From St. Faustina’s diary on the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

It was at that time that I asked the Lord for whom else should I pray for. Jesus said that on the following night He would let me know for whom I should pray.  [The next night] I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God.

I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in PURGATORY. The souls call her “The Star of the Sea.” She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. [I heard an interior voice] which said, My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls. (Diary, 20)

One night, a sister who had died two months previously came to me. She was a sister of the first choir. I saw her in a terrible condition, all in flames with her face painfully distorted. This lasted only a short time, and then she disappeared. A shudder went through my soul because I did not know whether she was suffering in PURGATORY or in hell. Nevertheless, I redoubled my prayers for her. The next night she came again, but I saw her in an even more horrible state, in the midst of flames which were even more intense, and despair was written all over her face. I was astonished to see her in a worse condition after the prayers I had offered for her, and I asked, “Haven’t my prayers helped you?” She answered that my prayers had not helped her and that nothing would help her. I said to her, “And the prayers which the whole community has offered for you, have they not been any help to you?” She said no, that these prayers had helped some other souls. I replied, “If my prayers are not helping you, Sister, please stop coming to me.” She disappeared at once. Despite this, I kept on praying.

After some time she came back again to me during the night, but already her appearance had changed. There were no longer any flames, as there had been before, and her face was radiant, her eyes beaming with joy. She told me that I had a true love for my neighbor and that many other souls had profited from my prayers. She urged me not to cease praying for the souls in PURGATORY, and she added that she herself would not remain there much longer. How astounding are the decrees of God! (Diary, 58)

I sometimes talk too much. A thing could be settled in one or two words, and as for me, I take too much time about it. But Jesus wants me to use that time to say some short indulgenced prayers for the souls in PURGATORY. And the Lord says that every word will be weighed on the day of judgment. (Diary, 274)

One of the deceased sisters, who had already visited me a few times, appeared to me. The first time I had seen her, she had been in great suffering, and then gradually these sufferings had diminished; this time she was radiant with happiness, and she told me she was already in heaven. She told me that God had tried (58) our house with tribulation because Mother General [Michael] had given in to doubts, not believing what I had said about this soul. And further, as a sign that she only now was in heaven, God would bless our house. Then she came closer to me, embraced me sincerely and said, “I must go now.” I understood how closely the three stages of a soul’s life are bound together; that is to say, life on earth, in PURGATORY and in heaven [the Communion of Saints]. (Diary, 594)

O Jesus, I understand that Your mercy is beyond all imagining, and therefore I ask You to make my heart so big that there will be room in it for the needs of all the souls living on the face of the earth. O Jesus, my love extends beyond the world, to the souls suffering in PURGATORY, and I want to exercise mercy toward them by means of indulgenced prayers. God’s mercy is unfathomable and inexhaustible, just as God Himself is unfathomable. Even if I were to use the strongest words there are to express this mercy of God, all this would be nothing in comparison with what it is in reality. O Jesus, make my heart sensitive to all the sufferings of my neighbor, whether of body or of soul. O my Jesus, I know that You act toward us as we act toward our neighbor. (Diary, 692)

From early morning on the following day, I offered everything for her intention. During Holy Mass, I had a brief experience of her torment. I experienced such intense hunger for God that I seemed to be dying of the desire to become united with Him. This lasted only a short time, but I understood what the longing of the souls in PURGATORY was like. (Diary, 1186)

Today bring to Me the souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury (64) of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice. (Diary, 1226)

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in PURGATORY, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of the purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in PURGATORY, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. (Diary, 1227)

The post On the Church Suffering first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141103n ( 04min) Play – As we remember the dead of the Franciscan Order, we also consider our own resurrection in Christ. We in the Church Militant still have to make the life-long choice of our free will to love God and neighbor, and by neighbors we also include the Church Suffering in Purgatory. Be being reminded of them and of the Church Triumphant in heaven, we can better appreciate the great hope which is ours as Catholic Christians.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Commemoration of the Franciscan Deceased – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Monday in the 31st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: phi 2:1-4
Resp: psa 131:1, 2, 3
Gsp: luk 14:12-14

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Nov 03 – Homily – Fr Maximilian W: Great Hope first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141107n ( 04min) Play – Father reminds us today of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, how dear they are to Our Lord and the Church, and he urges us to, especially in this month dedicated to them, to draw from the treasury of the Church by gaining indulgences for those in Purgatory
Ave Maria!
Mass: Friday in the 31st Week in Ordinary Time – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: phi 3:17-4:1
Resp: psa 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5
Gsp: luk 16:1-8

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Nov 07 – Homily – Fr Matthias: Draw From the Treasury of the Church first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr. Alan explains that the “communion of the saints” involves the whole Church – in heaven, in purgatory, and on earth – and that today’s celebration reminds us of our membership in the illustrious body of Saints. That said, we shouldn’t be complacent or think we can simply coast into heaven. We have to imitate those known saints, exemplars honored by the Church, above all in their virtuous disposition to cooperate with God’s grace.

Ave Maria!

Mass: All Saints – Solemnity

Readings: 
1st: Rev 7:2-4, 9-14
Resp: Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
2nd: 1 John 3:1-3
Gsp: Mt 5:1-12

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Nov 01 – Homily – Fr Alan: All Saints – that means you, too! first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr. Josemaria gives the homily on All Souls Day or the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. He reflects on eternal life that awaits us after death and how we should live our lives in this world with our final goal in mind.

Ave Maria!

Mass: All Souls – Solemnity
Readings: 
1st: wis 3:1-9
Resp: psa 23:1-6
2nd: rom 5:5-11
Gsp: mat 11:25-30

The post Nov 02 – Homily – Fr Josemaria: Death, Eternity & How we Should Live first appeared on AirMaria.com.

In the homily for the memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aug 22), Fr. Maximilian explains the theology behind this feast and title of Mary as queen, based on the correct interpretation of Holy Scripture, as given to the Church guided by the Holy Spirit.

The sublimity of Mary’s role in salvation history cannot be exaggerated: she is the Mother of the Son of God, Our Lord and King, Jesus Christ; she is Queen of Heaven and Earth, and Queen of the Church Triumphant, Church Suffering, and Church Militant. We could not ask for a stronger Advocate before God than Our Blessed Mother and Queen.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Queenship of Mary – Mem

Readings: 
1st: Is 9:1-6
Resp: Ps 112:1-8
Gsp: Lk 1:26-38

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1140

Please like and share this video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/1347747848694358

For Audio go to http://dev.airmaria.com?p=66959

By the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate http://marymediatrix.com

To Subscribe to this channel: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=franciscanfriars

To contribute to Franciscanfriars and AirMaria: http://dev.airmaria.com/contribute/

The post Theology of the Queenship of Mary – Aug 22 – Homily – Fr Maximilian W first appeared on AirMaria.com.

In the homily on the day the Franciscans of the Immaculate remember and pray for all their deceased religious, relatives, benefactors and friends (Nov 05, 2019), Fr. Andre touches on the duty and the  benefits of praying for the dead, in particular those to whom we are most beholden. The greatest prayer we can offer is the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass.

Ave Maria!

Mass: All Deceased of the Franciscan Order

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/1216410155234828
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/WsMYc3WR62Y

To Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=franciscanfriars

The post Pray for the Deceased – Nov 05 – Homily – Fr Andre first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Br. Gabriel preaches a retreat on purgatory called November, Month of Holy Souls. In this second talk, he describes the nature of the realm of purgatory.

Notes:

The realm of purgatory

Cannot sin

People there want to be there until they are purified enough to be in the presence of God

The location most likely inside the Earth

But that is just an opinion

Regardless, both geologists and medieval theologians believe that the realms below are hot

Place of sustained pain to make expiration for temporal debt due to personal sin.

Any suffering here is mild compared to purgatory and is meritorious so it is very worthwhile to suffer patiently now in Union with Christ’s sufferings

5 pains are sensible and more or less severe and render the soul fit to see God face to face

There are no bodies because it’s a spiritual realm but there are sensible pains

6 mental happiness knowing we’re saved in spite of the physical sufferings

Purgatory will end after the general judgment

Love reigns in purgatory

They do not complain about their sufferings but ask for prayers to be able to see God. It is purely a longing for God that is the basis for a suffering

8 salvation is secured but still need help which they can receive from us for mitigation of sentences

Scapular those who wear it will not go to hell and will be freed from purgatory on the Saturday following entry into purgatory

10 purgatory is populated with people of the body of Christ called The Church suffering

The idea that the faithfully departed are still alive it’s part of the reason why we pray to the saints the logic of purgatory and heaven are the same

Story of Driltham, Man raised from the dead who saw purgatory and was completely transformed.

Purgatory Explained by Rev. Fr. F. X. Schouppe, S.J.
Buy: https://www.amazon.com/Purgatory-Explained-Lives-Legends-Saints/dp/0895553015
Read online: https://archive.org/details/purgatory00scho/page/280/mode/2up
Audio: https://librivox.org/purgatory-by-rev-francois-xavier-schouppe/

Also on Youtube: https://youtu.be/V2oQQykit4w

+++

The post 2 of 5 – Purgatory – Nature of the Realm – Br. Gabriel Cortes first appeared on AirMaria.com.