True Stories of Purgatory

"I look around at all who are on earth, to see if by chance there are any who pity Me,” the Blessed Mother said to St. Bridget, “and meditate on My Sorrows; and I find that there are very few. Therefore, My daughter, though I am forgotten by many, I beg you, at least, not to forget Me. Meditate on My Sorrows and share in My grief, as far as you can.”

Sadly, how true are Her words. Nearly everyone in the whole world either forgets, ignores, or even attacks the Sorrows and pains of not only Jesus, but also, of His holy Mother Mary.

"Because of Her love for us,” St. Alphonsus Liguori writes, “She was willing to see Her Son sacrificed to Divine Justice by the barbarity of men. This great torment which Mary endured for us was more dreadful than a thousand deaths and deserves our sympathy and our gratitude. If we cannot return this love in any other way, let us at least for a few moments consider how great were the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of Martyrs. The sufferings of Mary's martyrdom surpassed those of all other martyrs. First of all, they lasted longer; and secondly, they were more intense."

Our Lord Jesus once told Blessed Veronica of Binasco, that it pleases Him more when He sees His Mother pitied and comforted than when He is Himself. He said: "My daughter, tears shed for My Passion are dear to Me; but as I loved My Mother Mary with an immense love, the meditation on the torments which She endured at My death is even more agreeable to Me."

Like any person, Mary is touched and deeply grateful for any compassion anyone gives Her. And She never forgets, and she never fails to reward anything that is done in Her honor.

Dominica Clara of the Holy Cross, who died in the odor or sanctity in 1897, was many times privileged to receive apparitions from the Holy Souls from Purgatory. She tells us of a certain soul from Purgatory who had been saved in a truly merciful and touching way. God’s Mercy is always involved in the salvation of every soul. However, in some cases, the incredible Mercy of God is shown with such clarity that it is truly remarkable. The salvation of this soul had been attained entirely through devotion to the Sorrows of Mary.

This soul from Purgatory told the good Sister that while she had been alive on earth, she had lived a life of wickedness. So wicked, she said, that, except for a powerful and special grace from God, there would have been no possibility of her salvation; and she would have most certainly gone to hell, which she justly deserved.

During her sinful life, though, she had felt a sincere sympathy and tenderness for Our Lady and the pain Mary had suffered by Her Sorrows. Whenever she saw an image of the Mother of Sorrows, this soul would say seven Hail Marys in Mary’s honor. Her mother had been a pious woman and, in the girl’s childhood, had implanted this devotion into her heart. Throughout the daughter’s life, even though she led a very corrupt and disordered one, she had always continued to practice this devotion.

It was a small sacrifice, easily overlooked; especially when it was so heavily overshadowed by the woman’s otherwise wretched behavior. But Our Lady never forgets…

Her life passed on, until at length, death came for the sinner. She laid on her death bed, and all of her numerous sins surrounded her. She had led a sinful life. She had wasted a life. Now, it was coming to a end. But Mary, with a special care and motherly concern for this soul, was desirous to give her something. In gratitude for the small signs of respect and love that the sinner had shown to Mary in compassion for Her Sorrows, Our Blessed Mother had obtained for this woman an extraordinary and powerful grace.

At that moment, an image was vividly brought to the sinner’s mind. It was an image of the Sorrowful Mother. So strong was it, that woman immediately felt a sadness at the sight of it. But this sadness slowly grew, as the thought of the Sorrowful Virgin, and the grace from the Virgin as well, revealed an unmistakable reality.

The sorrows of Mary had been caused by the sins of all mankind. That included her sins - all of them. In a flood of memories, all of her countless and wicked deeds came pouring into her mind.

How horrible they were! What evil those sins had caused. To what great pains had her Merciful Savior suffered to save her - and because of those sins! And all of His excruciating sufferings…The soul thought again about the Sorrowful Mother, weeping tears of agony while Her heart broke with sorrow. This, this was what her sins had accomplished. The dying woman could see clearly all of the terrible pain that her sins had caused such an innocent and loving Mother as Mary.

The last moments of her life had come, and the soul was overwhelmed with contrition. Full of remorse, the woman felt a true, sincere sorrow for her many sins and countless crimes against God. And because of this perfect contrition, the grace for which was obtained for her by her Heavenly Mother… the soul was forgiven all of her sins.

The sorrow she had had for her sins was so great, that not only did it atone for her sins, but nearly all of the temporal punishment she deserved for them was expiated as well.

But as if this was not enough for the Blessed Virgin to give, another wonderful favor was given. While the soul was in Purgatory, the Mother of God Herself came to console and visit her frequently. During the time that Our Lady was personally present there, the reparative sufferings were completely stopped; and each time that She came, the degree of sufferings were lessened when She left.

“Thousands and thousands of souls”, the soul declared to Sister Dominica, “who had not committed one twentieth as much evil as I did, were eternally lost. Ah!,” she exclaimed, “how lively are my feelings of gratitude when I consider what our dear Heavenly Mother did for me in the last moments of my life! Had it not been for Mary, I too should have shared the fate of the reprobates. For all eternity shall my tongue proclaim with love, the goodness, the solicitude of this sweet Virgin; unceasingly shall my voice glorify her with canticles of praise and thanksgiving.”

Dominica Clara of the Holy Cross says also, that many souls who have a sincere devotion of the Sorrowful Mother are not only saved by Mary’s powerful intercession, but they are kept in Purgatory for just a little while, and scarcely at that. They are denied the joys of Heaven and the sight of God for only a short time, and far less than their sins deserved.


	Saved by Compassion
	"I look around at all who are on earth, to see if by chance there are any who pity Me,” the Blessed Mother said to St. Bridget, “and meditate on My Sorrows; and I find that there are very few. Therefore, My daughter, though I am forgotten by many, I beg you, at least, not to forget Me. Meditate on My Sorrows and share in My grief, as far as you can.” Sadly, how true are Her words. Nearly everyone in the whole world either forgets, ignores, or even attacks the Sorrows and pains of not only Jesus, but also, of His holy Mother Mary. "Because of Her love for us,” St. Alphonsus Liguori writes, “She was willing to see Her Son sacrificed to Divine Justice by the barbarity of men. This great torment which Mary endured for us was more dreadful than a thousand deaths and deserves our sympathy and our gratitude. If we cannot return this love in any other way, let us at least for a few moments consider how great were the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of Martyrs. The sufferings of Mary's martyrdom surpassed those of all other martyrs. First of all, they lasted longer; and secondly, they were more intense." Our Lord Jesus once told Blessed Veronica of Binasco, that it pleases Him more when He sees His Mother pitied and comforted than when He is Himself. He said: "My daughter, tears shed for My Passion are dear to Me; but as I loved My Mother Mary with an immense love, the meditation on the torments which She endured at My death is even more agreeable to Me." Like any person, Mary is touched and deeply grateful for any compassion anyone gives Her. And She never forgets, and she never fails to reward anything that is done in Her honor. Dominica Clara of the Holy Cross, who died in the odor or sanctity in 1897, was many times privileged to receive apparitions from the Holy Souls from Purgatory. She tells us of a certain soul from Purgatory who had been saved in a truly merciful and touching way. God’s Mercy is always involved in the salvation of every soul. However, in some cases, the incredible Mercy of God is shown with such clarity that it is truly remarkable. The salvation of this soul had been attained entirely through devotion to the Sorrows of Mary. This soul from Purgatory told the good Sister that while she had been alive on earth, she had lived a life of wickedness. So wicked, she said, that, except for a powerful and special grace from God, there would have been no possibility of her salvation; and she would have most certainly gone to hell, which she justly deserved. During her sinful life, though, she had felt a sincere sympathy and tenderness for Our Lady and the pain Mary had suffered by Her Sorrows. Whenever she saw an image of the Mother of Sorrows, this soul would say seven Hail Marys in Mary’s honor. Her mother had been a pious woman and, in the girl’s childhood, had implanted this devotion into her heart. Throughout the daughter’s life, even though she led a very corrupt and disordered one, she had always continued to practice this devotion. It was a small sacrifice, easily overlooked; especially when it was so heavily overshadowed by the woman’s otherwise wretched behavior. But Our Lady never forgets… Her life passed on, until at length, death came for the sinner. She laid on her death bed, and all of her numerous sins surrounded her. She had led a sinful life. She had wasted a life. Now, it was coming to a end. But Mary, with a special care and motherly concern for this soul, was desirous to give her something. In gratitude for the small signs of respect and love that the sinner had shown to Mary in compassion for Her Sorrows, Our Blessed Mother had obtained for this woman an extraordinary and powerful grace. At that moment, an image was vividly brought to the sinner’s mind. It was an image of the Sorrowful Mother. So strong was it, that woman immediately felt a sadness at the sight of it. But this sadness slowly grew, as the thought of the Sorrowful Virgin, and the grace from the Virgin as well, revealed an unmistakable reality. The sorrows of Mary had been caused by the sins of all mankind. That included her sins - all of them. In a flood of memories, all of her countless and wicked deeds came pouring into her mind. How horrible they were! What evil those sins had caused. To what great pains had her Merciful Savior suffered to save her - and because of those sins! And all of His excruciating sufferings…The soul thought again about the Sorrowful Mother, weeping tears of agony while Her heart broke with sorrow. This, this was what her sins had accomplished. The dying woman could see clearly all of the terrible pain that her sins had caused such an innocent and loving Mother as Mary. The last moments of her life had come, and the soul was overwhelmed with contrition. Full of remorse, the woman felt a true, sincere sorrow for her many sins and countless crimes against God. And because of this perfect contrition, the grace for which was obtained for her by her Heavenly Mother… the soul was forgiven all of her sins. The sorrow she had had for her sins was so great, that not only did it atone for her sins, but nearly all of the temporal punishment she deserved for them was expiated as well. But as if this was not enough for the Blessed Virgin to give, another wonderful favor was given. While the soul was in Purgatory, the Mother of God Herself came to console and visit her frequently. During the time that Our Lady was personally present there, the reparative sufferings were completely stopped; and each time that She came, the degree of sufferings were lessened when She left. “Thousands and thousands of souls”, the soul declared to Sister Dominica, “who had not committed one twentieth as much evil as I did, were eternally lost. Ah!,” she exclaimed, “how lively are my feelings of gratitude when I consider what our dear Heavenly Mother did for me in the last moments of my life! Had it not been for Mary, I too should have shared the fate of the reprobates. For all eternity shall my tongue proclaim with love, the goodness, the solicitude of this sweet Virgin; unceasingly shall my voice glorify her with canticles of praise and thanksgiving.” Dominica Clara of the Holy Cross says also, that many souls who have a sincere devotion of the Sorrowful Mother are not only saved by Mary’s powerful intercession, but they are kept in Purgatory for just a little while, and scarcely at that. They are denied the joys of Heaven and the sight of God for only a short time, and far less than their sins deserved.