The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Assumption, and the Souls in Purgatory
- St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Glories of Mary
Mary not
only consoles and relieves her clients in Purgatory, but she delivers them by
her prayers. Gerson says, “On the day of her Assumption into Heaven Purgatory
was entirely emptied.” Novarinus confirms this, saying, “it is maintained by
many grave authors, that when Mary was going to Heaven, she asked, as a favour
from her Son, to take all the souls then in Purgatory with her.” And from that
time forward,” says Gerson, “Mary had the privilege of delivering her servants.”
Saint Bernardine of Siena also positively asserts, “the Blessed Virgin has the
power of delivering souls from Purgatory, but particularly those of her clients:
by her prayers, and by applying her merits for them.” Novarinus says, “By the
merits of Mary, not only are the pains of those souls lessened, but the time of
their sufferings is shortened through her intercession.” She has only to ask,
and all is done. Saint Peter Damian relates, “a lady, named Marozia, appeared
after her death to her godmother, and told her that on the feast of the
Assumption, she, together with a multitude exceeding the population of Rome,
had been delivered by Mary from Purgatory.” Denis the Carthusian says, “On the
feasts of the Nativity and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Mary does the same
thing; for on those days, accompanied by choirs of angels, she visits that
prison, and delivers very many souls from their torments.”
The promise
made by our Blessed Lady to Pope John XXII is well known. She appeared to him,
and ordered him to make known to all, that on the Saturday after their death,
she would deliver from Purgatory all who wore the Carmelite scapular. This, as
Father Crasset relates, was proclaimed by the same Pontiff in a Bull, which was
afterwards confirmed by Alexander V, Clement VII, Pius V, Gregory XIII, and
Paul V; and this latter, in a Bull of the year 1612, says, “Christian people
may piously believe that the Blessed Virgin will help them after death, by her
continual intercession, her merits and special protection, and that on
Saturdays, the day consecrated by the Church to her, she will, in a more
particular manner, help the souls of the brethren of the confraternity of our
Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel, who have departed this life in a state of grace,
provided they have worn the habit, observed the chastity of their state, and
recited her office, or, if they could not recite it, if they have observed the
fasts of the church, and abstained from meat on all Wednesdays except Christmas
Day [today, the daily recitation of the Rosary is also substituted. - ed.]
In the
solemn office of our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel, we read that it is piously
believed that the Blessed Virgin comforts the brethren of this confraternity in
Purgatory with maternal love, and that by her intercession she soon delivers them,
and takes them to Heaven. Why should we not hope for the same graces and
favours, if we are devout clients of this good Mother? And if we serve her with
more special love, why can we not hope to go to Heaven immediately after death,
without even going to Purgatory? This really took place in the case of blessed
Godfrey, to whom Mary sent the following message, by Brother Abondo: “Tell
Brother Godfrey to endeavour to advance rapidly in virtue, and thus he will
belong to my Son and to me; and when his soul departs, I will not allow it to
go to Purgatory, but will take it and offer it to my Son.” And if we wish to
relieve the holy souls in Purgatory, let us do so by imploring the aid of our
Blessed Lady in all our prayers, and especially by offering the Rosary for them,
as it relieves them greatly. (Glories of Mary pp. 194-196, electronic version,
Google books, 1852, London, Redemptorist Fathers)
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