The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-13
SERMON At ST. lfARY,S

OuSisty lA6kAts Liz Va
Purgatory-A Two Weeks Mission to
Begin April 28.
AT st. Mary's r. G. church yesterday
morning at 1880 Rev. Father Justa
preached on the doctrine regarding
purgatory. The choir was, as usual,
fine. Father Justa said that from the
very moment OF her foundations it had
been the fondest idea of the Catholic
church to teach the doctrine of purg
atory. A special day has been set
aside on which to offer up prayers for
worshippers ascend and at the altar of
God stands the black robed minister
offering the mass and asking mercy for
sinners. Are not the dead beyond the
reach of earthly help?" you may ask.
Prayers for the dead are not useless
or superstitious, Our prayers do and
can help those for whom they are Of
fered.
There is a place neither heaven or
hell. That place is purgatory and there
are those whom we can help. In re-
gard to this doctrine Catholics teach
that there are some souls which depart
this life which are deserving of the hap
piness Of heaven and some at enmity
with God which suffer the iellfire of
eternity. Besides these two classes it
teachers that there are some who are
neither perfect nor yet deserving of
eternal punishment. The Catholic
church teaches that these are in an in
termediate place until God is satisfied
of their atonement for their sins. In
the Scriptures we read that the Hebrew
priests and people were commanded to
offer prayer and to sacrifice for the
Jewish people who had fallen in battle,
and this proves that offering prayers
for the dead was custom among the
Jews.
When the Lord said that there we're
some sins which could not be forgiven
in this world or the next it was implied
that some sins can be atoned for in
the next world and that some must
undergo for a time the pains Of purga-
tory to atone for insults to just God.
In hell there is no salvation or hope
Of salvation. The doctrine of purga-
tory is not only conformable to Scrip
ture, but also to reason. 1t is con-
formable with the ideas which we
should hold of a just God. There are
many souls which have departed from
this world not with a great weight Of
sin on them, but with slight transgres-
sions against God and to say that such
should be condemned to an eternal pun
ishment is not in keeping with the idea
of a just God. Sacrifice for sin cannot
be made in heaven, for in heaven there.
can be no forgiveness since there is no
sin. So it follows that there must be
a third or intermediate place to salts
fly God for slight sins.
This doctrine Is a tradition among all
nations of the world. Even the an
cient Pagans of Greece and Rome had
traces Of the doctrine and Virgil men
tions such place. In short the exist
ence of purgatory is a universal belief.
To a fair-minded Christian these proofs
are sufficiently conclusive.
Be mindful of poor departed souls
who may be languishing in the flames
of purgatory, some dear, intimate ac-
quaintance Of yours, father, a
mother, or other relative In Gods
name remember them. If you remem-
Der and aid them by prayers then they
will not be unmindful Of you when
they are released and they will be sup
plants for you at the throne of God.
Rev. Father Hernfust will probably
preach next Sunday at st. Mary's and
April rs a two-weeks' mission by the
| Dominican father of the church will
begin. During the mission there will
be preaching every morning and even
ing.