Virgo Potens

Museum of the Holy Souls, Rome Month of the The Holy Souls in Purgatory ~ November 4th Chapter 1 Purgatory (continued) Location of Purgatory (continued) “A very probable opinion,” says St. Thomas (2) “and one which, moreover, corresponds with the words of the saints in particular revelation, is that Purgatory has a double place for expiation. The first will be destined for the generality of souls, and is situated below, near to hell; the second will be for particular cases, and it is thence that so many apparitions occur.” The holy Doctor admits, then, like so many others who share his opinions, that sometimes Divine Justice assigns a special place of purification to certain souls, and even permits them to appear either to instruct the living or to procure for the departed the suffrages of which they stand in need; sometimes also for other motives worthy of the wisdom and mercy of God. (2) Suppler. part. iii. sues. ult. ~ Rev. F. X. Lasance, Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory (1922)

Month of the The Holy Souls in Purgatory ~ November 3rd Chapter 1 Purgatory (continued) Location of Purgatory (continued) Although faith tells us nothing definite regarding the location of Purgatory, the most common opinion, that which most accords with the language of Scripture, and which is the most generally received among theologians, places it in the bowels of the earth, not far from the hell of the reprobates. Theologians are almost unanimous, says Bellarmine,(1) in teaching that Purgatory, at least the ordinary place of expiation, is situated in the interior of the earth, that the souls in Purgatory and the reprobate are in the same subterranean space in the deep abyss which the Scripture calls Hell. (1) Catech. Rom., chap. vi. Para. 1 ~ Rev. F. X. Lasance, Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory (1922)

Month of the The Holy Souls in Purgatory ~ November 2nd PART ONE Chapter 1 Purgatory The word Purgatory is sometimes taken to mean a place, sometimes as an intermediate state between hell and heaven. It is, properly speaking, the condition of souls which, at the moment of death, are in the state of grace, but which have not completely expiated their faults, nor attained the degree of purity necessary to enjoy the vision of God. Purgatory is, then, a transitory state which terminates in a life of everlasting happiness. It is not a trial by which merit may be gained or lost but a state of atonement and expiation. The soul has arrived at the term of its earthly career; that life was a time of trial, a time of merit for the soul, a time of mercy on the part of God. This time once expired, nothing but justice is to be expected from God, whilst the soul can neither gain nor lose merit. She remains in the state in which death found her; and since it found her in the state of sanctifying grace, she is certain of never forfeiting that happy state, and of arriving at the eternal possession of God. Nevertheless, since she is burdened with certain debts of temporal punishment, she must satisfy Divine Justice by enduring this punishment in all its rigor. Such is the signification of the word Purgatory, and the condition of the souls which are there. On this subject the Church proposes two truths clearly defined as dogmas of faith: first, that there is a Purgatory; second, that the souls which are in Purgatory may be assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, especially by the holy sacrifice of the Mass. ~ Rev. F. X. Lasance, Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory (1922)

“All ye, who would honor The saints and their Head, Remember, remember, To pray for the dead; “And they, in return, From their misery freed, To you will be friends In the hour of need.” ~ Rev. F. X. Lasance, Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory (1922)

Month of the The Holy Souls in Purgatory ~ November 1st Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory, Rev. F. X. Lasance, (1922) FORWARD IN OFFERING the present volume to the faithful our object is to aid in cultivating among them, with the help of God’s grace, a special devotion—a more fervent, a more persistent, a more practical, a more fruitful devotion—to the holy souls in Purgatory. This devotion, while it solaces the Holy Souls, in whose behalf it is directly exercised, is eminently pleasing to God, and beneficial to ourselves. St. Francis de Sales says: “We do not sufficiently remember our dead.” The holy Curé d’Ars once said: “Oh, my friends, let us pray much, and let us obtain many prayers from others, for the poor dead; the good God will render us back the good we do to them a hundredfold. Ah! If every one knew how useful this devotion to the holy souls in Purgatory is to those who practice it, they would not be forgotten so often; the good God regards all that we do for them as if it were done to Himself.” We read in the Second Book of Machabees: “It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” It is hoped that the “Reflections” contained in the first part of this little book will stimulate the pious reader to make frequent use of the prayers and devotions which are found in the second part for the solace of the suffering souls in Purgatory. Let us heed the cry of these Holy Souls from the depths of torturing flame: “Miseremini!” “Have pity on us!” Day by day may the richly indulgenced versicles and responses for the dead fall, as it were unceasingly from our lips: ℣ Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord. ℟ And let perpetual light shine upon them. ℣ May they rest in peace. ℟ Amen. ~ Rev. F. X. Lasance, Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory (1922)

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

November ~ Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory This month, our readings will be taken from the prayer book entitled The Holy Souls Book: Reflections on Purgatory by Rev. F. X. Lasance, with an Imprematur from Patrick J. Haynes, D.D., Archbishop of New York, dated May 30, 1922. In former times, the laity were instructed far more on the teachings of Holy Mother Church regarding Purgatory than are received from many pulpits today. Given that there is much to contemplate, bite-sized portions of this volume seem ideal for meditation during the month of November. May God bless you and richly reward and encourage you in your study of the immemorial truths taught by the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

November ~ Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory Beginning tomorrow, having concluded, for now, our study of the Rosary, we will change our focus to the Poor Holy Souls in Purgatory. There is so much more to know about the dear Angels, our heavenly guides, and they receive so little attention from us, that our study of the Angels will continue, although perhaps not as intensely. I humbly ask that you would say two sets of three Hail Mary’s’: one for the repose of the soul of Fr. Paul O’Sullivan O.P., author of All About the Angels, and one for the repose of the soul The Rev. Mark J. Smith, S.J., author of The Rosary Devotions: A Thought for Every Day in October. Both have long since gone to their eternal reward, and while we hope that they are in heaven, in gratitude for the wisdom and insight that they have given us on our spiritual journey during this month of October, let us be charitable toward them! May God bless you!

The Month of the Holy Angels October 31st WHERE ARE THE ANGELS? This is a vastly important question and deserves our best attention. The Angels are everywhere. Millions of them ever stand before God; millions of them, too, minister to us on earth, as we have already seen. They have charge not only of us but of all material things, of the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, oceans, rivers, kingdoms, provinces. But what interests us most is that each man, each woman, each child, pagan or Christian, baptized or unbaptized, has an Angel all to himself or herself. ~ Fr. Paul O’Sullivan O.P., All About the Angels (1945)

Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us. Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary CONCLUSION The month of October ends today, and with it we close the beautiful devotion of the Holy Rosary. The Joys, the Sorrows, the Glories of Mary have been proposed to us for our meditation and prayer and slight indeed has been the profit reaped from these suggestions if we have not increased our love for Mary, and resolved earnestly to strive to imitate her unselfish generosity. Prayer, labor and sacrifice were so constantly practiced by her that they became part of her nature. They were habits so thoroughly fixed in her life and conduct that we cannot think of her without their association. After the Grace of God, and with that grace's aid, it was these habits that made her what she is to-day, the most perfect of all God's creatures. Prayer, labor and sacrifice, in imitation of Mary, will sweeten our lives, and render them pleasing to her, and to her Divine Son, Jesus. ~ The Rev. Mark J. Smith, S.J., The Rosary Devotions: A Thought for Every Day in October (circa 1924)

The Month of the Holy Rosary October 31st

The Month of the Holy Angels October 30th Where Do We Get Our Knowledge of the Angels? (continued) Fourthly, the unanimous teaching of the Doctors and Saints throws floods of light on this doctrine. Fifthly, our reason recognizes not only the possibility of the existence of Angels but the fitness, the necessity of their existence, for otherwise there would be a great gap so to speak in the harmonious arrangement in the plan of creation, which is so divinely perfect. Pagan philosophers have recognized the existence of the Angels, and missionaries from far off pagan lands tell us that even the natives believe in the Spirit world. Sixthly, we have innumerable well-authenticated accounts of apparitions of Angels—indisputable facts! ~ Fr. Paul O’Sullivan O.P., All About the Angels (1945)

And they were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. Luke 24:53 A SUMMARY As we rapidly gaze back over the scenes and events suggested by these Glorious Mysteries we cannot fail to be impressed with the utter unselfishness of Mary our Mother! Surely we should expect that with the release of her Divine Son from His suffering and death, she too would at once share in His glory. At the foot of the cross she had been given to us, in the person of St. John, as our Mother, and that she might prove to us her maternal care for us, she willingly consents to remain for fifteen long years after the Ascension of her Son, here upon earth, to care for the Infant Church with the same solicitude that she cared for the Child Jesus, in the days of His infancy at Bethlehem. What a sacrifice that was—the sacrifice of separation, the sacrifice of labor! But Mary made it for love of us, her adopted children! What shall we do for her? ~ The Rev. Mark J. Smith, S.J., The Rosary Devotions: A Thought for Every Day in October (circa 1924)

The Month of the Holy Rosary October 30th

The Month of the Holy Angels October 29th Where Do We Get Our Knowledge of the Angels? The first great fount of information about the Angels is Sacred Scripture, the inspired Word of God. Both the Old and the New Testaments tell us many and beautiful things about the great Princes of Heaven. Secondly, Christ’s infallible Church teaches the most consoling doctrines about the Angels. Thirdly, Tradition has handed down to us from the earliest days important truths regarding the Angels. ~ Fr. Paul O’Sullivan O.P., All About the Angels (1945)

Thou art exalted, O Mother of God. Above the choirs of Angels to the celestial kingdoms. Versicle, Roman Breviary, Feast of the Assumption THE CORONATION Just as Holy Scripture is silent about the meeting on the morning of the Resurrection between Jesus and Mary, so too is silence maintained about the Assumption and Coronation of Mary. But the Church, the infallible representative of Christ on earth, speaks in no uncertain terms of both events, teaching them through her sanction upon the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, and in many other unmistakable ways. In this final decade, let us try to picture for ourselves that Coronation! A Coronation in which the Father crowns Mary as His daughter; the Son crowns her as His Mother; the Holy Ghost crowns her as His spotless Spouse! while the Angels in heavenly chorus sing her praise! ~ The Rev. Mark J. Smith, S.J., The Rosary Devotions: A Thought for Every Day in October (circa 1924)

The Month of the Holy Rosary October 29th

The Month of the Holy Angels October 28th They [the Angels] are thus divided: The Seraphs, the Cherubs and the Thrones form the hierarchy which stands nearest the Throne of God. Then the Dominations, Virtues and Powers form the second hierarchy. The Principalities, Archangels and Angels are the third order. The higher the choir, the more numerous are its Angels, so that the Seraphs, in number, far exceed all the others. ~ Fr. Paul O’Sullivan O.P., All About the Angels (1945)

Mary was assumed into heaven; the Angels rejoiced, and praising Him, they blessed God. Antiphon, Roman Breviary, Feast of the Assumption THE ASSUMPTION For the first time among the fifteen mysteries, we find one devoted exclusively to Mary! It is Mary, Mother of God, who is carried up by the Angels, and placed upon her heavenly throne, whence from henceforth throughout eternity she is to reign as "Queen of Angels," Queen of heaven and earth. Our Holy Mother the Church sets apart the 15th of August as a special holyday, and guarantees its observance with the same sanction that she imposes on the observance of Sunday thereby setting her seal of approval on this most Catholic belief, that Mary was taken bodily up into heaven! As we devoutly recite this decade let us keep the picture of Mary's triumphal entrance into heaven before our minds. ~ The Rev. Mark J. Smith, S.J., The Rosary Devotions: A Thought for Every Day in October (circa 1924)

The Month of the Holy Rosary October 28th