Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich: Pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

"The prayer most pleasing to God is that made for others and particularly for the poor souls.

Pray for them, if you want your prayers to bring high interest."

"The poor souls suffer inexpressibly."

"Many stay a long time in purgatory who, although not great sinners, have lived tepidly."

~ Anne Catherine Emmerich ~

"The life of Anna Katharina Emmerick is marked by her profound closeness to Christ. She loved to pray before the famous Coesfeld Cross, and she walked the path of the long Way of the Cross frequently. So great was her personal participation in the sufferings of our Lord that it is not an exaggeration to say that she lived, suffered and died with Christ. An external sign of this, which is at the same time, however, more than just a sign, are the wounds of Christ which she bore."

"...Anna Katharina Emmerick understood her suffering as a service to salvation. Dr. Wesener, her doctor, recounts her petition in his diary: “I have always requested for myself as a special gift from God that I suffer for those who are on the wrong path due to error or weakness, and that, if possible, I make reparation for them.”

~ Pope John Paul II; excerpts from Homily ~

 

Fr. Anthony Brankin: Satan's Personal Battles Against Each of God's Children

Fr. Anthony Brankin is pastor of St. Odilo Parish, Berwyn, Illinois.

Cardinal Mundelein commissioned Father William J. Roberts in April of 1927 to establish a new parish in Berwyn under the patronage of St. Odilo and officially honored the parish church as "The National Shrine of the Souls in Purgatory".

An Urgent Duty to Relieve Souls in Purgatory

"Alas! how feeble is our faith! If a domestic animal, a little dog, falls into the fire, do you delay to draw it out? And see, your parents, benefactors, persons most dear to you, writhe in the flames of Purgatory, and you do not consider it your urgent duty to relieve them; you delay, you allow long days of suffering to pass for those poor souls, without making an effort to perform those good works which will release them from their pains."

~ Fr. F. X. Shouppe, from Purgatory ~

Fr. Paul of Moll: Purgatory for a Materialistic Soul

Father Paul said to a Young Lady who came to visit him, "A very heavy cross is in store for you....Are you not afraid of it?" ' Oh, well," she replied, "it will probably not be so heavy when it comes." "Ah, but it will, and you will groan under the weight of it. But come afterwards, and I will help you to carry it."

A few weeks later her brother-in-law committed suicide, and all the relatives were overwhelmed with grief. Remembering Father Paul's invitation the young lady returned to the monastery, and the Rev. Father gave her some reasuring information concerning the state of the soul of the deceased, saying, Your brother-in-law committed suicide in a fit of fever and was not responsible. He was very good to his wife and children and was beloved by them; but all his thoughts were centered on the material things of the world, he never thought of the future of his soul which is now in the depths of purgatory. You must pray a great deal for him." Then Father Paul went over the whole life of the deceased, as if he had followed his career step by step.

~ Excerpts from Father Paul of Moll ~
by Edward van Speybrouck, Tan Books and Publishers

Souls in Purgatory Help Those Who Pray for Them

"We must pray for the Souls in Purgatory.

It is unbelievable, what they can do for our spiritual good,

out of gratitude they have towards those on earth

who remember to pray for them."

~ St. Padre Pio ~

Purgatory: Merciful Purification

"The Divine Essence is so pure —

purer than the imagination can conceive —

that the soul,
finding in itself the slightest imperfection,

would rather cast itself into a thousand hells than appear,
so stained,

in the presence of the Divine Majesty.

Knowing, then, that Purgatory was intended for her cleansing,

she throws herself therein,

and finds there that great mercy, the removal of her stains."

~ St. Catherine of Genoa ~

Intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory

"If one knew what we may obtain from God by the intercession of the Holy Souls,

they would not be so much abandoned.

Let us pray a great deal for them,

they will pray for us. "

~ St. John Vianney ~

Remembering the Souls in Purgatory

"When Saint Paul tells us that God dwells in inaccessible light,

we must remember the poor souls in purgatory,

who, with eyes still dim from the dust of this world,

are too weak to be able to gaze like the eagle on that dazzling brightness."

~ Blessed Ildefonso Schuster ~