The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-24
PuReAToRY.


their way to the cemeteries to pray
for the dead. While loving hands lay
garlands of flowers, wreaths and
crosses on the graves to honor those
who are gone, the love of the mourn
ers with Catholic faith takes the more
reasonable form of praying for the
souls departed, says the Catholic
Universe"
Purgatory is one of the three great
divisions of the Universal Church.
The faithful on earth constitute the
Church militant, those in purgatory
the Church suffering, and the blessed
in heaven the Church triumphant.
Many go to purgatory. We may be
sure that few adults entirely escape
it's cleansing fires. That nothing de-
filed can enter heaven is the declara-
ton of the scriptures as it is the
Judgment of reason. Since even the
just man falleth seven times, others
who will not presume to lay claim to
that title fall more frequently.
Purgatory may be considered as the
realm of darkness and Of suffering,
and at the same time a place of pa
thence, hope and love. There both the
justice and the mercy of God are con-
spicuously displayed. While He de-
mands that ''the last farthing be paid"
He does not exclude His children for
ever from heaven for mere venial
faults. The inhabitants of purgatory
are numerous and are "of all nations
and tribes and peoples and tongues"
We are told by the words of revela-
ton that the fire shall try every
mans work" and he shall be saved,
yet so as by fire."
The souls in purgatory are called
Holy Souls, because they are forever
to be favorites of God. They have
fought the good fight on earth, and
are detained in the purifying fires be-
fore they receive the crown of JUS
tice. They contracted some stains in
the battle for heaven, or they were
called away before they had fully
atened for past sins in penitential
+ deeds. THE fire shall try every
! mans work" 81 am He that search
eth the reins and the heart, and l will
give to every one of you according
to your works" (Apoc. ii:23.)
. While the Church does not teach us
anything very explicit about either
the nature or the duration of the pains
of purgatory, we can easily deduce
that the punishment of sin is purga-
4 tory is more severe than anything we
are called upon to endure in this
world. In Gods sight "a thousand
years is as one day, and one day as
a thousand years. and we know that
! lit is fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the Living Cod"
knowledge and clear idea of faith
constitute the foundation of true devo-
zion. What is needed is solid and
constant and not spasmodic devotion.
The doctrine of purgatory should be
clearly and strongly held. 1t is of
faith. 1t is reasonable and it is
scriptural.
Justice demands proportion between
the crime and the penalty. A thief
who steals a dime is not punished by
human. law and by fallible judges as
is the criminal who commits deliber-
ate murder. Were there no purga-
tory, no middle place, all souls de-
filed, in little or in much, would neces-
sarily go to hell, since nothing de-
& filed can enter heaven. Why? God
& will render to every one according
to his works. God is just. From
these premises anyone can make
those deductions which logically de-
mand a place of purgation-where
some souls may be saved.
M The holy scriptures are quite eX-
plicit concerning a place where some
souls will be saved, yet so as by
fire." We read in Cor. III:2, "Other
foundation no man can lay, but that
which is laidy which is Christ Jesus.
Now if any man build upon this foun-
ydation, gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, stubble; every mans work
hall be manifest; for the day of the
lord shah declare it, because it shall
be revealed in fire, and the fire shall
try every mans work, of what sort
1T is. If any mans work abide, which
We hath built thereupon, he shall re-
Give reward; if any mans work
urn, he shall suffer loss; but he him.
elf shall be saved yet so as by fire.
IT. Paul here is obviously speaking
ST purgatory, of those who have built
ION the foundation Jesus Christ. He
is also speaking not of our day, but
of the day of the Lord" when de-
fects will be purged by fire.
Then we know that praying for the
x dead was in vogue among the people
of God before the coming of the Mes
siah. Judas Machabeus sent silver tC
erusalem to have sacrifice offered III
y n the temple for the soldiers who
ad fallen in battle. Why? Because
ne considered that they who had fall
en- asleep with goodness had great
grace laid up for them. 1t is there
fore holy and wholesome thought
to pray for the dead. that they may
fbe loosed from SIM Gil Mach
iXXXIv:46.)
This practice was not condemned
by Christ. 1t has been cherished an(
fsontinued in the Church, which i:
sethe pillar and ground of truth" Fol-
che suffering souls we should otter