Charity for the suffering souls : an explanation of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory. With a treatise on the Archconfraternity of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and on the spiritual benevolent fraternity for the relief and ransom of the suffering souls

Front matter

“ Blessed are they that wash their robes in the Blood of the Lamb.” Apoc. xxii., 14.

An Explanation of the Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory.

With a Treatise on the Archconfraternity of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spiritual Benevolent Fraternity for the Relief and

Preface

HE Omnipotent Word of God, which in the beginning called forth from nothing this magnifi¬ cent universe, which even penetrated the tomb and compelled death to deliver up its victims; this divine Word which on the Day of Judgment will echo from the rising of the sun to the going-down thereof and summon the dead of all nations to receive retribu¬ tion : this Divine and Omnipotent Word is even now heard by the dead proclaiming to them pardon and deliverance from the pains of Purgatory. “Amen, amen, I say unto you, that the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” (John v, 25.)

To move this Omnipotent Word to grant pardon and deliverance to the Suffering Souls in considera¬ tion of the suffrages of the faithful on earth—such is the object of the following treatises. They are to induce the reader to hasten by his prayer the blessed hour when his brethren and sisters in Purgatory shall hear the summons of the Son of God, “Go forth from your torments; go forth, your punishment is remit¬ ted. Enter into the joy of your Eord.”

Vlll

Preface,

It is, alas, undeniably true that the great majority of men are but little interested in the Suffering Souls who so ardently desire help. Some neglect this duty because they are infidels. They deny the existence of Purgatory, and consequently they do not believe that the faithful can aid the souls confined in it. Besides the infidels, who judge all things religious according to their own limited views, those also deny the middle state, who are separated from the communion of the Catholic Church. Others neglect to assist the Suffer¬ ing Souls because they have no true conception of this duty, nor of the great advantages to be gained by performing this work of charity. Those separated from the Church do not help the Poor Souls because they do not believe in Purgator}^; and many negligent Catholics, despite their belief in this doctrine, do not aid the Suffering Souls because they consider it too inconvenient to do so.

The disbelief in the existence of Purgatory and the neglect of prayer for the captive souls detained in it are both very harmful. Disbelief is in conflict with the doctrine of the Catholic Church, which from the earliest ages has taught the existence of a middle state and the efficacy of prayer for the dead; neglect of this prayer is contrary to the general duty of char¬ ity, wdiich obliges us to come to the aid of our fellow-man when and wherever we can. How ungrateful of us and how detrimental to the Suffering Souls, if we

Preface.

IX

Catholics refuse them this Christian charity either because we are ignorant of it or do not sufficiently esteem it! In order to remedy as far as possible this hurtful disregard of duty, we have collected in this volume the most important and instructive points concerning the doctrine of Purgatory. The sources from which these points have been gathered are Holy Scripture, tradition, the decrees of the Church, the writings of the Holy Fathers, the unanimous assent of all nations, and even the writings of non-Catholics. The means by which we can aid the Suffering Souls are extensively treated, especially the expiatory value of Holy Mass; various popular questions are explained at length; the motives for practicing the devotion to the Suffering Souls and the gratitude of these souls towards their benefactors are comprehensively dis¬ cussed—all this with a view to enkindle our zeal for this charitable work.

As deeds always impress more deeply than words, the instructions are frequently illustrated by exampies; but only such examples have been admitted as are of undoubted authenticity. In our times a spurious belief in spiritualism is rampant throughout the world. Thousands and thousands belong to so-called spiritualistic circles and are so being led astray by evil spirits. Our spiritualistic belief is essentially ' true and Catholic, because it is based on the authority of divine faith: namely, we believe in God, in

X

Preface.

the immortality of the soul, in guardian angels, in the saints, and in a Purgatory in the next world. May the belief in this spiritualistic doctrine gain more and more adherents ! And would that every Catholic were filled with fervent, heroic zeal for this work of charity—how many Poor Souls would then be released from their painful captivity! Thereby the number of saints in heaven would be increased to the greater glory of God, while at the same time the salvation of souls here on earth would be greatly promoted.

Concerning the extraordinary events related in this book the author declares, in conformity with a decree of Pope Urban VIII., that he claims for them only human credence, excepting such as are favored with the authoritative decision of the Church. Cre¬ dence derived from human testimony may however furnish us with the same certitude concerning the truth of a question as does human science, provided the credibility of the person stating a fact is beyond doubt. When once it is established that the condi¬ tions required to make a certain fact credible have all been fulfilled, then it is clear that a doubt concerning the truth of that fact is no longer reasonable. When the trustworthiness of the witnesses cannot be called in question—that is, when it is proved that they knew the fact to be true and were willing to testify to its truth ; when we are sure that we have received an authentic account of the event—then deception is

Preface.

XI impossible; and in such cases human testimony is perfectly reliable. Among the great number of oc¬ currences relating to the Suffering Souls we have selected only the most pertinent, and of these again the best authenticated.

Finally, in order to induce the reader to make practical use of the instructions contained in this volume and because the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the principal and most effective means of helping the Suffering Souls, we concluded to add to this work an explanation of the aim and object of the Archconfrafernity of the Most Precious Blood for the Relief of the Suffering Souls, and of the Spiritual Benevolent Fraternity instituted for the same purpose. These

t

instructions are followed by a selection of prayers cal¬ culated to assist pious souls in their devotions for the relief and ransom of their suffering brethren.

Who can describe the ecstacy, the heavenly joy with which our souls will be enraptured, when we shall meet in the realms of bliss a parent, a brother or sister, a friend or acquaintance, whose release from Purgatory we obtained by our suffrages, whose en¬ trance into everlasting glory we hastened by our prayers! Most sweet indeed is the consolation con¬ tained in the doctrine of our holy religion which teaches us that true love, founded in God, is not ex¬ tinguished by death, but gains its realization in and through God; and that by this love, which is the

Xll

Preface.

bond of perfection, the Church suffering, the Church triumphant and the Church militant are made one family, one body, united for a diversity of ministra¬ tions under one Head, Christ our Lord.

May these treatises move fervent and charitable hearts to hasten to the Fountain of the Most Precious Blood, to draw down its cooling dew on the Suffering Souls.

The author formally declares that he submits everything contained in this volume to the infallible judgment of the Holy Catholic Church, whose office it is to scrutinize and approve whatever is taught as Catholic doctrine. In her saving communion he hopes to live and die.

The Author.

St. Joseph's College^

Collegeville, Indiana. •

Contents

Page.

Approbations. iii

Preface. vii

CHAPTER 1. The Existence oe Purgatory

§ 1. Eternity. 1

§ 2. Purgatory. 5

§ 8. Sentiment. 9

§ 4. Reason. 10

^ 5. The Unanimous Concurrence of all Nations in the

Belief in Purgatory. 14

§ 6. Opponents of Purgatory. 17

§ 7. Uninterrupted Tradition of the Church and Pur¬ gatory . 28

? 8. Divine Revelation and Purgatory. 26

CHAPTER II. The Condition of the Suffering Soues in Purgatory

^ 9. The Spiritual Condition of the Suffering Souls. ... 84

^10. Spiritual Torments of the Suffering Souls. 41

11. The Suffering Souls’ Pain of Sense. 46

§12. Other Punishments of Purgatory,. 49

§ 18. Consolations in Purgatory. 58

§ 14. The Duration of Purgatory. 60

§ 15. The Location of Purgatory. 66

§16. Credibility of Apparitions of Departed Souls. 68

Chapter III

. On the Means of Reeieving the Suffering Soues.

§17. On the Means of Relief in General. 75

§ 18. Catholic Burial. 79

(xiii)

XIV

Contents.

Page.

^ 20, Official Prayer of the Church for the Suffering

Souls.

\ 21. The Blessed Virgiu Mary and the Suffering Souls 100

\ 22. The Saints and the Suffering Souls. 107

^ 23, The Angels and the Suffering Souls.... .113

\ 24. Confraternities for the Relief of the Suffering

Souls. 118

^ 25. The Efficacy of Holy Water in Behalf of the Suffer¬ ing Souls. 131

^ 2G. The Burning of Blessed Candles is Beneficial to the

Suffering Souls. 137

^ 27. Effect of Indulgences on the Suffering Souls. 140

\ 28. Fasting for the Benefit of the Suffering Souls. 148

\ 29. Alms-deeds Release the Suffering Souls. 154

I 30. Offering Holy Communion for the Suffering Souls

is Most Beneficial to Them .. 1G7

^ 31. The State of Grace is Necessary to Make Good

Works Profitable to the Suffering Souls. 175

^ 32. The Holy Sacrifice of Mass is the Most Powerful

Means of Aiding the Suffering Souls. 179

^ 33, Value and Importance of Holy Mass for the Re¬ lease of the Suffering Souls. 18G

^ 34, Mass is the Renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross

for the Consolation of the Suffering Souls.192

I 35. Holy Mass is Essentially a Propitiatory Sacrifice

for the Faithful Departed. .. 199

^ 3G. Application of the Fruits of Holy Mass to the Suf¬ fering So-uls in Purgatory. 204

\ 37. The Mass of Requiem. 214

^ 38. Pligh Mass of Requiem. 219

^ 39. What is more Profitable and Meritorious—to have Masses Celebrated for Ourselves during Life, or

after Death ?. 223

^ 40. What Amount of Punishment is Remitted b}" a

Holy Mass?. 227

41, Is the Celebration of Low or Private Masses Per¬

mitted ?. 231

42. The Relative Value of One High Mass and Five

Private Masses. 238

Contents.

XV

Page.

\ 43. The Fruits of Holy Mass are not Granted Exclu¬ sively to the Soul for wdiom the Sacrifice is Offered 25G 2 44. What Formulas does the Church Use in Masses for

the Dead?. 260

§ 45. On what Days are Requiem Masses Permitted?. . .. 263 ^ 46. What is Better—to Wait for a Day on which the Mass of Requiem is Permitted, or to have the

Mass of the Day Said for the Deceased?. 264

\ 47. What is Better — to Found one or more Masses for our Deceased, or to Devote the Amount to Manual Stipends ?•. 270

48. What is a Privileged Altar?... 274

\ 49. What is Meant by a Memento? . 276

2 50. What is Requisite to Have a Mass Celebrated for

the Faithful Departed?. 280

^ 51. Is there a Special Fruit Derived from Masses Cele¬ brated in Gratitude towards Benefactors?. 286

CHAPTER IV. On the Motives for Heeping the Suffering Soues

^ 52. General Motives for Helping the Suffering Souls. . 305

I 53. Motives Relating to God. 312

§ 54. Motives Relating to the Suffering Souls.. 327

55. Motives Relating to Ourselves.346

56. Motives Relating to this Devotion Itself. 362

CHAPTER V. Gratitude of the Suffering Soues

\ 57. The Suffering Souls show their Gratitude by Pray¬ ing for their Benefactors. 384

§ 58. The Gratitude of the Suffering Souls towards their Benefactors is Manifested Interiorly and Ex¬ teriorly. 401

^ 59. The Suffering Souls Aid their Benefactors in Tem¬ poral Affairs.410

\ 60, The Holy Souls Assist their Benefactors in the

Affairs of Salvation. 429

\ 61. The Suffering Souls Assist their Benefactors in

Death and before the Tribunal of Judgment. 445

XVl

Contents.

Chapter VI

The Heroic Act of Charity for the Suffering Soues.

\ G2, What is the Heroic Act of Charity for the Suffering

\ 63. The Practice of the Heroic Act of Charity. 468

\ 64. Motives for Making the Heroic Act of Charity. 486

^ 65. Indulgences and Privileges of the Heroic Act of

Charity... 407

CHAPTER VII. Apparitions of a Suffering Soue in 1870 .. ■. 503

APPENDIX I.

The Archconfraternity of the Most Precious Beood of

Our Lord Jesus Christ for the Reeief and Ran¬ som OF THE Suffering Soues in Purgatory.

I. The Archconfraternity of the Most Precious Blood . 510

Indulgences and Privileges. 523

Special Privileges of Priests. 520

II. Remarks on Indulgences. 532

HI. The Spiritual Benevolent P'raternity for the Relief

of the Suffering Souls. 541

Rules of the Spiritual Benevolent Fraternity. 555

APPENDIX II.

• Prayers for the Suffering Soues.

I. Seven Offerings of the Most Precious Blood. 561

II. Litany of the Most Precious Blood. 563

HI. The Way of the Cross .... ‘. 567

IV. The Holy Rosary. 572

V. Ejaculatory Prayers With Indulgences for the Suf¬ fering Souls. 575 ivr 4 •

CHAPTER I. The Existence of Purgatory

§ 1. Eternity.

1. There is no doubt'but that the question of our existence after death is the most important and con¬ sequential of all questions. It is the fundamental question of life, decisive of our eternal destiny. There¬ fore it ever was, and must be, the ultimate and essential purpose of Religion to answer this question.

Eternal thanks to Our Divine Redeemer! We Catho¬ lics have the reasons of the faith that is in us implanted deeply in our hearts. Christ, “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” who dispels all darkness, lifted the veil that covers the next world and expressed Himself in the- most emphatic manner that annihilation is not our destiny, but that we are created for an everlasting life, either of bliss or of torment. “And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just into life everlasting.” (Matth. xxv. 46.)

2. The body, taken from the earth, returns to dust; but the soul, the spirit breathed into man by his Creator, appears, after death, before God’s tribunal to be judged. The soul is immaterial, invisible, a spirit, created in the likeness of God, and immortal. As a child that re¬ sembles its parents is the image of its father or mother.

Chapter I.

because it has similar features, etc., thus man is the image of God, because he possesses similar (not the same) attributes as God. “And God created man to His own image.” (Gen. i. 27.) Like God, man was to be pure, immaculate, an heir of the kingdom of heaven; he was to be gifted with great knowledge and to be free from concupiscence, misery, pain, and even from death. Thus was the being, which is by nature an immortal spirit, endowed with reason and free will, gifted by the Creator with supernatural quali¬ ties. But sin destroyed the work of God. It dishonored heaven and thinned out the ranks of the angels; it destro3’ed paradise and man’s eternal happiness, until the former was regained and the latter restored b}' the Son of God at the price of His Most Precious Blood.

3. JOvSeph was the savior of Egypt from famine: Jesus Christ became the Saviour of mankind from eternal damnation. Jo.seph was persecuted by his brethren, ill-treated b}' them and sold for twenty pieces of silver: Jesus was betrayed b^" Judas, denied b^' Peter, and sold for thirty pieces of silver. After man}" trials and tribulations Joseph was placed over all Egypt, for Pharao said to him: “Seeing God hath shewed thee all thou hast said, can I find one wiser and one like unto thee? Thou shalt be over my house, and at the com¬ mandment of they mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne will I be above thee. And again Pharao .said to Joseph: Behold I have appointed thee over the whole land of Egypt. And he took his ring from his own hand, and gave it into his hand: and he put upon him a robe of silk, and put a chain of gold about his neck. And he made him go up into his second chariot, the crier proclaiming that all should

f)

bow their knee before him, and that they should know he was made governor of the whole land of Egypt. And the king said to Joseph: I am Pharao; without thy commandment no man shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And he turned his name, and called-him in the Egyptian tongue the Saviour of the world.” (Gen. xli. 39—45.) Now Joseph had power over life and death in the land of Egypt. To him all had to go that desired to escape the pangs of hunger; even his father and his brethren had to bow before him and accept of him the necessaries of life. Pharao’s order was, “Go to Joseph!” Although Joseph opened the full granaries and provided Egypt with bread, yet those only were .saved that made personal application to him and received the gift out of his own hand. Therefore all the people flocked to him ; old and young, relatives and strangers, friends and foes, flocked to him from all countries to purchase provisions.

4. Our Lord Jesus Chri.st also had to suffer, and His sufferings were greater than those of Joseph in Egv^pt, because He was to be the Saviour of all mankind from eternal death. But He showed Him.self as the “Wonderful,” as the valiant Hero of whom Lsaias fore¬ tells, “The people that walked in darkne.ss have .seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.” (I.sai. ix. 2.) “For a Child is born to us, and a .son is given us, and the govern¬ ment is on his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Coun.sellor, God, the Mighty, the Father of the'world to come, the Prince of peace. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to e.stablish it and strengthen it with judgment

Chapter /.

*

and with justice from henceforth and forever.” (Isai. IX. 6 , 7.)—Jesus “received from God the Father honor and glory, this voice coming down to Him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I have pleased myself; hear ye Him.” (ii Peter i. 17.) —Jesus says of Himself: “All power is given to me in heaven and on earth.” (Matth. xxviii. 18.)—“For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and has given Him a name which is above all names: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth.” (Philip, ii. 9, 10.) His vic¬ tory was accomplished in sacrificial death. Redemption was achieved when Jesus, in view of heaven and eartlr, exclaimed dying on the cross, “It is consummated.” (John XIX. 30.)

5. Then death, man’s eternal ruin caused b}^ sin, was overcome through the victory of Christ, and life was restored by Him “Who was delivered up for our sins and rose again for our justification.” (Rom. iv. 25.) The power of darkness was destroyed; mankind was delivered from disgraceful captivity; the abj'ss of hell was closed and the gates of paradise were reopened. Christ’s treasury of atonement is superabundant and for ever inexhaustible; it is not diminished or depleted even if millions upon millions draw from it grace upon grace, health and strength, light and life. As all the country flocked to Joseph, thus do men “of all nations, and tribes, and peoples” (Apoc. vii. 9.) come to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, to obtain the eternal heritage of heaven. Without the command of chaste Joseph “no man shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt;” without the will of Jesus Christ no man shall enter paradise recovered for us by Him.

The Existence of Purgatory.

To attain salvation all must obey Him; we must per¬ sonally use the means of grace instituted and ordained by Him; we must, moreover, co-operate with the graces He grants us. On this depends our eternal destiny.

Eternity ! Eternity!—Heaven or Hell, one of the tAvo AA^e mu.st choose by our lives. Because “the unjust”— such either b}^ transgression or through unsatisfied justice — “shall not possess the kingdom of God” (i Cor. VI. 9.), the ineffable mercy of God, in consideration of the merits of Jesus Christ, created, in the next Avorld, a place of purification for those Avho, at the time of their death, are not entirely pure: this place is called Purgatory.

^ 2. Purgatory.

6. BetAveen Hea\^en, “the place of refreshment, light and peace,” and Hell, the abode of eternal torment, tnere is, till the day of general judgment, a middle state, called Purgatory, for those souls that depart this life justified, but still in need of final purification. In this place of punishment and purification, of justice and mere}', dwell the souls that have venial sins to expiate, or temporal punishment to undergo, or both. The doctrine of the Catholic Church concerning Pur¬ gatory is expressed in the folloAving tAvo sentences:

1) There is, in the next world, a temporary place for the atonement of such A^enial sins, and temporal punishments of sin, as man is found guilty of on his departure from this Avorld.

2) The faithful can, by prayer and good AA^orks, especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, assist the souls suffering in Purgatory.

Chapter I.

Concerning the location of Purgatory, the nature of its torments, the extent of its suffering, etc., the Church has made no official declarations, hence only the two above sentences are dogmas which we must believe under pain of excommunication. Neverthele.ss we should be guilty of- culpable temerity if we were to reject the generally accepted doctrine of the holy Fathers and of notable spiritual writers relative to some other points concerning Purgator}'.

7. In connection with the Catholic doctrine con¬ cerning Purgatory it is necessary to bear in mind the doctrine of remission of sins. With the remission of mortal sin there is neces.saril3' connected the remission, of its eternal punishment. But the case stands quite differently with regard to the te^riporal punishment of sin which God permits to remain even after the remis- .sion of its guilt. The sinner who committed a mortal sin and thereby became an enem\" of God becomes, through the sacrament of penance, a friend, a child of God; his eternal punishment is condoned, but a tem¬ poral punishment remains. It is, however, the gen¬ eral doctrine of theologians that at least a part of the temporal punishment is remitted, ever>' time, in the tribunal of penance, and that this part is in proportion to the contrition and penitent disposition of the repent¬ ant sinner. The remaining part must be atoned for in this world b^’ penance, or in the next by the tor¬ ments of Purgator}'.

8. Both the temporal punishment 3^et due to sin remitted, and the stain of venial sin \^et unremitted are, in the sight of God, a defilement of the soul. Venial sin, to which man is so prone, is not remitted by merely external works of penance without true contrition; its remission depends on the interior disposi¬ tion of the penitent soul, on perfect charity, patience and resignation to the will of God. “Whether remis¬ sion is obtained gradually by means of repeated acts,” says Deharbe {^Explanation of the Catechism^ vol, ii. p. 409) “or at the parting of the soul from the body through one act of perfect charity, is a question on which theologians do not agree. Suarez defends the latter opinion, because such an act is followed by an increase of charity or sanctifying grace, and may be made so perfectly as to cleanse the soul from every inclination to sin.”

9. We must not, however, conclude from this that all souls shall be excluded from the beatific vision of God until they shall have passed through the fiery furnace of Purgatory. Such a view is untenable. Un¬ questionably true as it is that many souls are banished forever from the presence of God immediately after the particular judgment, it cannot, on the other hand, be denied that they that were cleansed from all their faults in this life, soar up, after the particular judgment, into the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of peace, whose inha¬ bitants are blissful in love.

Moreover, from the fact that a soul is sentenced to chastisement in Purgator}’' the conclusion is not to be drawn that it will be inferior in heavenly glory to souls admitted to heaven without undergoing purification by fire. The most precious stones and metals sometimes need longer and more thorough purification than less valuable ones. The degree of their value depends on their interior worth and not on the dross and corrosion that surrounds them. Thus also the degree of heavenly glory depends on the merit of each saint. Thus it may

Chapter I.

happen that souls eminent for works of penance and full of merit, may nevertheless have to remain in Pur¬ gatory longer, and yet, after their purification, they may attain to a higher degree of glory than such as were not in need of purification. Each one shall receive his reward according to his merit, after having paid the last farthing of his debt, being “ purified as if by fire.”

lo. The religious innovators of the last centuries, by denying the existence of Purgatory, made an attempt indefensible both before the tribunal of reli¬ gion and of reason. They desire to replace this con¬ soling doctrine by one more pleasing to the “ father of lies,”' onl}" for the sake of innovation, and instigated by pride, avarice, envy, sensuality, etc. The rebels dare to weigh God’s mercy and judgment in the scales of their darkened reason. By rejecting prayer for the dead and the doctrine of temporal punishment of sin, they disrupt one of the most sacred bonds with which faith has encircled mankind, viz. the communion of saints. The Church militant, suffering and triumphant in its entirety composes the mystical body of Christ, who is the Head, whilst the faithful are the members. The departed, then, who died in the Lord, are an integral part of this great mystical body, either as saints in heaven, or as suffering souls in Purgatory. But the misguided innovators have only the darkness of the grave to place between the human heart and its departed loved ones. Their presumption is condemned by divine revelation and the constant tradition of the Church, by the unanimous belief of all nations, and Iw^ Non-Catholics themselves, by reason and by sentiment. Leaving these gloomy and rebellious men to deny the

The Existence of Purgatory.

Suffering Souls a prayer, we shall seek to prove in the following pages how all nations and all ages concur in the sentiment: “ There is a Purgatory ; and ‘it is there¬ fore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.’ ” (II. Mach. XII., 46.)

^ 3. Sentiment.

11. Like unto a mourning dove, the beloved Spouse of Christ, the Church, never interrupts her sighs and prayers for the faithful departed until they have arrived in the port of eternal bli.ss. She renews, in Holy Ma.ss our Divine Redeemer’s sacrificial death, offering it up to His Heavenly Father; she invites the Church triumphant and the Church militant to join in persevering prayer for the Church suffering. What a consolation for the dying, what a reassurance for the living to profess a religion .so comforting : consoling to the dying who, though cleansed from all mortal sin by the hoi}" sacraments, yet are uncertain whether they shall be found sufficiently pure, and worthy of heaven, but rest a.ssured that the Church triumphant and mili¬ tant will come to their aid after death ; comforting for their surviving friends, because they continue to show them their affection in case they should stand in need of their assistance in the purifying flames.—Hence we can never be sufficiently thankful to God for'having called us to a religion whose maternal care, charity and zeal goes beyond the confines of onr earthly pil¬ grimage and follows us even after onr eyes have been closed in death.

12. How sorely we feel the parting from our dear When the dying husband bids farewell to his ones !

Chapter I.

loving wife, recommending himself to her prayers; when affectionate children stand around the death-bed of a dear mother, listening to her parting words ; when the death of a dear friend is announced to us, we are overwhelmed‘with sorrow ; the smart of parting wellnigh breaks our heart. At such moments religion, with its heavenly consolation, comes to our aid, ex¬ horting us to lift up our hands in supplication to our brethren of the Church triumphant, to distribute with liberal charity among our suffering dear ones our pray¬ ers, alms and suffrages. How beautiful is this faith, how consoling this doctrine of the communion of saints !

Therefore, Christian soul, do not abandon yourself to sorrow; follow the advice of St. Paul, “ Do not mourn as those who have no hope.” Remember the parting words of St. Monica to her son, St. Augustine, ” Remember me at the altar of God!” Glancing at the battlefield of the Machabees, make an act of faith in the existence of Purgatory, saying with the inspired writer, “It is a holy and w’holesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sins.”