LET us cite some other examples
which will serve to con vince us still more of the long duration of the
sufferings of Purgatory. We shall see therein that Divine Justice is relatively
severe towards souls called to perfection, and who have received much grace.
Does not Jesus Christ say in the Gospel, Unto whom much is given, of him much
shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will
demand the more.
We read in the Life of Venerable
Catherine Paluzzi that a holy Religious, who died in her arms, was not admitted
to eternal beatitude until after she had passed an entire year in Purgatory.
Catherine Paluzzi led a holy life in the diocese of Nepi, in Italy, where she
founded a convent of Dominicans. There lived with her a Religious named Bernardine,
who was far advanced in the ways of the spiritual life. These two saints
emulated each other in fervour, and helped each other to progress more and more
in the perfection to which God called them.
The biographer of Venerable
Catherine compares them to two live coals that communicate heat to each other;
and again, to two harps tuned to harmonise together in one perpetual hymn of love
to the greater glory of God. Bernardine died; a painful malady, which she bore
with Christian patience, carried her to the grave. When about to expire, she
told Catherine that she would not forget her before God, and, if God so
permitted, she would return to converse with her on such spiritual matters as
would contribute to her sanctification.
Catherine prayed much for the
soul of her friend, and at the same time besought God to allow her to appear to
her. An entire year elapsed and the deceased did not return. Finally, on the
anniversary of the death of Bernardine, Catherine being in prayer, saw a pit
from whence issued volumes of smoke and flames; then she perceived coming out
of the pit a form surrounded by dark clouds. By degrees these vapours were
dispersed, and the apparition became radiant with an extraordinary brilliancy.
In this glorious personage Catherine recognised Bernardine and ran towards her.
Is it you, my dearest sister? said she. But whence do you come? What signifies
this pit, this fiery smoke? Does your Purgatory end only to-day You are right,
replied the soul; for a year I have been detained in that place of expiation,
and to-day, for the first time, shall I enter Heaven. As regards yourself,
persevere in your holy exercises: continue to be charitable and merciful, and
you will obtain mercy.
The following incident belongs
to the history of the Society of Jesus. Two scholastics or young Religious of that Institute, Brothers Finetti
and Rudolphini, pursued their studies at the Roman College towards the end of
the sixteenth century. Both were models of piety and regularity, both also
received a warning from Heaven, which they disclosed, according to the Rule, to
their spiritual director. God made known to them their approaching death and
the suffering that awaited them in Purgatory. One was to remain there for two
years; the other, four. They died, in fact, one after the other. Their brethren
in religion immediately offered the most fervent prayers and all kinds of
penances for the repose of their souls. They knew that if the Sanctity of God imposes
Jong expiations upon His elect, they may be abridged and entirely remitted by
the suffrages of the living. If God is severe towards those who have received
much knowledge and grace, on the other hand He is very indulgent towards the
poor and the simple, provided they serve Him with sincerity and patience.
St. Peter Claver, of the
Company of Jesus, Apostle of the Negroes of Carthagena, knew of the Purgatory of two souls, who had led poor
and humble lives upon earth ; their sufferings were reduced to a few hours. We find
the following account of it in the Life of this great servant of God. He had
persuaded a virtuous negress, named Angela, to take into her house another
negress named Ursula, who had lost the use of her limbs and was covered with
sores. One day when he went to visit them, as he did from time to time, to hear
their confessions and to carry them some little provisions, the charitable
hostess told him with grief ^that Ursula was at the point of death. No, no,
replied the Father, consoling her, she has yet four days to live, and she will
not die until Saturday. When Saturday came, he said Mass for her intention, and
went out to prepare her for death. After spending some time in prayer, he said
to the hostess with an air of confidence, Be consoled, God loves Ursula;
she will die to-day^ but she will be only three hours in Purgatory. Let her
remember me when she shall be with God that she may pray for me, and for the one
who until now had been a mother to her. She died at noon, and the fulfillment
of one part of the prophecy gave great reason for belief in the accomplishment of
the other.
Another day, having gone to
hear the confession of a poor sick person whom he was accustomed to visit, he learned that she was dead. The
parents were extremely afflicted, and he himself, who had not believed her to
be so near her end, was inconsolable at the thought of not having been able to
assist her in her last moments. He knelt down to pray by the corpse, then
suddenly rising, with a serene countenance he said, Such a death is more worthy
of our envy than of our tears; this soul is condemned to Purgatory, but only for
twenty -four hours. Let us endeavor to shorten this time by the fervour of our
prayers.
Enough has been said on the
duration of the pains. We see that they may be prolonged to an appalling degree
; even the shortest, if we consider their severity, are long.
Let us endeavor to shorten
them for others and to mitigate them for ourselves, or better still to prevent
them altogether, Now we prevent them by removing the causes. What are the
causes ? What is the matter of expiation in Purgatory ?
