THE AMAZING SECRET OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY - Chapter 1

[An interview with Maria Simma written by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje]

 This Story Fills A Void:

 

One day, I read with great interest a book about the souls in Purgatory. It struck me so much because it related very recent testimonies and also explained very well the Church's doctrine on the subject. It is a book by Maria Simma, called The Souls in Purgatory ...Straight away, I wrote to the editor who told me that Maria Simma is alive. Quickly, I contacted her and she agreed to meet me to answer my questions, which were many! I was delighted, because each time I have the opportunity to speak or preach on the poor souls, I've found that there is an immense, extraordinary interest on the part of my listeners. Often, they beg me to tell them more, pushing me further, asking me: "Tell us more, other things about these souls." I saw clearly that this fulfilled a vital thirst, a thirst to know what is waiting for us, each of us, after death. 

It must be said too that these things are scarcely taught any more in parishes, in regular catechism, in chaplaincies, practically nowhere. So there's a great emptiness, a great lack, if you prefer, a great ignorance, even a certain anguish in the face of these realities of the final things. Therefore, this booklet will help us not only to get rid of this anguish once and for all, with regard to Purgatory but will also enlighten us, hopefully, and enable us to understand that God's plan for us, for our destiny, is absolutely magnificent, splendid, worthy of our enthusiasm! Also, that we have in our hands an immense power on this earth to give happiness for ourselves as well, in our own lives. 

Today, Maria Simma is 82; she lives alone in her little house in Sonntag, a very lovely village in the Vorarlberg mountains in Austria, and that is where I met her. 

Who is Maria Simma?

 

A simple country woman who, since her childhood, has prayed a great deal for the souls in Purgatory. When she was twenty-five, she was favored with a very particular charism in the Church, very rare too, the charism of being visited by the souls in Purgatory. She is a fervent Catholic and has a great humility -- this struck me a lot; she has a great simplicity too. She is very much encouraged in her task by her parish priest and her bishop. In spite of the quite extraordinary character of her charism, she lives in real poverty. For example, in her little room we hardly had enough space to move around the chairs she had offered us... 

An extraordinary charism? Yes, but which obviously has deep roots in the history of the church, for many are the saints -- canonized or not -- who have exercised this charism. I could mention, for example, St. Gertrude, St. Catherine of Genoa, who wrote much on the subject. Maryam of Jesus, St. Margaret Mary of Paray-le-Monial who had the vision of the Sacred Heart, the Holy Cure of Ars, Blessed Faustina, St. John Bosco, Blessed Maryam of Bethlehem, etc. A book could be written on the subject; in fact I think several have! When we look closely at the teaching of these saints, we see that all of them say the same thing; and Maria Simma for her part only relives their beautiful testimony. This is why I did not hesitate to interview her, as she has the advantage for us of living in our times, and is willing to make herself available. You can easily imagine that I swamped her with questions, I made the most of it!... The problem is she doesn't speak a word of French, and for this reason I had to use an interpreter. For the sake of brevity and clarity I will sum up some of Maria's answers and, at other times, give you the translation of her own words. I will also add, here and there, my personal comments. 

The Interview with Maria Simma

 

Maria, Can you tell us how you were visited for the first time by a soul in Purgatory?

Yes, it was in  1940. One night, around 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, I heard someone coming into my bedroom. This woke me up; I looked to see who on earth could have walked into my bedroom. 

Were you afraid?

No, I'm not at all the fearful. Even when I was a little child, my mother said I was a special child because I was never afraid. 

So, that night...tell us! 

Well, I saw a complete stranger. He walked back and forth slowly. I said to him severely: "How did you get in here? Go away!" But he continued to walk impatiently around the bedroom, as if he hadn't heard. So I asked him again; "What are you doing?" but as he still didn't answer, I jumped out of the bed and tried to grab him, but I grasped only air. There was nothing there, So I went back to bed, but again I heard him pacing back and forth.I wondered how I could see this man, but I couldn't grab him. I rose again to hold onto him and stop him walking around; again, I grasped only emptiness. Puzzled, I went back to bed. He didn't come back, but I couldn't get back to sleep. The next day, after Mass, I went to see my spiritual director and told him everything. He told me that if this should happen, I shouldn't ask, "Who are you?: but "What do you want from me?" The following night, the man returned, definitely the same man. I asked him, "What do you want from me?" He replied: "Have three Masses celebrated for me and I will be delivered."So I understood that it was a soul in Purgatory. My spiritual father confirmed this.He also advised me never to turn away the poor souls, but to accept with generosity whatever they asked of me. 

And afterwards, the visits continued?

Yes. For several years, there were only three or four souls, above all in November. Afterwards, there were more. 

A Love Wound

 

What do these souls ask of you?

In most cases, they ask to have Masses celebrated and that one be present at these Masses; they ask to have the rosary said and also that one make the Stations of the Cross. At this point, the major question is raised: What exactly is Purgatory? I'd say that it's a marvelous invention of God. Let me give you an image which is my own. Suppose that one day a door opens, and a splendid being appears, extremely beautiful, of a beauty that has never been seen on earth. You are fascinated, overwhelmed by this being of light and beauty, even more so that this being shows that he is madly in love with you -- you have never dreamed of being loved so much. You sense too that he has a great desire to draw you to him, to be one with you. And the fire of love which burns in your heart impels you to throw yourself into his arms. But wait -- you realize at this moment that you haven't washed for months and months, that you smell bad; you nose is running, your hair is greasy and matted, there are big dirty stains on your clothes, etc. So you say to yourself, "No, I just can't present myself in this state. First I must go and wash: a good shower, then straight away I'll come back." 

But the love which has been born in your heart is so intense, so burning, so strong, that this delay for the shower is absolutely unbearable. And the pain of the absence, even if it only lasts for a couple of minutes, is an atrocious wound in the heart, proportional to the intensity of the revelation of the love -- it is a "love-wound". 

Purgatory is exactly this. It's a delay imposed by our impurity, a delay before God's embrace, a wound of love which causes intense suffering, a waiting, if you like, a nostalgia for love. It is precisely this burning, this longing which cleanses us of whatever is still impure in us. Purgatory is a place of desire, a made desire for God, desire for this God whom we already know, for we have seen him, but with whom we are not yet united. 

Now I am going to ask Maria to clarify a fundamental point: Maria, do the souls in Purgatory have, nevertheless, joy and hope in the mist of their suffering? 

Yes. No soul would want to come back from Purgatory to the earth. They have knowledge which is infinitely beyond ours. They just could not decide to return to the darkness of the earth. Here we see the difference from the suffering that we know on earth. In Purgatory, even if the pain of the soul is terrible, there is the certitude of living forever with God. It's an unshakeable certitude. The joy is greater than the pain. There is nothing on earth which could make them want to live here again, where one is never sure of anything. 

Maria, can you tell us now if it is God who sends a souls into Purgatory, or if the soul itself decides to go there? 

It is the soul itself which wants to go to Purgatory, in order to be pure before going to Heaven. The souls in Purgatory adhere fully to God's will; they rejoice in the good, they desire our good and they love very much: they love God, and they love us too. They are perfectly united to the Spirit of God, the light of God. 

Maria, at the moment of death, does one see God in full light or in an obscure manner? 

In a manner still obscure, but, all the same, in such brightness that this is enough to cause great longing. Actually, it's such a dazzling brightness compared with the darkness of the earth! And it's still nothing compared with the full light the soul will know when it arrives in Heaven. Here we can refer to "near death experiences." The soul is drawn by this light that it is agony for it to return to earth in its body, after this experience.  

 SOURCE : THE AMAZING SECRET OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY - Chapter 2

Read more...

Where or what is Purgatory?

Where or what is Purgatory? 

The existence of Purgatory is so certain that no Catholic has ever entertained a doubt of it. It was taught from the earliest days of the Church and was accepted with undoubting faith wherever the Gospel was preached. The doctrine is revealed in Holy Scripture, and has been handed down by Tradition, taught by the infallible Church and believed by the millions and millions of faithful of all times.  

Only those souls that are completely free of sin can enter heaven. It stands to reason, then, that the soul with unforgiven sins or the souls of those who have not yet atoned for their sins during their lifetime, yet tried to live as God would have us live, cannot enter Heaven and do not deserve Hell. 

Purgatory, then, is a place of temporal punishment for those who die in God's grace, but are not entirely free from venial sins or have not entirely paid the satisfaction due to their sins. The existence of purgatory is universally taught by all the Fathers of Church. The words of OurLord , "Thou shalt not come out from it until thou hast paid the last penny" are very clear (Matt. 5 :25) Later, when speaking of the sins againt the Holy Spirit, Jesus says such a sin "will not be forgiven either in this world or in the next," implying that there are some sins that cannot be atoned for in this world (Matt. 12:32).  

Saint Paul shows his belief in purgatory when, in his second letter to Timothy he prays for the deceased Onesiphorus. "May the Lord grant him to mercy from the Lord on that day. (2 Tim. 1 :18). Even in the Old Testament there was a belief in the existance of purgatory, for there we find Judas Machabeus sending 12,000 drachmas to Jerusalem to have sacrifiices offered for the sins of the dead. That chapter ends with the advice: "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins" (2 Mach. 12 :46). 

In purgatory, souls suffer for a while in satisfaction for their sins before they can enter heaven. The principal suffering of these souls consists in the pain of experiencing, on the one hand, an intense longing for God and, on the other, a realisation that they are hindered from possessing Him by reason of their past sins. Unlike the souls in hell, they are certain of one day seeing God. They can be helped, moreover, by the prayers of the faithful on earth, and especially by the offering of Mass. 

In the "Decree on Purgatory," we read, "The Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Spirit and in accordance with Sacred Scripture and the ancient Tradition of the Fathers, has taught in the holy Councils and most recently in this ecumenical Council that there is a purgatory, and that the souls detained there are helped by the acts of intercession ... of the faithful and especially by the acceptable Sacrifice of the altar" (Council of Trent,1563). 

Padre Pio had a very special relationship with the Holy Souls..indeed such was the relationship that they were his frequent visitors..and led him to say: "I see so many souls from Purgatory that they don't frighten me any more. More souls of the dead than the living climb this mountain to attend my Masses and seek my prayers."

When Padre Pio was asked how long a particular soul would stay in Purgatory he replied "At least one hundred years. 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." 

The length of time souls are detained in Purgatory depends on: 

a) the number of their faults; 
b) on the malice and deliberation with which these have been committed; 
c) on the penance done, or not done, the satisfaction made, or not made for sins during life; 
d) much, too, depend on the suffrages offered for them after death by friends and relatives still alive. 

What can be safely said is that the time souls spend in Purgatory, as a rule, is very much longer than people commonly imagine.

Read more...

13 Reasons to Pray for the Dead

 When we pray for the dead, we:  

1. obey the Lord and His Church, 
2. love our neighbor, 
3. express our unity with the other members of God's family, 
4. help purify people in purgatory,
5. help those in purgatory to go to heaven, 
6. face death and thereby become more aware of reality,
7. express and strengthen our faith in the power of prayer,
8. receive the benefit of the prayers of those in purgatory (Catechism, 958),
9. rejoice, for all those in purgatory have given their lives to Jesus and will go to heaven, 
10. purify ourselves so that we will go directly to heaven and skip purgatory, or lessen our time in purgatory, 
11. share in the pouring out of God's mercy, and 
12. enter more deeply into the mystery of God's love and His plan of salvation. 
13.  because Our Lady has asked us to pray for the dead:  "Today I wish to call you to pray daily for souls in purgatory. " (11/6/86)  

This website aims to explain the Catholic Teachings on the Holy Souls, the meaning of Purgatory and how to gain indulgences for the Holy Souls, offering Scriptural support and the Teachings of the Church down the ages. Here you will find prayers for the Holy Souls and special devotions dedicated to them. 

Holy Souls Crusade was born in November of 2002 and is growing from an Irish association to one with a worldwide interest, having members from various parts of the world. We welcome you and hope that these explanations will help to show the great need there is to pray for the Holy Souls.

Read more...

What's the Catholic Church's View?

The existence of Purgatory or a 'purifying process' after death is a Catholic Dogma of the Faith which means every Catholic must believe in order to remain a Catholic. The Church does not insist that it is a place, but may be a process only.  It is not a destination ~ but a sort of passage through which all who must experience it, will eventually be purified enough to see God face to face.

 

It's understood that the souls undergoing this purification may benefit from the prayers of the living, but that the opportunity of grace to pray for their own relief has passed.

Just as a prisoner who awaits his trial - may be released from jail by a friend who pays the cost of his bail.  So we may help to gain the release of a holy soul from the prison of his suffering.  It's considered a great act of spiritual mercy by the Church to pray for the dead.

 

Catechism courtesy of  Leaflets of Faith:
 

1030 - All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. 

 

1031 - The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.

 

The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence (1439) and Trent (1563). The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

 

"But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire."  (I Cor 3:15)

 

"That the trial of your faith (much more precious than gold which is tried by the fire) may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"  (1 Peter 1:7)

 

 

Read more...

Understanding Bible Terms

Limbo, Paradise(garden), Bosom of Abraham
 
(place of rest for the good who have died - no suffering) (Luke 16:19)

When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.  The rich man also died and was buried, and from the nether world, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.(Luke 23:43) (Rev 20:13)

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA DEFINITION:

"In theological usage the name is applied to (a) the temporary place or state of  the souls of the just who, although purified from sin, were excluded from the beatific vision until Christ's triumphant ascension into Heaven (the "limbus patrum"); or (b) to the permanent place or state of those unbaptized children and others who, dying without grievous personal sin, are excluded from the beatific vision on account of original sin alone (the "limbus infantium" or "puerorum"). 

The Nether World, Purgatory/Prison, Death, Hades & Sheol (abodes of the dead)

 

(Temporary prison of punishment) (Psalms 16:9,10) 

 

"Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,  my body, too, abides in confidence; 
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,  nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption."(Psalm 30:3)

"O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit."

 

POSSIBLE LOCATION OF PURGATORY?

(Matthew 4:8-10) 'Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.'
Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things." 

 

It's impossible to determine with any certainty, but unofficially, these various names used in the bible might indeed indicate one 'place' for lack of a better word - but containing several levels.  The top levels being closest to Heaven and the lower levels being closest to Hell with greater suffering.  As one is purified or 'refined as gold', he moves up through the levels until he is finally pure enough to enter into the joy of Heaven. There have been many revelations by various saints throughout the history of the Church - especially of those with greater devotion to the Holy Souls - which may help to fill in the gaps of our limited understanding.

(Rev. 1:17,18)  (Rev. 20:13-14)  (Numbers 16, 33) (Luke 23:43) (Dt. 32:22)
(Matthew 5:25)  (Luke 12:57-59) (1 Cor 3:12-15) (2 Maccabees 12:39-46)
(Matthew 4:8-10) 

Hell, Fiery Gehenna(Mat. 18:9), 

The Fiery Furnace, Place of Torment, 

The Pool of Fire & Sulfur, 

The Eternal Fire(Mat. 18:8), 

The place of hypocrites & liars, 

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth(Mat. 8:11-12)(Mat. 24:51)(Mat. 25:30), 

The Pit, The Unquenchable Fire, 

The Consuming Worm

(Prepared for the devil and his angels)(Psalm 112:10)
'The wicked man shall see it and be vexed; he shall gnash his teeth and pine away;
the desire of the wicked shall perish.'(Matthew 8:12)
 
"...where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."(Rev. 21:8)

"But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

(Rev. 14:11)

The smoke of the fire that torments them will rise forever and ever, and there will be no relief day or night for those who worship the beast or its image or accept the mark of its name."In regard to the fallen angels:

(2 Peter 2:4)

"For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but condemned them to the chains of Tartarus and handed them over to be kept for judgement;..."

(Jude 6)
 

"The angels too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgement of the great day."

Read more...