Pope Benedict XVI: St Catherine of Genoa's Mystical Experience of Purgatory

"Thus, for Catherine, 'the soul is aware of God's immense love and perfect justice; as a consequence, it suffers for not having responded to that love perfectly, and it is precisely the love of God Himself which purifies the soul from the ravages of sin'".

"St. Catherine's life teaches us that the more we love God and enter into intimate contact with Him through prayer, the more He makes Himself known and enflames our hearts with His love. By writing about Purgatory, the saint reminds us of a fundamental truth of the faith which becomes an invitation for us to pray for the dead, that they may achieve the blessed vision of God in the communion of the saints". 

~ Pope Benedict XVI, from VIS ~

St. Catherine of Genoa: Reproaches to Persons in This World

And thus this blessed Soul, illuminated by the divine ray, said: “Would that I could utter so

strong a cry that it would strike all men with terror, and say to them: O wretched beings! why are

you so blinded by this world that you make, as you will find at the hour of death, no provision for

the great necessity that will then come upon you?

“You shelter yourselves beneath your hope in the mercy of God, which you unceasingly exalt,

not seeing that it is your resistance to His great goodness which will be your condemnation. His

goodness should constrain you to His will, not encourage you to persevere in your own. Since His

justice is unfailing it must needs be in some way fully satisfied.

“Have not the boldness to say: ‘I will go to confession and gain a plenary indulgence and thus

I shall be saved.’ Remember that the full confession and entire contrition which are requisite to

gain a plenary indulgence are not easily attained. Did you know how hardly they are come by, you

would tremble with fear and be more sure of losing than of gaining them."

~ Excerpt from Treatise on Purgatory by St. Catherine of Genoa ~

St. Catherine of Genoa: Souls in Purgatory Are Content With God's Will

Of the submission of the souls in Purgatory to God's will.

So intimate with God are the souls in Purgatory and so changed to His will, that in all things they are content with His most holy ordinance. And if a soul were brought to see God when it had still a trifle of which to purge itself, a great injury would be done it. For since pure love and supreme justice could not brook that stained soul, and to bear with its presence would not befit God, it would suffer a torment worse than ten purgatories. To see God when full satisfaction had not yet been made Him, even if the time of purgation lacked but the twinkling of an eye, would be unbearable to that soul. It would sooner go to a thousand hells, to rid itself of the little rust still clinging to it, than stand in the divine presence when it was not yet wholly cleansed.

~ St. Catherine of Genoa, from Treatise on Purgatory ~