IN the Life of St. Lutgarda, written
by her contemporary, Thomas de Cantempre, mention is made of a Religious who was
otherwise fervent, but who for an excess of zeal was con demned to forty years
of Purgatory. This was an Abbot of the Cistercian Order, named Simon, who held
St. Lutgarda in great veneration. The saint, on her part, willingly followed his
advice, and in consequence a sort of spiritual friendship was formed between
them. But the Abbot was not as mild towards his subordinates as he was towards
the saint. Severe with himself, he was also severe in his administration, and
carried his exactions in matters of discipline even to harshness, forgetting
the lesson of the Divine Master, who teaches us to be meek and humble of heart.
Having died, and whilst St. Lutgarde was fervently praying and imposing
penances upon herself for the repose of his soul, he appeared to her, and
declared that he was condemned to forty years of Purgatory. Fortunately he had
in Lutgarda a generous and powerful friend. She redoubled her prayers and
austerities, and having received from God the assurance that the departed soul
should soon be delivered, the charitable saint replied, “I will not cease to weep;
I will not cease to importune your Mercy until I see him freed from his pains
“Since I am mentioning St. Lutgarda, ought I to speak of the celebrated
apparition of Pope Innocent III. I acknowledge the perusal of this incident
shocked me, and I would fain pass it over in silence. I was reluctant to think
that a Pope, and such a Pope, had been condemned to so long and terrible a
Purgatory. We know that Innocent III, who presided at the celebrated Council
of Lateran in 1215, was one of the greatest Pontiffs who ever filled the chair
of St. Peter. His piety and zeal led him to accomplish great things for the
Church of God and holy discipline. How, then, admit that such a man was judged with
so great severity at the Supreme Tribunal? How reconcile this revelation of St.
Lutgarda with Divine Mercy ? I wished, therefore, to treat it as an illusion,
and sought for reasons in support of this idea. But I found, on the contrary,
that the reality of this apparition is admitted by the gravest authors, and
that it is not rejected by any single one. Moreover, the biographer, Thomas de
Cantimpre, is very explicit, and at the same time very reserved. “Remark,
reader,” he writes at the end of his narrative,”that it was from the mouth of
the pious Lutgarda herself that I heard of the faults revealed by the defunct, and
which I omit here through respect for so great a Pope.
“Aside from this, considering
the event in itself, can we find any good reason for calling it into question?
Do we not know that God makes no exception of persons that the Popes appear
before His tribunal like the humblest of the faithful that all the great and
the lowly are equal before Him, and that each one receives according to his works?
Do we not know that those who govern others have a great responsibility, and
will have to render a severe account? Judidnm durissimum his qui prasunt fiet.
“A most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule.” It is the Holy Ghost
that declares it. Now, Innocent III. Reigned for eighteen years, and during
most turbulent times; and, add the Bollandists, is it not written that the judgments
of God are inscrutable, and often very different from the judgments of men? Judicia
tua abyssus multa? The reality of this apparition cannot, then, be reasonably
called in question. I see no reason for omitting it, since God does not reveal
mysteries of this nature for any other purpose than that they should be made
known for the edification of His Church. Pope Innocent III. Died July 16, 1216.
The same day he appeared to St.Lutgarda in her monastery at Aywieres, in
Brabant. Surprised to see a specter enveloped in flames, she asked who he was
and what he wanted. “I am Pope Innocent,” he replied. Is it possible that you,
our common Father, should be in such a state? It is but too true. I am
expiating three faults which might have caused my eternal perdition. Thanks to
the Blessed Virgin Mary, I have obtained pardon for them, but I have to make atonement.
Alas! it is terrible ; and it will last for centuries if you do not come to my
assistance. In the name of Mary, who has obtained for
me the favor of appealing to you, help me.” With these words he disappeared. Lutgarda
announced the Pope s death to her sisters, and together they betook themselves
to prayer and penitential works in behalf of the august and venerated Pontiff,
whose demise was communicated to them some weeks later from another source.
Let us add here a more consoling
fact, which we find in the life of the same saint. A celebrated preacher, named
John de Lierre, was a man of great piety and well known to our saint. He had
made a contract with her, by which they mutually promised that the one, who should
die first, with the permission of God, should appear to the other. John was the
first to depart this life. Having undertaken a journey to Rome for the arrangement
of certain affairs in the interest of the Religious, he met his death among the
Alps. Faithful to his promise, he appeared to Lutgarda in the celebrated
cloister of Aywieres. On seeing him, the saint had not the slightest idea that
he was dead, and invited him, according to the Rule, to enter the parlour that
she might converse with him. “I am no more of this world,” he replied, “and I
come here only in fulfilment of my Promise.” At these words
Lutgarda fell on her knees and remained for some time quite confounded. Then,
raising her eyes to her blessed friend, why,” said she, are you clothed in such
splendour? What does this triple robe signify with which I see you adorned? “The
white garment,” he replied, “signifies virginal purity, which I have always preserved;
the red tunic implies the labours and sufferings which have prematurely
exhausted my strength; and the blue mantle, which covers all, denote the perfection
of the spiritual life.” Having said these words, he suddenly left Lutgarda, who
remained divided between regret for having lost so good a Father, and the joy
she experienced on account of his happiness. St. Vincent Ferrer, the celebrated
wonder-worker of the Order of St. Dominic, who preached with so much eloquence
the great truth of the Judgment of God, had a sister who remained unmoved
either by the words or example of her saintly brother. She was full of the
spirit of the world, intoxicated with its pleasures, and walked with rapid
strides towards her eternal ruin. Meanwhile, the saint prayed for her conversion,
and his prayer was finally answered. The unfortunate sinner fell mortally sick;
and, at the moment of death, entering into herself, she made her confession
with sincere repentance.
Some days after her death,
whilst her brother was celebrating the Holy Sacrifice, she appeared to him in
the midst of flames and a prey to
the most intolerable torments. ”Alas! My dear brother,” said she, ”I am condemned
to undergo these torments until the day of the last judgment. Nevertheless, you
can assist me. The efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice is so great: offer for me
about thirty Masses, and I may hope the happiest result.” The saint hastened to
accede to her request. He celebrated the thirty Masses, and on the thirtieth
day his sister again appeared to him surrounded by angels and soaring to
Heaven. Thanks to the virtue of the Divine Sacrifice, an expiation of several centuries
was reduced to thirty days.
This example shows us at once the duration of
the pains which a soul may incur, and the powerful effect of the Holy Sacrifice
of the Mass, when God is pleased to apply it to a soul. But this application,
like all other suffrages, does not always take place, at least not always in
the same plenitude.
