WHAT THE SOULS IN PURGATORY DO FOR THOSE WHO HELP THEM

St. Alphonsus Liguori says that though the Holy Souls in Purgatory cannot merit for themselves they can obtain for us great graces. They are not, formally speaking, intercessors as the Saints are but, through the sweet Providence of God, they can obtain for us as astounding favors and deliver us from evils, sickness and dangers of every kind. It is beyond all doubt, as we have already said, that they repay us a thousand times for anything we do for them (learn about 9 ways we can help them here).

The following true stories, a few of hundreds which we might quote, are sufficient to show what powerful and generous friends the Holy Souls are.

First Story: How a Girl found her Mother

A poor servant girl in France once heard a sermon on the Holy Souls which made an indelible impression on her mind. She was deeply moved by the thought of the intense and unceasing sufferings the souls endure and horrified to see how cruelly they are neglected and forgotten by their friends on Earth. Among other things the preacher stressed was that many souls who are in reality near to their release - one Mass might suffice to set them free - are oftentimes long detained, it may be for years, just because the last needful suffrage has been withheld, or forgotten or neglected!

With her simple faith Jeanne Marie resolved, that, cost what it might cost, she would have a mass said for them, every month, especially for the soul nearest to Heaven. She earned little and it was sometimes difficult to keep her promise, but she never failed.

On one occasion she went to Paris with her mistress and there fell ill so that she was obliged to go to hospital. Unfortunately the illness proved. to be a long one and her mistress had to return home, hoping that her maid would soon rejoin her. When at last the poor servant was able to leave the hospital all she had left of her scanty earnings was one franc!

What was she to do? Where to turn? Suddenly the thought flashed across her mind that she had not had her usual monthly Mass offered for the Holy Souls in purgatory but she had only one franc! That was little enough to buy her food. Yet her confidence that the Holy Souls would not fail her triumphed. She made her way into a Church and asked a priest, just about to say Mass, if he would offer it for the Holy Souls. He consented to do so, never dreaming that the modest alms offered was the only money the poor girl possessed.

At the conclusion of the Holy Sacrifice our heroine left the Church. A wave of sadness clouded her face, she felt utterly bewildered. A young gentleman, touched by her evident distress, asked her if she was in trouble and if he could help her. She told her story briefly and ended by saying how much she desired work. Somehow she felt consoled at the kind way in which the young man listened to what she said and fully recovered her confidence. "I am delighted beyond measure," he said "to help you. I know a lady who is even now looking for a servant. Come with me" and so saying he led her to a house not far distant and bade her ring the bell, assuring her that she would find work.

In answer to her ring the lady of the house herself opened the door and inquired what she required. "Madam", she said, "I have been told that you are looking for a servant. I have no work and should be glad to get the place."

The lady was amazed and replied: "Who could have told you that I needed a servant. It was only a few minutes ago, that I had to dismiss my maid and that at a moment’s notice. You did not meet her?"

The girl said "no, Madam, the person that informed me that you required a servant was a young gentleman."

"Impossible!" exclaimed the lady. "No young man, in fact no one at all, could have known that I needed a servant."

"But, Madam", the girl answered excitedly, "that is the young man who told me" pointing to a picture on the wall.

"Why, child, that is my only son who has been dead for more than a year."

"Dead or not", asserted the girl with deep conviction in her voice, "It was he who told me to come to you and he even led me to the door. See the scar over his eye, I would know him anywhere."

Then followed the full story of how she had had Mass offered with her last franc for the Holy souls, especially for the one nearest to Heaven.

Convinced at last of the truth of what Jeanne Marie told her the lady received her with open arms. "Come" she said "but not as my servant but as my dear daughter. You have sent my darling boy to Heaven. I have no doubt that it was he who brought you to me."

Second Story:  How a poor boy became a Bishop, a Cardinal, and a Saint

Peter Damian lost both Father and Mother shortly after his birth. One of his brothers adopted him but treated him with unnatural harshness, forcing him to work hard and giving him poor food and scanty clothing. One day Peter found a silver piece which represented to him a small fortune. A friend told him that he could conscientiously use it for himself as the owner could not be found. The only difficulty Peter had was to choose what it was he most needed, for he was in sore need of many things. While turning the matter over in his young mind it struck him that he could do a still better thing, viz, have a Mass said for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially for the souls of his dear parents. At the cost of a great sacrifice he put this thought into effect and had the Mass offered.

The Holy Souls repaid his sacrifice most generously. From that day forward a complete change became noticeable in his fortunes. His eldest brother called at the house where he lived and, horrified at the brutal hardships the little fellow was subjected to, arranged that he be handed over to his own care. He clad him and fed him as his own child, educated and cared for him most affectionately.

Blessing followed on blessing. Peter’s wonderful talents became known and he was rapidly promoted to the priesthood, sometime after he was raised to the episcopacy and finally created Cardinal. Miracles attested his great sanctity so that after death he was canonized and made Doctor of the Church.

These wonderful graces came to him after that one Mass said for the Holy Souls.

Third Story: An Adventure in the Appenines

A group of priests were called to Rome to treat of a grave business matter. They were bearers of important documents and a large sum of money was entrusted to them for the Holy Father. Aware that the Appenines, over which they had to pass, were infested by daring bandits, they chose a trusty driver. There was no tunnel through the mountains nor train in those days.They placed themselves under the protection of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and decided to say a “De profundis” every hour for them.

When right in the heart of the mountains the driver gave the alarm and, at the same time, lashed the horses into a furious gallop. Looking around the priests saw fierce bandits at each side of the road with fixed rifles ready to fire. They were amazed that no shot rang out. They were completely at the mercy of the bandits.

After an hour’s headlong flight the driver stopped and looking at the Priests said: “I cannot understand how we escaped. These desperadoes never spare anyone.” The Fathers were convinced that they owed their safety to the Holy Souls, a fact that was afterwards confirmed beyond doubt.

When their business was concluded in Rome, one of their number was detained in the Eternal City, where he was appointed chaplain to a prison. Not long after, one of the fiercest brigands in Italy was captured, condemned to death for a long series of murders and awaited execution in this prison. Anxious to gain his confidence the Chaplain told him of several adventures he himself had had and, finally, of his recent escape in the Appenines. The criminal manifested the greatest interest in the story. When it was ended he exclaimed: “I was the leader of that band. We
thought that you had money and we determined to rob and murder you. An invisible force prevented each and all of us from firing, as we assuredly would have done had we been able.”

The chaplain then told him of how they had placed themselves under the protection of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and that they ascribed their deliverance to their protection. The bandit found no difficulty in believing it. In fact it made his conversion easier. He died full of repentance.

Fourth Story: How Pius IX cured a bad memory 

The venerable Pontiff Pius IX appointed a holy and prudent religious as Bishop of a diocese. The priest, alarmed at the responsibility put on him, begged earnestly to be excused. His protests were in vain. The Holy Father knew his merits. Overcome with apprehension, the humble religious solicited an audience with the Pope, who received him most graciously. Once more he pleaded earnestly to be excused but the Pope was immovable. As a last recourse, Padre Tomaso told the Holy Father that he had a very bad memory which would naturally prove to be a grave impediment in the high office put on him. Pius IX answered with a smile: “Your diocese is very small in comparison with the Universal Church, which I carry on my shoulders. Your cares will be very light in comparison with mine. I, too, suffered from a grave defect of memory but I promised to say a fervent prayer daily for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, who, in return, have obtained for me an excellent memory. Do likewise, dear Father, and you will have cause to rejoice.” 

Fifth Story: The more we give, the more we get 

A business man in Boston joined the Association of the Holy Souls and gave a large sum of money annually that prayers and Masses might be said for them. The Director of the Association was surprised at the gentleman’s generosity for he knew that he was not a rich man. He asked kindly one day if the alms he so generously gave was his own offering, or, donations which he gathered from others. “What I offer, dear father," he said, “is my own offering. Be not alarmed. I am not a very rich man and you may think that I give more than I am able to do. It is not so, for far from losing by my charity, the Holy Souls see to it that I gain considerably more than I give. They are second to none in generosity.”

Sixth Story: The Printer of Cologne

The celebrated printer of Cologne, William Freyssen, gives us the following account of how his child and wife were restored to health by the Holy Souls in Purgatory. William Freyssen got the order to print a little work on Purgatory. Correcting the proofs, his attention was caught by the facts narrated in the book. He learned for the first time what wonders the Holy Souls can work for their friends. Just at that time, his son fell grievously ill and soon the case became desperate. Remembering what he had read about the power of the Holy Souls, Freyssen at once promised to spread, at his own expense, a hundred copies of the book which his firm was printing. To make the promise more solemn he went to the Church and there made his vow. At once a sense of peace and confidence filled his soul. On his return home, the boy, who had been unable to swallow a drop of water, asked for food. Next day he was out of danger and soon completely cured. At once Freyssen ordered the books on Purgatory to be distributed, feeling sure that it was the best way to obtain help for the suffering souls, by interesting a hundred people in them. No one who knows what they suffer can refuse to pray for them. 

Time passed and a new sorrow fell to the share of the printer. This time his dear wife was stricken down and, despite every care, grew daily worse. She lost the use of her mind and was almost completely paralyzed, so that the doctor gave up all hope. The husband, bethinking him of what the Holy Souls had done for his boy, again ran to the Church and promised to distribute 200 of the books on Purgatory, begging in exchange the urgent succour of the Holy Souls. Wonderful to relate, the mental aberration ceased, his wife’s mind became normal, she recovered the use of her limbs, and of her tongue. In a short time she was perfectly restored to health. 

Seventh Story: The cure of a Cancer

D. Joana de Menezes thus tells of her cure. She was suffering severely from a cancerous growth in the leg and was plunged in grief. Remembering what she had heard of the power of the Souls in Purgatory she resolved to place all her confidence in them and had nine Masses offered for them. She promised moreover to publish her cure if it were granted. Gradually the swelling went down and the tumour and cancer disappeared.

Eighth Story: An escape from Brigands

Father Louis Manaci, zealous Missionary, had great devotion to the souls in Purgatory. He found himself obliged to set out on a dangerous journey but confidently asked the Holy Souls to protect him in the dangers that he was likely to meet with. His road lay through a vast desert which he knew to be infested by brigands. Whilst plodding along, saying the Rosary for the Holy Souls, what was not his surprise, on looking round, to find himself surrounded as by a bodyguard of blessed spirits. Soon he discovered the reason. He had fallen into an ambuscade of brigands but the Holy Souls at once surrounded him and drove off the miscreants who sought his life. The Holy souls did not abandon him until he was well out of danger.

Ninth Story: A return to Life

The Prior of Cirfontaines gives us his story: “A young man of my parish fell dangerously ill with a typhoid fever. His parents were overcome with grief and asked me to recommend him to the prayers of the members of the Association of the Holy Souls. It was Saturday. The boy was at death’s door. The doctors had had recourse to every remedy. All in vain. They could think of nothing more. They were in despair. I was the only one who had hope. I knew the power of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for I had already seen what they could do. On Sunday I begged the Associates of the Holy Souls to pray fervently for our sick friend. On Monday the danger passed. The boy was cured.

Source: READ ME OR RUE IT. Fr. Paul O’Sullivan, O.P.

Tenth Story: Personal Testimony

My uncle, my mother’s brother, was married five times and in his second marriage he had two sons. He and his second wife divorced when the boys were 5 and 1 ½ years old. She remarried and her new husband threatened my uncle and told him he could not see his sons ever again. Unfortunately, he complied out of fear and did not pursue a relationship with them. My mother prayed about their reunion for over 20 years but saw no results.

During the Jubilee Year of 2000, my mother and my family made a visit to EWTN and heard a talk given by a priest about the Jubilee Indulgences. He suggested that we make a resolution to obtain a plenary indulgence, many times throughout the week, every day if possible, and offer each one for the holy souls in purgatory and ask them, in return, to pray for a prayer intention that we have been praying about for a long time that has not been answered. He said that the souls in purgatory are happy to do this because they are so grateful for the indulgences we obtain for them.

My mother was very inspired and motivated by this and knew immediately that she would do this and ask the holy souls in purgatory to pray for my uncle and his sons to be reunited. She began to do this right away.

About six months into it, God worked a miracle! My uncle's wife was transferred with her job from Cincinnati to Columbus, Ohio. While living there, they needed to have their air conditioner serviced and the technician assigned to the job was my cousin, one of his sons. My uncle did not know that his two sons were living in Columbus at the time. My cousin saw the name on the job order and thought, “Oh my! I am about to meet my dad!” Needless to say, they were reunited and have been close ever since. About a year later, my aunt was transferred back to Cincinnati and my cousins eventually moved there too. 

What a blessing to be able to help the holy souls in purgatory and receive their help in return. This is the Communion of Saints.  Is there a prayer intention that you have almost given up on? Why not give this pious practice a try! Learn how to help them here.