For Whom Should we pray? Great Sinners
(Excerpt for Purgatory Explained by Fr. Schouppe)
Father Ravignan, an illustrious and holy preacher of the Society of Jesus, also cherished great hope for the welfare of sinners carried away by a sudden death, when otherwise they had borne no hatred in the heart for the things of God.
He lived to speak of the supreme moment, and it seems
to have been his opinion that many sinners are converted
in their last moments, and are reconciled to God without
being able to give any exterior sign thereof. In certain
deaths there are mysteries of Mercy where the eye of man
sees nothing but strokes of Justice. As a last glimmer of
light, God sometimes reveals Himself to those souls whose
greatest misfortune has been to ignore Him ; and the last
sigh, understood by Him who penetrates hearts, may be a
groan that calls for pardon ; that is to say, an act of perfect
contrition. General Exelmans, a relative of this good father,
was suddenly carried to the tomb by an accident,
and unfortunately he had not been faithful in the practice
of his religion. He had promised that he would one day
make his confession, but had not had the opportunity to
do so. Father Ravignan, who for a long time had prayed
and procured prayers for him, was filled with consternation
when he heard of such a death. The same day, a person
accustomed to receive supernatural communications thought
he heard an interior voice, which said to him, " Who then
knows the extent of God's mercy ? Who knows the depth
of the ocean, or how much water is contained therein ?
Much will be forgiven to those who have sinned through
ignorance."
The biographer from whom we borrow this incident,
Father de Ponlevoy, goes on to say, "Christians, placed
under the law of Hope no less than under the law of Faith
and Charity, we must continually lift ourselves up from the
depths of our sufferings to the thought of the infinite good-
ness of God. No limit to the grace of God is placed here
below; while there remains a spark of life there is nothing
which it cannot effect in the soul. Therefore we must ever
hope and petition God with humble persistency. We know
not to what a degree we may be heard. Great saints and
doctors have gone to great lengths in extolling the powerful
efficacy of prayer for the dear departed, how unhappy soever
their end may have been. We shall one day know the
unspeakable marvels of Divine Mercy. We should never
cease to implore it with the greatest confidence."
The following is an incident which our readers may have
seen in the Petit Afessager du Cceur de Marie, November
1880. A Religious, preaching a mission to the ladies at
Nancy, had reminded them in a conference that we must
never despair of the salvation of a soul, and that sometimes actions of the least importance in the eyes of man are rewarded by God at the hour of death. When he was about to leave the church, a lady dressed in mourning approached him and said, " Father, you just recommended to us confidence and hope ; what has just happened to me fully justifies your words. I had a husband who was most
kind and affectionate, and who, although otherwise leading
an irreproachable life, entirely neglected the practice of his
religion. My prayers and exhortations remained without
effect. During the month of May which preceded his death,
I had erected in my room, as I was accustomed to do, a
little altar of the Blessed Virgin, and decorated it with
flowers, which I renewed from time to time. My husband
passed the Sunday in the country, and each time he re-
turned he brought me some flowers, which he himself had
plucked, and with these I used to adorn my oratory. Did
he notice this? Did he do this to give me pleasure, or
was it through a sentiment of piety towards the Blessed
Virgin? I know not, but he never failed to bring me
the flowers.
" In the beginning of the following month he died sud-
denly, without having had time to receive the consolations
of religion. I was inconsolable, especially as I saw all my
hopes of his return to God vanish. In consequence of my
grief, my health became completely shattered, and my family
urged me to make a tour in the south. As I had to pass
through Lyons, I desired to see the Cure' d'Ars. I there-
fore wrote to him asking an audience, and recommending
to his prayers my husband, who had died suddenly. I
gave him no further details.
"Arrived at Ars, scarcely had I entered the venerable
Cure's room than, to my great astonishment, he addressed me
in these words : ' Madame, you are disconsolate ; but have
you forgotten those bouquets of flowers which were brought
to you each Sunday of the month of May ? ' It is impos-
sible to express my astonishment on hearing M. Vianney
remind me of a circumstance that I had not mentioned to
any one, and which he could know only by revelation.
He continued, 'God has had mercy on him who honoured
His Holy Mother. At the moment of his death your hus-
band repented ; his soul is in Purgatory ; our prayers and
good works will obtain his deliverance.' "
Extract from Purgatory Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints, by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.j.
Tan Books 1986, Pgs 272-275
WE MUST NEVER CEASE TO PRAY FOR THE HEALING, CONVERSION, AND SALVATION OF ALL, ESPECIALLY GREAT SINNERS.
WE SHALL ONE DAY KNOW THE UNSPEAKABLE MARVELS OF DIVINE MERCY. WE SHOULD NEVER CEASE TO IMPLORE IT WITH THE GREATEST CONFIDENCE.
Keep up the Great Work!
Next day of the Four Men Boot Camp:
http://www.thefourmen.info/2/post/2011/12/the-twenty-seventh-day-of-the-four-men-boot-camp.html
Not yet in the God's Marines Boot Camp?
Rise up today to join the True Brotherhood of the Four Men Prayer Groups:
www.thefourmen.info/join-the-true-brotherhood.html
He lived to speak of the supreme moment, and it seems
to have been his opinion that many sinners are converted
in their last moments, and are reconciled to God without
being able to give any exterior sign thereof. In certain
deaths there are mysteries of Mercy where the eye of man
sees nothing but strokes of Justice. As a last glimmer of
light, God sometimes reveals Himself to those souls whose
greatest misfortune has been to ignore Him ; and the last
sigh, understood by Him who penetrates hearts, may be a
groan that calls for pardon ; that is to say, an act of perfect
contrition. General Exelmans, a relative of this good father,
was suddenly carried to the tomb by an accident,
and unfortunately he had not been faithful in the practice
of his religion. He had promised that he would one day
make his confession, but had not had the opportunity to
do so. Father Ravignan, who for a long time had prayed
and procured prayers for him, was filled with consternation
when he heard of such a death. The same day, a person
accustomed to receive supernatural communications thought
he heard an interior voice, which said to him, " Who then
knows the extent of God's mercy ? Who knows the depth
of the ocean, or how much water is contained therein ?
Much will be forgiven to those who have sinned through
ignorance."
The biographer from whom we borrow this incident,
Father de Ponlevoy, goes on to say, "Christians, placed
under the law of Hope no less than under the law of Faith
and Charity, we must continually lift ourselves up from the
depths of our sufferings to the thought of the infinite good-
ness of God. No limit to the grace of God is placed here
below; while there remains a spark of life there is nothing
which it cannot effect in the soul. Therefore we must ever
hope and petition God with humble persistency. We know
not to what a degree we may be heard. Great saints and
doctors have gone to great lengths in extolling the powerful
efficacy of prayer for the dear departed, how unhappy soever
their end may have been. We shall one day know the
unspeakable marvels of Divine Mercy. We should never
cease to implore it with the greatest confidence."
The following is an incident which our readers may have
seen in the Petit Afessager du Cceur de Marie, November
1880. A Religious, preaching a mission to the ladies at
Nancy, had reminded them in a conference that we must
never despair of the salvation of a soul, and that sometimes actions of the least importance in the eyes of man are rewarded by God at the hour of death. When he was about to leave the church, a lady dressed in mourning approached him and said, " Father, you just recommended to us confidence and hope ; what has just happened to me fully justifies your words. I had a husband who was most
kind and affectionate, and who, although otherwise leading
an irreproachable life, entirely neglected the practice of his
religion. My prayers and exhortations remained without
effect. During the month of May which preceded his death,
I had erected in my room, as I was accustomed to do, a
little altar of the Blessed Virgin, and decorated it with
flowers, which I renewed from time to time. My husband
passed the Sunday in the country, and each time he re-
turned he brought me some flowers, which he himself had
plucked, and with these I used to adorn my oratory. Did
he notice this? Did he do this to give me pleasure, or
was it through a sentiment of piety towards the Blessed
Virgin? I know not, but he never failed to bring me
the flowers.
" In the beginning of the following month he died sud-
denly, without having had time to receive the consolations
of religion. I was inconsolable, especially as I saw all my
hopes of his return to God vanish. In consequence of my
grief, my health became completely shattered, and my family
urged me to make a tour in the south. As I had to pass
through Lyons, I desired to see the Cure' d'Ars. I there-
fore wrote to him asking an audience, and recommending
to his prayers my husband, who had died suddenly. I
gave him no further details.
"Arrived at Ars, scarcely had I entered the venerable
Cure's room than, to my great astonishment, he addressed me
in these words : ' Madame, you are disconsolate ; but have
you forgotten those bouquets of flowers which were brought
to you each Sunday of the month of May ? ' It is impos-
sible to express my astonishment on hearing M. Vianney
remind me of a circumstance that I had not mentioned to
any one, and which he could know only by revelation.
He continued, 'God has had mercy on him who honoured
His Holy Mother. At the moment of his death your hus-
band repented ; his soul is in Purgatory ; our prayers and
good works will obtain his deliverance.' "
Extract from Purgatory Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints, by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.j.
Tan Books 1986, Pgs 272-275
WE MUST NEVER CEASE TO PRAY FOR THE HEALING, CONVERSION, AND SALVATION OF ALL, ESPECIALLY GREAT SINNERS.
WE SHALL ONE DAY KNOW THE UNSPEAKABLE MARVELS OF DIVINE MERCY. WE SHOULD NEVER CEASE TO IMPLORE IT WITH THE GREATEST CONFIDENCE.
Keep up the Great Work!
Next day of the Four Men Boot Camp:
http://www.thefourmen.info/2/post/2011/12/the-twenty-seventh-day-of-the-four-men-boot-camp.html
Not yet in the God's Marines Boot Camp?
Rise up today to join the True Brotherhood of the Four Men Prayer Groups:
www.thefourmen.info/join-the-true-brotherhood.html
