THE FOUR MEN PRAYER GROUPS
LIKE us on Facebook
& Follow us on Twitter
  • Bringing Souls to Jesus
  • Join the True Brotherhood
  • The Four Men Prayers
  • God's Marines Patron Saint "The Grunt Padre"
  • Testimonials
  • God's Marines and Four Men Prayer Group Members
  • Help Spread the Four Men Prayer Groups
  • The Four Men Boot Camp
  • The Forty Days of Boot Camp
  • FAQ and More Information
  • Links to Holiness
  • Contact Us
  • Bringing Souls to Jesus Blog
  • God's Marines Ranks

Advantages of Praying for the Souls in Purgatory: Extract from Purgatory Explained by Father Schouppe SJ.

11/14/2011

1 Comment

 
Advantages — Temporal Favours — Abbe Postel and the
Servant of Paris.

The following is related as a fact by the Abbe Postel,
the translator of F Rossignoli's work. It took place in
Paris, he says, about the year 1827, and is inserted as
No. 27 in. the Mervei les dn Purgatoire.

A poor servant, who had been brought up as a good
Christian in her native village, had adopted the pious
practice of having a Mass said every month for the suffering
souls. Her employers, having taken her with them to the
capital, she never once neglected it, and furthermore made
it her rule to assist at the Divine Sacrifice, and to unite her
prayers with those of the priest, especially for the soul that
had most nearly completed its expiation. This was her
ordinary intention.

God soon tried her by a long illness, that not only occa-
sioned her cruel suffering, but also caused her to lose her
place and draw upon her last resources. On the day that
she was able to leave the hospital, she had but twenty sous
left. After addressing a fervent prayer to Heaven, full of
confidence, she went in search of a situation. She was
told that she would probably find employment in a certain
family at the other end of the city, whither she went, and
as she was obliged to pass by the Church of St. Eustache,
she entered. The sight of a priest at the altar reminded
her that this month she had forgotten her usual Mass for
the dead, and that this was the very day upon which, for
many years, she had been accustomed to do this good work.
But what was she to do ? If she disposed of her last franc,
she would have nothing left, even to satisfy her hunger. 

It was a struggle between devotion and human prudence.
Devotion gained the day. " After all," she said to herself,
" the good God knows it is for Him, and He will not forsake
me ! " Entering the sacristy, she gave her offering for a
Mass, at which she assisted with her usual fervour.

A few moments after, she continued on her way, full
of anxiety as may be readily understood. Being abso-
lutely destitute of means, what was she to do if she failed
to obtain employment? She was still occupied with these
thoughts when a pale young man of a slight figure and dis-
tinguished appearance approached her and said, "Are you
in search of a situation?" "Yes, sir." "Well, go to a

certain street and number, to the house of Madame .

I think you will suit her, and that you will be satisfied
there." Having spoken these words, he disappeared in the
passing crowd, without waiting to receive the poor girl's
thanks.

She found the streejt, recognised the number, and
ascended to the apartments. A servant came out carry-
ing a package under her arm and uttering words of com-
plaint and anger. "Is Madame there?" asked the
newcomer. "She may or she may not be," replied the
other. "What does it matter to me? Madame will
open the door herself if it suits her ; I will trouble myself
no longer about it. Adieu!" And she descended the
steps.

Our poor girl rang the bell with trembling hand, and a
sweet voice bade her enter. She found herself in the
presence of an old lady of venerable appearance, who
encouraged her to make known her wishes.

" Madame," said the servant, " I learned this morning
that you are in need of a servant, and I came to offer my
services. I was assured that you would receive me kindly."
" Oh, but, my dear child, what you tell me is very extraor-
dinary. This morning I had no need of one ; it is only
within the last half-hour that I have discharged an insolent 
domestic, and there is not a soul in the world except her
and myself who know it. Who sent you, then ? " " It was
a gentleman, Madame ; a young gentleman whom I met on
the street, who stopped me for this purpose, and I praised
God for it, for it is absolutely necessary for me to find a
place to-day ; I have not a penny in my pocket."

The old lady could not understand who the person was,
and was lost in conjecture, when the servant raising her
eyes to the furniture of the little parlour, perceived a
portrait. "Wait, Madame," she said immediately, "do
not puzzle yourself any more ; this is the exact picture of
the young man who spoke to me. It is on his account
that I am come."

At these words the lady uttered a loud cry and seemed
to lose consciousness. She made the girl repeat the story
of her devotion to the souls in Purgatory, of the morning
Mass, and her meeting with the stranger ; then throwing
herself on the neck of the girl, she embraced her amid a
flood of tears and said, "You shall not be my servant
from this moment ; you are my daughter. It is my son,
my only son, whom you saw — my son, dead for the past
two years, who owes to you his deliverance, whom God
directed to send you here. I cannot doubt it. May
you, then, be blessed, and let us pray continually for all
those who suffer before entering into a blessed eternity." 
Exract from Purgatory Explained by Father Schouppe SJ.
Tan Books

Let us continue to pray and sacrifice ourselves for our paralytics, sinners, and all the souls in purgatory.

Keep up the Great Work,
In Christ,
Big Brother #2
1 Comment

Advantages of praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, Excerpts from Purgatory by Father Schouppe, SJ.

10/20/2011

3 Comments

 
Advantages of Devotion towards the Holy Souls — Thei
Gratitude — St Margaret of Cortona — St. Philip A Neri
— Cardinal Baronius and the Dying Woman.

Is it difficult to understand the gratitude of the holy souls ?
If you had ransomed a captive from the galling yoke of
slavery, would he be grateful for such a benefit? When
the Emperor Charles V. took possession of the city of Tunis,
he restored to liberty twenty thousand Christian slaves, who
before his victory had been reduced to a most deplorable
condition. Penetrated with gratitude towards their bene-
factor, they surrounded him, blessing him and singing his
praises. If you gave health to a person dangerously sick,
fortune to an unhappy creature who had been reduced to
poverty, would you not receive in return their gratitude and
their benedictions ? And those souls, so holy and so good,
will they conduct themselves differently with regard to their
benefactors? — those poor souls whose captivity, poverty,
suffering, and necessity far surpass all captivity, indigence,
or malady to be found upon earth. They come especially
at the hour of death, to protect them, to accompany and
introduce them into the happy abode of their eternal
rest.

We have already spoken of St. Margaret of Cortona, and
of her devotion to the holy souls. It is related in her
biography that at her death she saw a multitude of souls
that she had delivered from Purgatory form in procession
to escort her to Paradise. God revealed this favour granted
to Margaret of Cortona through the medium of a holy
person in the city of Castello. This servant of God, wrapt
in ecstasy at the moment when Margaret departed this life, 
saw her soul in the midst of this brilliant cortege, and on
recovering from her rapture she related to her friends what
our Lord had been pleased to manifest to her.

St. Philip Neri, founder of the Congregation of the
Oratory, had a most tender devotion towards the holy souls
in Purgatory, and he felt a particular attraction to pray for
those who had been under his spiritual direction. He
considered himself under greatest obligation to them, be-
cause Divine Providence had confided them in a special
manner to his zeal. It seemed to him that his charity
ought to follow them until their final purification was accom-
plished, and they were admitted into the glory of Heaven.
He confessed that many of his spiritual children appeared
to him after their death, either to ask his prayers or to
return him thanks for what he had already done for them.
He declared also that by this means he had obtained more
than one grace.

After his death, a Franciscan Father of great piety was
praying in the chapel in which the venerated remains of
the saint had been deposited, when the latter appeared to
him surrounded with glory and in the midst of a brilliant
train. Encouraged by the air of amiable familiarity with
which the saint regarded him, he ventured to ask the mean-
ing of that bright band of blessed spirits which accompanied
him. The saint replied that they were the souls of those
whose spiritual guide he had been during life, and whom
by his suffrages he had delivered from Purgatory. He
added that they had come to meet him on his departure
from this world, that in their turn they might introduce him
into the Heavenly Jerusalem.

"There is no doubt," says the devout Father Rossignoli, "that on their entrance into eternal glory the first favours which they ask of the Divine Mercy are for those who have opened to them the gates of Paradise, and they will never fail to pray for their benefactors, whenever they see them in any necessity or danger. In reverses of fortune, sicknesses, and accidents of all kinds they will be their protectors. Their zeal will increase when the interests of the soul are at stake ; they will powerfully assist them to vanquish temptation, to practise good works, to die a Christian death, and to escape the sufferings of the other life."

Cardinal Baronius, whose authority as historian is well
known, relates that a person who was very charitable to-
wards the holy souls was afflicted with a terrible agony
when on her deathbed. The spirit of darkness suggested
to her the most gloomy fears, and veiled from her sight
the sweet light of Divine Mercy, endeavouring to drive
her into despair; when suddenly Heaven seemed to open
before her eyes, and she saw thousands of defenders fly
to her aid,
reanimating her courage, and promising her
the victory. Comforted by this unexpected assistance, she
asked who were her defenders? "We are," they replied,
" the souls which you have delivered from Purgatory ; we,
in our turn, come to help you, and very soon we shall con-
duct you to Paradise." At these consoling words the sick
person felt that her fears were changed into the sweetest
confidence. A short time afterwards she tranquilly ex-
pired, her countenance serene and her heart filled with
joy.
Extract from Purgatory Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints, by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.j.
Tan Books 1986, Pgs 317-320

As Four Men brothers and sisters we bring four thousand souls a day to Jesus through the prayer of St. Gertrude for the Souls in Purgatory and sinners.  All those who we help to be released from purgatory will surely assist us in attaining our salvation. 

3 Comments

Bringing Souls to Jesus through the St. Gertrude prayer.

10/17/2011

0 Comments

 
In one Vision, Our Lord tells Gertrude that he longs for someone to ask Him to release souls from purgatory, just as a king who imprisons a friend for justice's sake hopes that someone will beg for mercy for his friend. Jesus ends with:

"I accept with highest pleasure what is offered to Me for the poor souls, for I long inexpressibly to have near Me those for whom I paid so great a price. By the prayers of thy loving soul, I am induced to free a prisoner from purgatory as often as thou dost move thy tongue to utter a word of prayer."

In another vision she was given the Prayer which Our Lord told her would release 1000 Souls from Purgatory every time it is said with love and devotion. "Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, those in the Universal Church, in my home, and in my family."

From Mission to Empty Purgatory (MTEP)

http://www.mtep.com/stgertrude.htm

St. Gertrude showed "tender sympathy towards the souls in purgatory" and urged prayers for them. She is therefore invoked for souls in purgatory.

Perhaps for that reason, to her name has been attached a prayer that, according to a legend of uncertain origin and date (neither are found in the Revelations of Saint Gertrude the Great), Our Lord promised to release a thousand souls from purgatory each time it was said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners as well.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_the_Great

As members of  a Four Men Prayer group through daily praying the St. Gertrude prayer you will help bring One Thousand Souls a day to Jesus (Your whole group Four Thousand).  Either released from purgatory or sinners. WOW!  That is truly bringing souls to Jesus.  Whenever you can pray this prayer to bring souls to Jesus.   
Keep up the Great Work,
In Christ,
Big Brother#2



Pray






0 Comments

    Author

    The Founder Brian Kiczek(The Rosary Doctor) is a dedicated Catholic who is working to Seek First the Kingdom  God in all that he does.  He started the second Four Men Prayer Group on September 15th, 2004 on Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day.  Since then he continues to strive to Bring Souls to Jesus especially through the Four Men Prayer Groups.

    Archives

    February 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011

    Categories

    All
    Brotherhood
    Four Men
    Prayer
    Purgatory
    Sacrifice
    Save Souls
    Saving Souls
    Seek First

    Picture

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.