Dear Soul More Fortunate Than I and Yet…Less Fortunate, By the grace of God our paths have crossed and I have urgent matters to discuss with you. I implore you – do not turn away! I am in dire need of your prayers and you are in dire need of warning! No doubt you believe yourself to be leading a decent if not devout Catholic life, as I too once believed of myself. Let not Satan tempt you to be content with mediocracy as he did me! Have you ever heard of a famous saint who was just “okay?” Who
Animas en Purgatorio Antique Mexican Retablo translating as The Souls in Purgatory Published in Saints and Sinners Page 148 and featured on the Back Dust Jacket The Anima Sola represents a Soul/ Souls Suffering in Purgatory. While many Anima Sola Paintings portray a Female Soul, many other Figures such as Popes and other Men are commonly depicted in chromolithographs, sculptures and paintings. In the most commonly known image of the Anima Sola, a Woman is depicted as breaking free from her chains in a Dungeon setting surrounded by Flames, representing Purgatory. She appears Penitent and Reverent, and her chains have been broken; an indication that, after her Temporary Suffering, she is destined for Heaven. Praying to the Anima Sola is a Tradition in many ways unlike that of the more widespread Cult of Saints. In lieu of praying to a Saint who then appeals to God, the Anima Sola represents Souls in Purgatory who require the Assistance both of the Living and the Divine to Ameliorate their Sufferings in the Afterlife. The Anima Sola Image is common throughout much of the Catholic world, though is perhaps strongest in Naples, Italy where it is referred to as "the Cult of the Souls in Purgatory." In Latin America, one source reports, the Anima Sola is "a Belief still deeply rooted in the Mass of the Campesinos. The Devotion dates from the First Colonizers, who probably brought the image in which the Soul is represented as a Woman Suffering Torments in Purgatory with Chains Binding her Hands. Celestina Abdenago The Female Anima Sola depicted is sometimes called Celestina, however the Anima Sola is usually Anonymous. According to Legend, at the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday, there were many people present: among them, a woman by the name of Celestina Abdenago. Her task was to give the Three Condemned Men a drink of water. Celestina gave Dismas and Gestas a drink from her jar, but she refused to give one to Jesus (Who was also direly thirsty) as she despised Him or feared Retaliation from the Enemies of Jesus. For this reason she was condemned to suffer thirst and the Constant Heat of Purgatory in the Afterlife. The Male Anima Sola Sometimes an Anonymous Male Figure is depicted as an Anima Sola, however the Female Soul was generally more common. Usually the Male Souls are shown as Popes, Priests or Monks. In the Cathedral of Guadalajara in Mexico, there is a Painting of a Young Monk or Friar with a Tonsure surrounded by Flames and with a Sad, Pained or Reverant Facial Expression. According to Tradition this Young Man was a Priest who ended up in Purgatory because of his Sinful Life or because he absolved so many people at his last Rite of Mass that he had to go to Purgatory in their Places. In any case, the Image of a Male Soul Suffering in Purgatory became popular in Mexico and diverse places with reproductions being created and distributed among the Faithful. Magical Traditions As with many Catholic Symbols, the Image also appears in Spiritist Traditions. As described in : "The "Anima Sola" translates as the "Lone Soul" or "Lonely Spirit" and refers to a very specific Votive Image. Based on Roman Catholic Votive Statues (but now a standardized chromolithograph), this Image is particularly popular in Latin American Magical Traditions. It depicts a Woman Standing Amidst Flames, Eternally Burning yet never Consumed. She gazes upwards, holding her chained hands towards Heaven. Is her Soul burning in the Fire of Hell, or does her heart burn with the Fire of Love? Allegedly, Unrequited Love is what drew this poor Soul into her Predicament: the Anima Sola traded Eternal Salvation for the Joys of Temporal Love. She is invoked in only the most desperate Love Spells, in which in Return for Obtaining the Sought-after Love, the Appellant agrees to replace Anima Sola in Purgatory when they die. Another Interpretation is that the Sacred Figures most frequently invoked include the "Lonely Soul" (Anima Sola), who requires Prayers because of her Predicament; San Silvestre, Magical because of the date of his Feast Day; and Santa Elena and San Onofre. Santería and Lukumi Traditions and Beliefs In Santería or Lukumi Traditions, the Afro-Caribbean Religion of Cuba, there is a Syncretization of the Anima Sola with the Eshu Alleguana. The Eshus are the Divine Messengers, the Tricksters, The Masters of the Roads and the Doors that are necessary for all Prayers to Reach their Intended Point. Eshu Allegwanna, one Eshu among hundreds, is thought to be the Oldest of the Eshus, and to have existed on the Earth since a Primordial Time long before not only People, but before many of the Gods of the Religion existed in the World. Therefore, He is synchronized with The Lonely Spirit, as many of the African Gods were syncretized with Catholic Saints, or hidden behind them, in the First Centuries of Slavery, when the Practice of the African Religions were oppressed. The Anima Sola is grouped in a Triad in some Traditions with The Intranquil Spirit and the Dominant Spirit. Retablo Dimensions are approx. 13 inches vertical x 10 inches horizontal. Condition: in overall excellent, original condition with some minor paint loss, surface rusting and Religious candle burns acquired over more than a Century of Ritual Use and Devotional Prayer. Origin is 19th Century Mexico
It is good to pray for the dead. We can help holy souls in Purgatory suffer less. Praying for the dead has always been a Catholic practice. For example, in 2 Timothy 1:18, St. Paul prays for Onesiphorus, who has died. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Our prayers and good works on behalf of the souls in Purgatory help them be cleansed more quickly from their venial sins and the left-over temporal punishment due to sin. Once in Heaven with Our Lord, they also remember us gratefully and pray for us in return." (from paragraphs 1030-1032) The prayer on the back of this beautiful card is from St. Gergrude the Great, and it is said it was given by her to Jesus, who told her souls in Purgatory would have their pain eased by saying it. October is the month of Holy Souls in Purgatory. (As a note, all the souls in Purgatory are holy and on their way to eventually being in Heaven.) As with this and all of our images, you may have a custom holy card made with a personalized back printed for you. For funerals, it is hard sometimes to get them to you in time. If you and I both focus and work qucikly, which we can, then you'll ahve them in about two weeks after ordering, possibly less. See this listing for details: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1019181226/custom-holy-cards Thank you for your interest. Sue and John Image Restoration and Card © www.CatholicArtAndJewelry.com
When I was a child, I could not figure out how purgatory would be a good thing. After all the Baltimore Catechism used images of people who were naked and burning in flames. I thought to myself, "this isn't much different than hell!" I had burned myself a couple of times playing with matches, so I knew how much fire hurt! I couldn't imagine it all over my naked body! But the image was meant to convey purification, like gold purified in fire. It is metaphor or symbol of what happens after death and during our personal judgment. I suspect when I go to meet my maker, that His light of love will illuminate my sinful self and I will see for the first time just what a miserable sinner I have been, just how selfish I have been and just how faithless and loveless I've been. Of course I pray that the light of love will also show forth my good qualities which I will leave to others to list since I don't want conceitedness to be illuminated also at judgement day. I suspect too that the moment of purifying judgement will seem like an eternity especially as the dark elements are burned away. Maybe fire is a good metaphor for purgatory. Since there is supposedly no time in the after life, we don't know how long this will take, I suspect the more darkness that needs purification the more of the "is" that purgatory is, will be needed. A plenary indulgence may be gained for the faithful departed by visiting a cemetery today or going to Mass. You will also need to go to confession within seven days, receive Holy Communion worthily, recite one Our Father and the Creed and pray one additional Our Father and one Hail Mary for the intentions of the Holy father, Pope Benedict. Doing this is an example of faith and good works in action. Here is a summary of what the Baltimore Catechism has to say about these things: I. Venial sin is a less serious offense against the law of God, which does not deprive the soul of sanctifying grace and can be pardoned even without the sacrament of Confession or Penance. It can be venial in two ways: a. When the evil done is not seriously wrong b. When the evil done is seriously wrong, but the sinner sincerely believes it is only slightly wrong or does not give full consent to it. II. Venial Sin harms us by making us less fervent in the service of God, by weakening our power to resist mortal sin and by making us deserving of God’s punishment in this life or in purgatory (this type of punishment is an act of love to purify us either way). III. The communion of saints: the faithful on earth, the blessed in heaven and the souls in purgatory with Christ as our Head. IV. Through the communion of saints, the blessed in heaven can help the souls in purgatory and the faithful on earth by praying for them. V. The faithful on earth through the communion of saints should honor the blessed in heaven and pray to them because they are worthy of honor and as friends of God will help the faithful on earth. VI. The faithful on earth through the communion of saints can relieve the sufferings of the souls in purgatory by prayer, fasting, and other good works, by indulgences and by having Masses offered for them. VII. At the end of our life, we will have our particular judgment by God and there will be either rewards or punishments: heaven, purgatory or hell. VIII. Those punished for a time in purgatory that die in the state of grace but are guilty of venial sin, or have not fully satisfied for the temporal punishment due their sins. a. Purgatory is like God’s hospital for souls, where the souls there are purified by God’s burning love. They do not yet love God perfectly nor are they perfect b. Souls in purgatory are totally dependent upon God and the prayers of the faithful on earth and the blessed in heaven. They cannot help themselves IX. Those who go to hell are those who know God, yet choose deliberately to live their lives as though God does not exist or that they do not need to love God or obey him. They choose their own way independent of God and do so consciously, knowing better and with full consent of the will. X. Indulgences: These are gifts granted by the Church for the remission of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. After sin has been healed or forgiven by the medicine of Confession, the wounds left by sin must be healed by further medication—penance either here on earth or in purgatory. Sometimes medicine or surgery can be bitter or painful, just like penance or purgatory, but necessary for complete healing or forgiveness. Indulgence remits punishment or removes the need for the bitter medicine or surgery of more penance in purgatory and substitutes an easier but more effective one to assist and even complete the healing process. XI. There are two types of indulgences: a. Plenary: remits all the temporal punishment due to our sins. b. Partial: remits a part of the temporal punishment due to our sins XII. To gain an indulgence, we must be in a state of grace, have at least a general intention of gaining the indulgence and perform the works required by the Church. Normally it means going to Confession, receiving Holy Communion worthily and doing various types of prayers and praying for the intentions of the pope. We must be free of all sin to gain an indulgence XIII. We can gain indulgences either for ourselves or the holy souls in purgatory, but we cannot gain them for the faithful living on earth
Description Media Additional Information "To move [the] Omnipotent Word to grant pardon and deliverance to the Suffering Souls in consideration of the suffrages of the faithful on earth—such is the object of the following treatises." —From the Preface In this significant volume on the Catholic doctrine concerning Purgatory, Fr. John A. Nageleisen, a missionary priest of the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood, covers all aspects of the Church's tradition regarding the subject of those poor souls who have died in charity to God but were imperfect and so require purgation. While no one has definitively experienced the nature of Purgatory, tradition and theology have much to say on the subject, and none is left uncovered by Fr. Nageleisen. His treatment includes: The existence of Purgatory; The condition of the suffering souls in Purgatory; The means of relieving the suffering souls; The motives for helping the suffering souls; The gratitude of the suffering souls; The heroic act of charity for the suffering souls; And much more . . . Most of all, Fr. Nageleisen desires only that we should understand the extreme value and virtue of praying for the holy souls. While we ourselves should desire not to go to Purgatory and only to Heaven, those already experiencing the former need our prayers and sacrifices, since they have no ability of their own to gain merit in expiation of sin. To pray for these souls is a great act of mercy and charity, as Fr. Nageleisen recalls to us. Let this book serve a twofold purpose, then: first, that we should strive to avoid anything that would in this life separate us from meriting Heaven upon death, and second, that we should recall, even in all our prayers, the souls of the faithful departed, that they might finally rest in peace. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them . . . Product Format: eBook File URL: 0750-Charity-for-the-Suffering-Souls.epub
In St. Alphonsus Liguori's Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, we seek repentance and ask mercy for those who have died.
Missa Tridentina
Daily Gospel Reflection for Saturday, November 2, 2019
Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer...
The Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant is in reference to the Church on earth (militant), the souls in Purgatory (suffering) and the saint who have…
How could a loving and merciful God send a soul to purgatory? Dr. Stackpole explains that this is exactly what we should expect a merciful God to do for some souls, because mercy is sometimes "tough love."
Dear Soul More Fortunate Than I and Yet…Less Fortunate, By the grace of God our paths have crossed and I have urgent matters to discuss with you. I implore you – do not turn away! I am in dire need of your prayers and you are in dire need of warning! No doubt you believe yourself to be leading a decent if not devout Catholic life, as I too once believed of myself. Let not Satan tempt you to be content with mediocracy as he did me! Have you ever heard of a famous saint who was just “okay?” Who
On Saturday, November 2, we celebrated the feast of All Souls, that special feast in the church calendar in which we commemorate and pray for all of the holy souls in Purgatory. This Catholic feast and the beliefs which undergird it can be repugnant to many non-Catholics, and even ignored or denied by modern day […]
The Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Souls in Purgatory by St. Alphonsus Liguori, which implores God's mercy.
H/T: Michael Hesemann
Saint Mariam Baouardy (St. Mariam of Jesus Crucified) -The Lily of Palestine Extraordinary Mystic, Stigmatic and Victim Soul (1846-1878)...
Devotion for the Month of November – The Holy Souls in Purgatory “Twelve Months Sanctified by Prayer”By Father Antoine Ricard (1834 – 1895) “It has been said and with reason, that “amongst al…
Author Susan Tassone notes the importance of prayer and offering Masses for the deceased.
Today is the Feast of All Souls, but, specifically, we should direct prayers, sacrifices, and alms for the aid of the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. There are many ways to obtain indulgences f…
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers
