PURGATORY
Author: Rev. Frederick Faber. 85p. PB
Is Purgatory almost like Hell? Or is it a place of peace and even joy? The famous Fr. Faber explains both of these classic Catholic views of Purgatory, basing his discussion on Catholic teaching and the revelations of saintly souls, especially St. Catherine of Genoa, in her Treatise on Purgatory.
This now famous work (originally a chapter in All for Jesus) is both sobering and inspiring. For here Fr. Faber discusses whether it is better to pray for the conversion of sinners or to pray for the Souls in Purgatory, how the fear of Hell helps save souls, the influence through supernatural means which God has given us on those in Purgatory, how helping the Poor Souls shows our love of Jesus, how it increases our fear of offending God, how the Holy Souls tenderly love God and are loved by Him, their yearning for God, their desire for purification, their pain of loss, their pain of sense, their joy, their helplessness, the length of their suffering, the Angels' role in aiding them, our false confidence in our own goodness, how some on earth are angered by the thought of Purgatory, how our charity toward the Poor Souls benefits us by increasing Faith, Hope and Charity in us, and the example of the Saints towards the Poor Souls.
Over all, Purgatory is a book to help us appreciate the supernatural treasures at our disposal, both to help the Poor Souls, and to help us avoid Purgatory ourselves: to inspire us to use wisely the rest of our time on earth so that we ourselves one day will not have to go there.
Is Purgatory almost like Hell? Or is it a place of peace and even joy? The famous Fr. Faber explains both of these classic Catholic views of Purgatory, basing his discussion on Catholic teaching and the revelations of saintly souls, especially St. Catherine of Genoa, in her Treatise on Purgatory.
This now famous work (originally a chapter in All for Jesus) is both sobering and inspiring. For here Fr. Faber discusses whether it is better to pray for the conversion of sinners or to pray for the Souls in Purgatory, how the fear of Hell helps save souls, the influence through supernatural means which God has given us on those in Purgatory, how helping the Poor Souls shows our love of Jesus, how it increases our fear of offending God, how the Holy Souls tenderly love God and are loved by Him, their yearning for God, their desire for purification, their pain of loss, their pain of sense, their joy, their helplessness, the length of their suffering, the Angels' role in aiding them, our false confidence in our own goodness, how some on earth are angered by the thought of Purgatory, how our charity toward the Poor Souls benefits us by increasing Faith, Hope and Charity in us, and the example of the Saints towards the Poor Souls.
Over all, Purgatory is a book to help us appreciate the supernatural treasures at our disposal, both to help the Poor Souls, and to help us avoid Purgatory ourselves: to inspire us to use wisely the rest of our time on earth so that we ourselves one day will not have to go there.
