This article is the tenth part of a series about Purgatory, a topic that is rarely discussed today. A knowledge of Purgatory is essential if souls are to avoid the pains of this place of expiation. The previous article can be found here.
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Our Lady has many titles. One title of them is of especial comfort to those in the Church Expectant. Our Lady revealed that title to Saint Bridget—“Our Lady, Mother of the Souls in Purgatory. ”
In his work on Purgatory, Fr. F. Schouppe records her words to Saint Bridget and explains the title. Our Lady said:
“I am the Mother of all those who are in the place of expiation; my prayers mitigate the chastisements which are inflicted upon them for their faults.”1
Helper of the Poor Souls
This phrase is worthy of contemplation for all those who reflect on the pains of Purgatory most frequently and, therefore, fear them most. Father Schouppe tells stories of how Our Lady merits this title of Mother of the souls in Purgatory.
The first story is that of Father Jerome Carvalho, SJ, who died in the odor of sanctity at the age of fifty in 1604. He had been keenly aware of Purgatory and its sufferings, and imposed many penances on himself to shield himself from them. One day, in response to his prayers and self-imposed sufferings, Our Lady came to him. Whether her presence came to him in a vision, audible words or by an internal conversation is unrecorded, but the message is clear.
“But one day the Queen of Heaven, to whom he had a tender devotion, condescended herself to console her servant by the simple assurance that she was a Mother of Mercy to her dear children in Purgatory as well as to those upon earth.”
Vision of A Loved One
One detailed description of Our Lady working in this way comes from Saint Peter Damian (c.1007-1072). He related that every year, on the day of the Assumption of Mary (August 15), she delivers several thousand souls from Purgatory. This understanding prompted Romans to visit churches on the night before the Assumption, bearing a lit candle.
On one such occasion, a pious noblewoman went to the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Altar of Heaven (Ara Coeli) on the Capitoline Hill. While praying, she noticed another woman in a prostrate position, also praying. She believed that she had recognized her own godmother, who had died several months earlier.
Understandably overwhelmed, the noblewoman waited near the door of the Basilica. As the prostrate figure rose to leave, the lady caught her by the hand and drew her aside.
A Supernatural Conversation
“Are you not my godmother, who held me at the baptismal font?” the lady asked.
“Yes,” said the other, “it is I.”
“And how comes it that I find you among the living, since you have been dead more than a year?”
The lady’s godmother replied at length. “Until this day, I have been plunged in a dreadful fire, on account of the many sins of vanity which I committed in my youth, but during this great solemnity, the Queen of Heaven descended into the midst of the Purgatorial flames and delivered me, together with a large number of other souls, that we might enter Heaven on the Feast of her Assumption. She exercises this great act of clemency each year; and, on this occasion alone, the number of those whom she has delivered equals the population of Rome.”
A Prediction Fulfilled
As it is easy to understand, the lady was overwhelmed at this news. She had gone to the Basilica to offer her prayers, but had hardly expected to see one of those for whom she prayed. Her godmother, sensing her apprehension, added a prophecy.
“In proof of the truth of my words, know that you yourself will die a year hence, on the Feast of the Assumption; if you outlive that period, believe that this was an illusion.”
The pious young noblewoman heeded her godmother’s parting words. She spent the following year in prayer, doing good works and preparing to appear before God. Then, as her godmother had predicted, she fell sick and died on the Vigil of the Assumption.
The Special Nature of the Feast of the Assumption
Indeed, then, as Father Schouppe informs his readers, “The Feast of the Assumption is, then, the great day of Mary’s mercy towards the poor souls; she delights to introduce her children into the glory of Heaven on the anniversary of the day on which she herself first entered its blessed portals.”
Our Lady, Mother of the Souls in Purgatory, pray for our loved ones who await the Beatific Vision!
Photo Credit: © Renáta Sedmáková – stock.adobe.com
Footnotes
- All quotations in this article (unless another source is mentioned) use the 1905 version of Father F. X. Schouppe’s Purgatory, published in Great Britain by Burns, Oates and Washbourne, Ltd. It is in the public domain and available through the Internet Archive. The spellings of certain words may have been Americanized.