the brilliant Crown of glory which thy sufferings have obtained! Look with compassionate regard upon our wretched state in this vale of tears, where we groan in the uncertainty of what maybe our eternal destiny. And from that Divine Saviour, for Whom, thou suffered so many torments and Who now repays thee with such unspeakable glory, obtain for us that we may love Him, with all our heart and receive in return, the grace of perfect resignation, under the trials of this life, fortitude, under the temptations of the enemy and perseverance, to the end. May thy powerful intercession obtain for us that we may one day, in thy blessed company, sing the praises of the Eternal God and even as thou now do, face-to-face, enjoy the Beatitude of His Vision! Amen
“How pleasing to Him it will be, if you sometimes forget yourself and speak to Him of His own glory; of the miseries of others, especially those who mourn in sorrow; of the souls in purgatory, His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven and, of poor sinners, who live deprived of His grace.”
St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
“… Let us pray that before we have lost consciousness, Extreme Unction may heal our spiritual scars, make us worthy to see God and assist us, to pass peacefully, from this vale of tears into everlasting happiness.”
Our Morning Offering – 2 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
O Turn To Jesus, Mother! Turn To Our Blessed Lady for the Souls in Purgatory (1940) By Fr Frederick W Faber C.Orat (1814-1863)
O turn to Jesus, Mother! turn, And call Him by His tenderest Names; Pray for the Holy Souls that burn This hour amid the cleansing flames.
Ah! they have fought a gallant fight; In death’s cold arms they persevered And after life’s uncheery night, The harbour of their rest is neared.
In pains beyond all earthly pains, Favourites of Jesus! there they lie, Letting the fire wear out their stains And worshipping God’s purity.
Spouses of Christ they are, for He Was wedded to them by His blood And Angels o’er their destiny In wondering adoration brood.
They are the children of thy tears; Then hasten, Mother! to their aid; In pity think, each hour appears, An age while glory is delayed.
See, how they bound amid their fires, While pain and love their spirits fill; Then with self-crucified desires, Utter sweet murmurs and lie still.
Ah me! the love of Jesus yearns O’er that abyss of sacred pain, And as He looks, His Bosom burns With Calvary’s dear thirst again.
O Mary! let thy Son no more His lingering Spouses thus expect, God’s children to their God restore And to the Spirit His elect.
Pray then, as thou hast ever prayed; Angels and Souls, all look to thee; God waits thy prayers, for He hath made Those prayers, His law of charity! Amen
1 November The Month of “The Holy Souls in Purgatory” or of “The Church Suffering” or “The Faithful Departed”
“It is, therefore, a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sins.“
2 Machabees 12:46
The faithful who recite prayers or perform other devout exercises in supplication for the faithful departed during the Month of November, may gain: An Indulgence of 3 years once a day, on each day of the Month. A Plenary Indulgence on the usual conditions, if they perform these devotions DAILY for the ENTIRE Month of November. The De Profundis and Requiem aeternam, of themselves, attract a further 100 days Partial Indulgence.
The De Profundis Psalm 129
A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God. The Sixth Penitential Psalm.
Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it. For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness and because of Thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord. My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch, even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”) Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And may perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
(Indulgence of 100 Days)
*Psalm 129 in Douay Rheims
Pope Clement XII. was the first who, in order to move the piety of Christians to pray for the souls in Purgatory, granted, by a Brief of 4 August 1736, Coelestes Ecclesiae thesauros – i. The Indulgence of 100 days to all the faithful, everytime that, at the sound of the bell, at the first hour after the evening Ave Maria, they say devoutly, on their knees the psalm De profundis, with a Requiem aAternamat the end of, it. (The evening Ave Maria in Rome varies with the season; it is commonly taken as 6 o’clock.) ii. A Plenary Indulgence to those who perform this pious exercise, for a year, at the hour appointed, once in the year, on any one day, after Confession and Communion. Those who do not know by heart the De Profundis, may gain these Indulgences by saying, in the way already mentioned for the De profundis, one Pater Noster and one Ave Maria, with the Requiem Aeternam. Observe also, that the aforesaid Clement XII. declared, on 12 December 1736, that these Indulgences might be gained by saying the De Profundis etc, as above, although, according to the custom of a particular Church or place, the “signal for the dead,” as it is called, be given by the sound of the bell either before, or after one hour after the evening Ave Maria. Pope Pius VI, by a Rescript of 18 March 1781, granted the above-named Indulgences to all the faithful, who should chance to dwell in any place where no bell for the dead is sounded and who, shall say the De Profundis or Pater Noster, as aforesaid, about the time specified above.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” and the Feast of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Evening Prayer By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor (Indulgence of 3 Years, Once a Day)
Jesus Christ my God, I adore Thee and thank Thee for all the graces Thou hast given me this day. I offer Thee my sleep and all the moments of this night and I beseech Thee to keep me without sin. Wherefore ,I put myself, within Thy sacred side and under the mantle of our Lady, my Mother. Let Thy holy Angels stand about me and keep me in peace and let Thy blessing be upon me, O Lord my God. Amen
“How pleasing to Him it will be, if you sometimes forget yourself and speak to Him of His own glory; of the miseries of others, especially those who mourn in sorrow; of the souls in purgatory, His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven and, of poor sinners, who live deprived of His grace.”
Come O Holy Spirit! By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
You made Mary full of grace and inflamed the hearts of the Apostles with a holy zeal, enflame our hearts with Your love. You are the Spirit of goodness, give us the courage to confront evil. You are Fire, set us ablaze with Your Love. You are Light, enlighten our minds, that we may see what is truly igood and true. You are the Dove, give us gentleness. You are a Soothing Breeze, bring calm to the storms which rage within us. You are the Tongue, may our lips ever sing God’s praises You are the Cloud, shelter us under the shadow of Your protection. O Holy Spirit, melt the frozen, warm the chilled and enkindle in us, an earnest desire to please You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
“The powers of hell will assail the dying Christian but his Angel Guardian will come to console him. His Patrons and St Michael, who has been appointed by God to defend his faithful servants, in their last combat with the devils, will come to his aid.”
“We should not forget, that the devil has his martyrs and that he infuses into them a false constancy. It is not the punishment but the cause, that makes the Martyr; that is – the confession of the True Faith.”
Prayer for a Holy Death By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor Patron of Final Perseverance
My beloved Jesus, I will not refuse the cross, as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it. I accept, in particular, the death Thou hast destined for me, with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Thy Death, I offer it to Thee Thou hast died for love of me; I will die for love of Thee and to please Thee. Help me by Thy grace. I love Thee, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always and then do with me what Thou will. Amen
O Afflicted Virgin! By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
O afflicted Virgin! O soul, great in virtues and great also in sorrows! for both arise from that great fire of love thou hast for God; thou “whose heart can love nothing but God.” O Mother, have pity on me, for I have not loved God and I have so much offended Him. Thy sorrows give me great confidence to hope for pardon. But this is not enough; I wish to love my Lord and who can better obtain this for me than thou, thou who art the Mother of fair love? O Mary, thou dost console all, comfort me also. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 13 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus”
By the Merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note: On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope. Pius VII, celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner which drew him to the aAtar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among participants which included the French Soldiers guarding him, who were ingreat wonder and awestruck disbelief, at the miraculous incident which had occurred. There is a Cause in progress and Pope Pius VII has since been elected as the Patron of the Diocese of Savona and the Patron of prisoners.
Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – St Francis de Sales, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church
“The measure of love, is to love without measure.”
“Since God often sends us His inspirations by means of His Angels, we ought frequently to offer Him, our aspirations, through the same channel. … Call on them and honour them frequently and ask their help in all your affairs, temporal, as well as spiritual.”
“Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul, except sin. God commands you to pray but He forbids you to worry.”
“Friendships begun in this world will be taken up again, never to be broken off. ”
“Have patience with all things but chiefly, have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them, everyday begin the task anew.”
“Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear – rather look to them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He is your keeper. He has kept you hitherto. Do you but hold fast to His dear hand and He will lead you safely through all things and, when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms. Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. Our Father will either shield you from suffering, or He will give you strength to bear it.”
“Thus we do not say that the Pope cannot err in his private opinions, as did John XXII; or be altogether a heretic, as perhaps Honorius was. Now, when he, [the Pope], is explicitly a heretic, he falls ipso facto, from his dignity and OUT of the Church! …”
“During the night we must wait for the Light.”
Hail, Sweet Jesus! Prayer to Christ in His Passion and Death By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, honour and glory be to Thee, O Christ, Who, of Thou own accord, embraced death, and recommending Thyself to Thy heavenly Father, bowing down Thy venerable Head, did yield up Thy Spirit. Truly thus giving up Thy life for Thy sheep, Thou hast shown Thyself, to be the Good Shepherd. Thou died, O Only-begotten Son of God. Thou died, O my beloved Saviour, that I might live forever. O how great hope, how great confidence have I reposed in Thy Death and Thy Blood! I glorify and praise Thy Holy Name, acknowledging my infinite obligations to Thee. O good Jesus, by Thy bitter Death and Passion, give me grace and pardon. Give unto the faithful departed, rest and life everlasting. Amen.
Most Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God Act of Consecration By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Indulgence of 300 days, for each recitation St Pius X, 17 November 1906
Most Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, I ………., most unworthy though I am to be thy servant, yet touched by thy motherly care for me and longing to serve thee, do, in the presence of my Guardian Angel and all the Court of Heaven, choose thee this day to be my Queen, my Advocate and my Mother and I firmly purpose to serve thee evermore myself and, to do what I can, that all may render faithful service to thee. Therefore, most devoted Mother, through the Precious Blood thy Son poured out for me, I beg thee and beseech thee, deign to take me among thy clients and receive me as thy servant forever. Aid me in my every action and beg for me the grace never, by word or deed or thought, to be displeasing in thy sight and that of thy most holy Son. Think of me, my dearest Mother and desert me not at the hour of death. Amen
Our Morning Offering –29 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Apostolic Father of the Church
Receive in tranquility and peace, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, who have departed this present life to come to Thee. Grant them rest and place them in the habitations of Light, the abodes of blessed spirits. Give them the life that will not age, good things that will not pass away, delights that have no end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
By the Merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment.”
Joel 2:12-13
“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below That I may make reparation for my sins, … That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace With its burning flames. …
And, instead of acting like the merciless, Set merciful compassion within me, That, by showing mercy to the poor, I may obtain Your mercy.”
St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173) Armenian Bishop
“The more one longs for a thing, the more painful does deprivation of it become. And because, after this life, the desire for God, the Supreme Good, is intense in the souls of the just – (because this impetus toward Him, is not hampered by the weight of the body and that time of enjoyment, of the Perfect Good, would have come) had there been no obstacle. The soul suffers enormously, from the delay.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Angelic Doctor
“If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering Souls in Purgatory, God will ensure that help be not denied us, after death.”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 November – St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) Virgin – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Daily Offering to the Father By St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) (Attrib)
Eternal Father, I offer Thee 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, for those in my own home, and in my family. Amen
“I praise, adore, bless and thank Thee, to the best of my ability, for Thy wise mercy and Thy merciful wisdom! For Thou, my Creator and my Redeemer, have sought to curb my stiff-necked obstinacy under Thy sweet yoke with the remedy best suited to my infirmity.”
O Sacred Heart of Jesus By St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing Furnace of Love. You are my Refuge and my Sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Saviour, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Your Heart is enflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Your Heart. Let my will be conformed to Your Will in all things. May Your Will be the Rule of all my desires and actions. Amen
Thought for the Day – 8 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Advantages of Devotion to the Souls in Purgatory
“The story is told of St John of God who, on one occasion, when he was finding it difficult to provide for the crowds of sick people, whom he had in his hospital, he went about the streets of Granada, crying: “My dear brothers, give alms to yourselves!” Many were astonished at these words but, the Saint explained that Jesus regards as done to Himself anything which we do for the poor and unfortunate and that, therefore, He repays the generous giver handsomely. Since the Souls in Purgatory, are poor and needy, it is certain that whatever we do for them, will redound to our own advantage.
St Margaret of Cortona had a keen devotion to the Faithful Departed. It is related of her that when she was dying, she saw a band of blessed spirits descending from above, in order to escort her into Heaven. These were the countless souls whom her prayers had rescued from the pains of Purgatory.
“If only everyone realised,” the Cure d’Ars once said to a fellow Priest, “what great influence with God, the Holy Souls in Purgatory possess and, the vast number of favours which we obtain through their intercession, they certainly would not be forgotten. Let us pray earnestly for them and they will intercede strongly for us!”
“Whenever I wish to obtain some favour from our Heavenly Father,” said St Catherine of Bologna, “I have recourse to the Souls in Purgatory. I beseech them to present my petition to the Divine Majesty, in their name and through their inetercession, my request is granted.”
Thought for the Day – 7 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
How We Can Help the Faithful Departed
“There are many ways in which we can come to the assistance of the faithful departed.
(a) We can help them by prayer. This is the simplest way and one which is possible for everyone. When we pray for our dead, we feel that we are close to them and are consoled in our sorrow. Moreover, we can be sure of gaining a great deal in return, for the prayers which they offer on our behalf, are very pleasing to God.
(b) We can offer Holy Mass for them. When we do this, it is not only we who pray but Jesus joins with us and offers Himself as a victim of reparation on behalf of the suffering souls. The Mass has an infinite value and one Mass alone would be enough to empty Purgatory. But the application of its infinite merits are always limited, in accordance with the hidden designs of God. Ir is certain, however, that there is no more effective means of helping the faithful departed.
(c) We can offer our good works on their behalf. Every good action has power to satisfy God for some of the debts which we or others have contracted in His regard. Among the good works which we can offer for the souls in Purgatory, are Holy Communion, voluntary mortifications, meek acceptance of the unavoidable sorrows of life, acts of patience and of compassion, spiritual and corporal works of mercy, Indulgences and almsgivine.”
Thought for the Day – 6 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Communion of Saints and the Souls in Purgatory
“The consoling Doctrine of the Communion of Saints, is the foundation of devotion towards the faithful departed. The universal Church, both on earth, in Purgatory and in Heaven, constitutes the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the channel of the Divine life of Jesus.
This life is not extinguished by death but only by mortal sin, which makes us like dead limbs separated from the vine which is Cbrist. The souls of those belonging to us who have died in the state of grace, therefore, are living members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Now, the different members of the human body, do not possess a separate life but are all co-ordinated and directed towards the good of the whole body. In the same way, all the members of the Mystical Body, whether they are exiles on earth, suffering souls in Purgatory, or blessed in Heaven, should help one another so as to promote the welfare of the whole.
The blessed in Heaven and the faithful departed certainly do this and we ought to do the same. We should preserve a bond of love and prayer between ourselves and our loved ones, who have departed from this life before us.”
Saint of the Day – 6 November – Nostra Signora del Suffragio / Our Lady of Suffrage for the Souls in Purgatory.
The Archconfraternity of Death and Prayer (mortis et orationis), founded in Rome, 1538, to provide for the burial of the poor and abandoned, still exists (cf. Berignani, loc. cit). At the beginning of the 17th Century, it was granted a new Indulgences by Pope Paul V (Rescr. auth. S. C. Indulg., n. 26, pp. 448 sqq. Moroni, II, 303). About 1687, the Rules for a special Confraternity “for the relief of the Most Needy Souls in Purgatory” under the Sacred Names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, were approved in Rome. The Confraternity for the relief of the departed under the title of “Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary and the Sorrowful Mother” enjoyed special popularity and on 8 September 1760, inaugurated, the processions of the Way of the Cross in the Roman Coliseum. Among its illustrious members was St Leonard of Port Maurice OFM (1676-1751).
In 1874, the Ingolstadt Mass Association, formed by the Franciscans of Ingolstadt in 1726, to procure for all members the grace of a happy death and for those already deceased, speedy assistance and liberation form the pains of Purgatory, was raised to a formal and legal Confraternity, under the title of the Immaculate Conception. An ancient, highly venerated painting of the Mother of God, was adopted as the Titular image of the Association, which has received all the Indulgences of the Confraternity of the same name, in the Ara Coeli at Rome, that is, the Indulgences of the Blue Scapular. It numbers its members by tens and hundreds of thousands; almost 2000 Masses are daily celebrated for the intentions of the Marian Mass Association, which includes the intention of particularly assisting for the most recently deceased members.
At the close of the Middle Ages, the old Confraternities, generally confined to a town or small district, gradually disappeared, as also did many of the later ones in the confusion at the end of the eighteenth century, while others preserved only a semblance of life. Since the beginning of the 19th Century, they have been replaced by vigorous new Associations, which, richly endowed with Indulgences by ecclesiastical authorities, have rapidly extended to the entire Church.
By brief of 5 October, 1818, Pope Pius VII endowed the Archconfraternity of Our Mother of Sorrows and Suffrage of the Poor Souls in Purgatory, which was erected in the Basilica of San Maria in Trastevere, with rich Indulgences.
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila, intercedes with Our Lady of Suffrage for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
First among the later Confraternities which have extended throughout Christendom, is the “Archconfraternity for the Relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory under the title of the Assumption of Mary, in the Redemptorist Church of San Maria in Monterone at Rome.” Founded in 1841, it rapidly developed, especially in England and North America and was endowed with Indulgences in 1841-63. Priests empowered to receive the faithful into the Confraternity enjoy various other faculties. This Confraternity is especially adapted for rapid expansion because in 1860, it was expressly authorised to include, every Confraternity of whatever name and object and to communicate to them its graces and privileges, provide they added to their original Titles “and for the relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory.” The Redemptorist Fathers conduct this Archconfraternity.
Indulgences of the Confraternities are ever applicable to the Souls in Purgatory and the privileges of the Altar for Churches and for Priests, who are members, may be used in favour of dead members or for all poor souls. The formation of the “Catholic League for Constant Intercession for the Poor Souls in Purgatory” was proposed by certain pious citizens of Rome, approved by Leo XIII in the last years of his reign, and enriched with Indulgences. The only requisite for membership is to recite thrice daily the prayer, “Requiem æternam – Eternal Rest grant unto them O Lord …” thereby gaining, once daily, an Indulgence of 200 days.
O Turn to Jesus, Mother! Turn By Fr Frederick William Faber CO (1814-1863)
O turn to Jesus, Mother! turn, And call Him by His tenderest Names; Pray for the Holy Souls that burn, This hour amid the cleansing flames.
Ah! they have fought a gallant fight; In death’s cold arms, they persevered And after life’s uncheery night, The harbour of their rest is neared.
In pains beyond all earthly pains, Favourites of Jesus! there they lie, Letting the fire wear out their stains, And worshipping God’s purity.
Spouses of Christ, they are, for He Was wedded to them by His Blood And Angels o’er their destiny In wondering adoration brood.
They are the children of thy tears, Then hasten, Mother! to their aid; In pity think each hour appears An age while glory is delayed.
See, how they bound amid their fires, While pain and love their spirits fill; Then with self-crucified desires Utter sweet murmurs, and lie still.
Ah me! the love of Jesus yearns O’er that abyss of sacred pain, And as He looks His Bosom burns With Calvary’s dear thirst again.
O Mary! let thy Son no more His lingering Spouses thus expect, God’s children to their God restore, And to the Spirit, His elect.
Pray then, as thou hast ever prayed; Angels and Souls, all look to thee, God waits thy prayers, for He hath made Those prayers, His law of charity.
Nostra Signora del Suffragio / Our Lady of Suffrage (For the Souls in Purgatory)
St Atticus St Barlaam of Novgorod Bl Beatrice of Olive Bl Christina of Stommeln St Demetrian of Cyprus St Edwen of Northumbria St Efflam of Brittany St Emilian of Faenza St Erlafrid of Hirschau St Felix of Fondi St Felix of Genoa St Felix of Thynissa St Illtyd St Israel of Limoges
St Leonard of Reresby Bl Leonianus of Autun St Melaine of Rennes St Paul of Constantinople St Pinnock St Protasius of Lausanne St Severus of Barcelona Bl Simon of Aulne St Stephen of Apt St Theobald of Dorat Bl Thomas Ochia Jihyoe St Valentine of Genoa St Victor Chumillas-Fernández
Martyrs of Antioch – 10 Saints: Ten Christians murdered together by Arabs after their seizure of Antioch, Syria. No names or other details about them have come down to us. 637 in Antioch, Syria.
Martyrs of Gaza – 9 Saints: A group of Christian soldiers who were captured by Saracens invading the area of Gaza in Palestine. When the men continued to profess their Christianity, they were executed. We know the names of some of the Martyrs – Himerius, John (2 of them), Kallinikos (Callinoco), Paul, Peter, Stephen and Theodore (2 of them). They were beheaded in Gaza, Palestine.
Thought for the Day – 5 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Consolations of the Suffering Souls in Purgatory
“In her description of Purgatory, St Catherine of Genoa, writes as follows:
“The soul in Prgatory is happy with its lot but, its happiness is similar to that of the Martyr at the stake. Its happiness, in other words, is of a pure and supernatural kind which the world could not understand. The Martyr allows himself to be put to death, rather than offend God; he feels the pain of dying but, despises death because of his ardent love for God. In the same way because it realises that God desires and commands its agony, the soul in Purgatory, loves Him and is happy to allow Him to refine and purify it spiritually, through suffering.”
In one of her ecstasies, St Mary Magdalen de Pazzi was accorded a vision of Purgatory so terrifying that it caused her to grow pale and cry out. Suddenly she saw her own recently deceased brother among the suffering souls. “My poor brother!” she exclaimed, “how much you are suffering. Yet, I can see too, how greatly you are consoled. Although you are tortured by fire, you are content because, you know that these tortures are the prelude to everlasting happiness.”
Thought for the Day – 4 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
More About the Sufferings of Purgatory
“The vision of Purgatory accorded to St Frances of Rome, is well known. She saw Purgatory divided into three separate sections.
(1) The firs was the part furthest from Heaven and bordering, as it were, on Hell. In it two kinds of people were suffering terrible torments, namely, lay folk who had committed grave sins and postponed their conversion until the moment of death; and – men and women who had dedicated their lives to God but on account of venial sins, neglect of duty, tepidity and lack of gratitude for their great vocations, had heavy debt to pay to Divine Justice.
(2) The second place, was the most crowded. Here, the physical pain was still unimaginably severe, while the desire to be purified and to b with God was the cause of intense spiritual anguish. The souls in this region, however, were not only resigned to their lot but, even longed for greater sufferings which would finally wash away the imperfections which kept them apart from God.
(3) The Third section was the nearest to Heaven and was the abode of purer and more perfect souls. These did not have to endure much sensible pain but, their yearning for God was so insistent that, every moment of separation, seemed like an eternity.”
Thought for the Day – 3 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Pain of Purgatory
“In the course of her vivid description of Purgatory, St Catherine of Genoa writes: “The suffering souls experience such torments as the human tongue could not describe, nor the human intellect comprehend, unless God Himself, revealed them by means of a special grace!”
The ordinary teaching of the Church includes fire as the principal torment. However, the Church has never defined the nature of this fire, nor determined whether it is physical or spiritual. It is certain that this fire is as real as the flames of Hell and is created by God, not to be an instrument of service to men but, to be a means of expiation and purification. This is why it is a far more tormenting fire than that which we know and use on earth. St Thomas Aquinas holds that it is actually a physical fire. He meets the objection that material fire could never touch a spiritual soul by saying that, even as the soul is affected on earth, by the suffering of the body, to which it is joined, so it can be subject in the next life, to the action of the fires of Purgatory (Supplementum Tertiae Partis q7, a3).”
Thought for the Day – 2 Novemer – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Purgatory”
“The clear testimony of the New Testament may also be invoked in support of this teaching. Jesus refers to sins which cannot be forgiven, either in this life or in the next, (Cf Mt 12:31-32) from which, the Fathers deduce that there are sins, namely those of a venial nature, which can be forgiven after death.
St Paul, moreover, speaks of imperfections which will be expiated and purged by fire after death (Cf 1 Cor 3:10-15). Obviously, this cannot take place in Hell but, only in Purgatory. It would be impossible to cite here, all the testamoies of the Fathers and of theological writers. No-one, can deny, that they exist, however, for they combine to build up a tradition which the Council of Trent (Sess XXV) gathered together, when proclaiming the existence of Purgatory and the obligation of the faithful to pray for the dead, who are expiating their sins there.
This is a very consoling Doctrine. It is comforting to know that one day, we shall find a way of purifying ourselves of all trace of sin and imperfection and that, meanwhile, we can be spiritually united with our departed loved ones and can help them by our prayers.”
Our Morning Offering – 2 November – All Souls Day – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
The De Profundis Psalm 129
A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God. The Sixth Penitential Psalm.
Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it. For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness and because of Thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord. My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch, even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”) Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And may perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
(Indulgence of 100 Days)
*Psalm 129 in Douay Rheims
Pope Clement XII. was the first who, in order to move the piety of Christians to pray for the souls in Purgatory, granted, by a Brief of 4 August 1736, Coelestes Ecclesiae thesauros – i. The Indulgence of 100 days to all the faithful, everytime that, at the sound of the bell, at the first hour after the evening Ave Maria, they say devoutly, on their knees the psalm De profundis, with a Requiem aAternamat the end of, it. (The evening Ave Maria in Rome varies with the season; it is commonly taken as 6 o’clock.) ii. A Plenary Indulgence to those who perform this pious exercise, for a year, at the hour appointed, once in the year, on any one day, after Confession and Communion. Those who do not know by heart the De Profundis, may gain these Indulgences by saying, in the way already mentioned for the De profundis, one Pater Noster and one Ave Maria, with the Requiem Aeternam. Observe also, that the aforesaid Clement XII. declared, on 12 December 1736, that these Indulgences might be gained by saying the De Profundis etc, as above, although, according to the custom of a particular Church or place, the “signal for the dead,” as it is called, be given by the sound of the bell either before, or after one hour after the evening Ave Maria. Pope Pius VI., by a Rescript of 18 March 1781, granted the above-named Indulgences to all the faithful, who should chance to dwell in any place where no bell for the dead is sounded and who, shall say the De Profundis or Pater Noster, as aforesaid, about the time specified above.
“By the practice of Indulgences, the Church places at the charitable disposal of the faithful, the inexhaustible treasure accumulated, from age to age, by the superabundant satisfactions of the Saints, added to those of the Martyrs and united to those of our Blessed Lady and the infinite residue of our Lord’s sufferings. These remissions of punishment, she grants to the living, by her own direct power but, she nearly always approves of and permits, their application to the dead, by way of suffrage, that is to say, in the manner in which, as we have seen, each of the faithful may offer to God, Who accepts it, for another, the suffrage or succour of his own satisfactions.” (The Liturgical Year,Abbot Prosper Guéranger OSB (1805-1875).
A Partial Indulgence may be obtained, by devoutly visiting a Cemetery and praying there for the departed, mentally or vocally. One may gain a Plenary Indulgence visiting a Cemetery each day, between 1 November and 8 November. These Indulgences are applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory.
A Plenary Indulgence, again applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is also granted when the faithful piously visit a Church or a public Oratory on 2 November. In visiting the Church or Oratory, it is required, that one Our Father and the Creed be recited and then the usual conditions are fulfilled, within 20 days.
A Partial Indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, can be obtained when the Eternal Rest (Requiem aeternam) is prayed:
ETERNAL REST
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 21 October – Friday, in Catholic Time, the Day of the Passion
Hail, Sweet Jesus! Prayer to Christ in His Passion and Death By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, honour and glory be to Thee, O Christ, Who, of Thou own accord, embraced death, and recommending Thyself to Thy heavenly Father, bowing down Thy venerable Head, did yield up Thy Spirit. Truly thus giving up Thy life for Thy sheep, Thou hast shown Thyself, to be the Good Shepherd. Thou died, O Only-begotten Son of God. Thou died, O my beloved Saviour, that I might live forever. O how great hope, how great confidence have I reposed in Thy Death and Thy Blood! I glorify and praise Thy Holy Name, acknowledging my infinite obligations to Thee. O good Jesus, by Thy bitter Death and Passion, give me grace and pardon. Give unto the faithful departed, rest and life everlasting. Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 9 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” and the Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859) Confessor
O Thou, Most Holy Virgin Mary By St John Vianney (1786-1859)
O thou, Most Holy Virgin Mary, who dost evermore stand before the Most Holy Trinity and to whom it is granted, at all times to pray for us to thy Most Beloved Son; pray for me in all my necessities; help me, combat for me and obtain for me, the pardon of all my sins. Help me especially at my last hour and when I can no longer give any sign of the use of reason, then do thou encourage me, make the Sign of the Cross for me and fight for me against the enemy. Make in my name, a profession of faith; favour me with a testimony of my salvation and never let me despair of the mercy of God. Help me to overthrow the wicked enemy. When I can no longer say: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I place my soul in your hands,” do thou say it for me; when I can no longer hear human words of consolation, do thou comfort me. Leave me not before I have been judged and if I have to expiate my sins in Purgatory, Oh! pray for me earnestly and admonish my friends, to procure for me a speedy enjoyment of the Blessed Sight of God. Lessen my sufferings, deliver me speedily and lead my soul into Heaven with thee that, united with all the elect, I may there bless and praise my God and thee, for all eternity. Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 11 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Daily Offering to the Father Attri To St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)
Eternal Father, I offer Thee 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, for those in my own home, and in my family. Amen
You might see fantastic claims for this prayer, especially printed on Holy Cards, such as the release of 1000 souls from Purgatory, each time it is prayed. Nowhere in St Gertrude’s writings, is this wild promise made so be careful of treating prayers and devotions as amulets or magical charms. And further, this prayer is claimed to have been written by heer but this is very uncertain. The Church has summarily condemned prayer cards containing a promise to release one or more souls from Purgatory, or any other ‘miraculous’ claims. Such an easy way to release 1,000 souls seems inconsistent with the Church’s understanding of Purgatory and, given all the means the Church employs to help the dead, such as special Masses or Indulgences applicable only to the dead.
Our Morning Offering – 3 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart”
Heart of Jesus! Unknown author (Published 1929)
Heart of Jesus! I entreat Fill my soul with graces sweet! Heart of Jesus! Help me win Freedom from all mortal sin!
Heart of Jesus! Keep my soul Ever under Thy control! Heart of Jesus! Kindle mine With the fire of faith divine!
Heart of Jesus! Give me a light To see, to think, to act aright! Heart of Jesus! Sorrow-rent Make me truly penitent!
Heart of Jesus! Soften mine Out of gratitude to Thine! Heart of Jesus! Full of love Lead my thoughts to Heaven above!
Heart of Jesus! Give me grace My purgatory here to face! Heart of Jesus! Let me be Ever filled with love of Thee! Heart of Jesus! Holy shrine, Be It ever home of mine!
Thought for the Day – 5 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Venial Sin
“Next to mortal sin, the greatest of all evils is venial sin. Sin is always an offence against the God of goodness, When we sin, we place our own will above His and put Him in a position secondary to ourselves. If mortal sin is spiritual suicide because it extinguishes, in us, the divine life of grace, venial sin is an injury, more or less grave, to the soul. The former completely separates us from God; the latter moves us further away from Him. Mortal sin means the death of the soul. Venial sin is a disease of the soul which reduces its supernatural powers and leaves it more open to the ever–increasing attraction of evil.
We cannot speak of small sins, as if sin could be a triviality. Sin is always something great and terrible because, it is an offence against our Creator and Redeemer, Whom we should love, honour and serve with every impulse of our heart and with the whole strength of our will. It is the height of ingratitude because, in order to offend God, we make use of the gifts He has given us – our eyes, ears, speech and all our powers of soul and body.
Let us think seriously about this. We must firmly resolve to be more vigilant so that, with the grace of God, we may avoid ever committing a deliberate venial sin.
The Gospel tells us that we must render an account of every idle word and that nothing tarnished can be admitted into the splendour of Paradise. In the terrible torments of Purgatory, we must pay the full price for all our faults, even the slightest!”
One Minute Reflection – 12 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Wisdom 13: 1-9; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 17: 26-37
“On that day, … a person in the field, must not return to what was left behind.” – Luke 17:31
REFLECTION – “He that will be in the field, do not let him turn back.” How may I understand what is the field unless Jesus Himself teaches me? He says, “No-one putting his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” The lazy person sits in the farmhouse but the industrious person, plants in the field. The weak are at the fireplace but the strong are at the plough. The smell of a field is good because the smell of Jacob is the smell of a full field. A field is full of flowers. It is full of different fruits. Plough your field if you want to be sent to the Kingdom of God. Let your field flower, fruitful with good rewards. Let there be a fruitful vine on the sides of your house and young olive plants around your table. Already aware of its fertility, let your soul, sown with the Word of God and tilled by spiritual farming, say to Christ, “Come, my brother, let us go out into the field.” Let Him reply, “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my vintage of myrrh.” What is better than the vintage of faith, by which the fruit of the resurrection is stored and the spring of eternal rejoicing is watered?” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan and one of the original four Fathers and Doctors of the Latin Church (Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 8)
PRAYER – Lord God, grant to us that the power of Your protecting hand may keep us unshaken in the face of our ancient enemy and all his hidden snares. Lighten our way so that, through the prayers of intercession of the Angels and Saints, we may experience the joy of Your presence in our hearts, courage in times of suffering and the wisdom to obey Your instructions. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
Thought for the Day – 9 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
INDULGENCES
“Indulgences are among the means by which we can help to satisfy the Divine Justice for our own offences and for those of the faithful depared.
Unfortunately, very few Christians understand the true nature of indulgences. As a result, they neglect to fulfil the conditions necessary to gain them.
Canon Law defines an indulgence as “the remission in the sight of God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven, which, the proper ecclesiastical authority concedes from the treasury of the Church, for the living, by way of absolution and for the dead, by way of suffrage” (Canon 911). The main requirement is to be in the state of grace, which sinners can attain by means of the Sacrament of Penance, or by an Act of PERFECT CONTRITION. If properly made, Confession takes away sin and eternal punishment but, not temporal punishment. This may be cancelled by means of penance, prayer and good works. In the early days of the Church, the penitential system was most severe (I wish it were so again!) According to the degree of gravity, different sins drew penances of days, weeks or months of fasting on bread and water. As times changed, the Church reduced these penalties and granted indulgences instead.
What we may ask, is the theological basis for these indulgences? It is the spiritual treasury which is at the disposal of the Church, made up of the infinite merits of our Redeemer and added to, by the merits of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints. These merits are communicated to us by the Church by reason of the consoling Dogma of the Communion of Saints, according to which, the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, constitutes one Mystical Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head.
The Church has power to dispose of this immense treasure by reason of the injunction given to her by her Founder, when He said to St Peter: “Whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). There are no reservations – the injunction applies, not only to sin but, also to its punishment. It is clear that indulgences are not merely a dispensation from the penitential discipline in the eyes of the Church, as certain heretics held and still hold but also, in the sight of God. Indulgences reflect, both the mercy and the justice of God. They reflect His justice because complete satisfaction is rendered by the merits of Jesus Christ. They reflect His mercy because these merits are applied to us poor sinners and also, by way of suffrage, to the souls of our departed friends.”
AnaStpaul 
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