The Abbot receives a lot of mail from varied sources. On his desk he found a Newsletter from an unknown shrine in France. It was from the "The World Centre of Prayer for the Souls of Purgatory", Our Lady of Montligeon. It was a reminder of the approaching Month of the Holy Souls.
Abbot Raymond, Tuesday Chapter evening Talk
NOVEMBER AND THE HOLY SOULS
Some people find the doctrine of Purgatory hard to understand, however, when properly understood there is nothing more obvious than the need for a "Purgatory".
When we die, we may be very sorry for our past sins, in which case they will certainly be forgiven.
But the problem is, not the sins that have to be forgiven, but the origin and source of those sins.
If our sins were merely a baggage that we had to dump in order to enter heaven, that would be no problem. But our sins of pride came from a spirit that was proud, and that spirit has to be humbled, and that will be painful.
Our unkindness and the pain we have caused others came from an unkind and uncharitable spirit and that spirit has to be broken, and that will be painful.
Our selfish behaviour came from a spirit that was inward looking and selfish and that selfishness has to be split open and that will be painful.
So when we come before God it is not so much a question of merely being forgiven but of being purified and changed.
It is not because we have sinned that we cannot enter Heaven but because, and in so far as, we are yet sinners that we need to be purified to enter there.
That is Purgatory.
God bless
Fr Raymond
