Purgatory and Hungry Souls

I just finished this book from Tan Books (2009). It was a good read. I purchased it while I was working at Archangel Books and Gifts, and Arthur of course had it read sometime way back when. It caught my attention because of the many photographs it contained  of burn marks left by souls who had visited the living in hopes of obtaining spiritual relief from their sufferings. The author also caught my eye. I had met Gerard van den Aardweg several years earlier at a Human Life International conference held in Bloomington, Minnesota. Our meeting was memorable first because he was an excellent speaker on matters relating to homosexuality, and second, because after the talk we asked him a personal question. I wrote down his name, which he had to spell for me. As I wrote he said, "W", not "V". I had to explain that my very narrow "W" was in fact a "W". So much for my illegible handwriting! As a Vandeberg, I also felt a kinsman ship for this man who is from the Netherlands.

In addition to photographs from the Museum of Purgatory, the book also has some beautiful pictures of the Church of the Sacred Heart of the Suffering Souls in Rome. The church is dwarfed by the two buildings on either side, and yet it is a substantial structure replete with Gothic spires. The fiery paintings inside led me to believe that it would be a quiet, somewhat subdued, dark and yet warm place to pray. I would love to visit that church.

Mr. van den Aarweg made an interesting speculation in the book, namely that we may be surrounded by the souls of those who have died without knowing it due to our lack of holiness.

My emotions changed as I read the book. At first I felt very grateful for the gift of purgatory. I could see how much I would want to be purified before entering into the Beatific Vision, because God is so good, and I am not. As I completed it I hoped that the book would give me some impetus to live a holier, sacrificial life in order to avoid the horrible pains of purgatory.

I had prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet so much with my mom when she died, that after she died, it felt as if she was still present. We also had Gregorian masses offered for her, as Arthur had done for his dad. I shall continue to pray for my parents, grandparents and other relatives and friends. We never know how long a soul has to remain in purgatory. We do know from some of these apparitions and from Lucia at Fatima, that some souls will remain there until the end of time.

We hope that there is someone who will remember to pray for us and have masses said for us when we are gone. When the first of us dies, it will be time to set aside money to be used for masses for the repose of the soul of the second. Even better is our continuation of masses offered as we are yet alive.

I continue to battle a bad cough or bronchitis. I had been taking Mucinex to loosen the cough. However, I am developing a rash on my chest just like the one I had last Christmas. I am thinking guaifenesin is the culprit. I had had bronchitis prior to last year's rash, and had been using Mucinex then, too. Another reason to stick to my Shaklee.

Geri and I have spread my vision therapy to three week intervals. Meanwhile I have tons of exercises to do, with syntonics twice a day. Makes me wonder what I would do were I working full time. Not that I would ever be able to take that much time off for therapy sessions, unless I were on disability.

I bought a bunch more cookie cutters at Accent yesterday. My favorite is the doe. I love the ugly sweater cookie decorating idea that our friends the Pedersons do every year at Christmas, but the sweater cutter is huge, too much cookie for little grandchildren. I will wait until they are older.