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How to Avoid Purgatory
In How to Avoid Purgatory the ever-popular Fr. Paul O'Sullivan provides a wonderful little handbook of easy ways to bypass Purgatory so that we can go straight to Heaven when we die. This book forms a perfect companion to Fr. O'Sullivan's famous Read Me or Rue It, on helping the Holy Souls in Purgatory and receiving from them in return signal favors.
The author maintains it is God's holy Will that everyone avoid Purgatory, for nobody goes there except for faults which he could have avoided. Moreover, he shows that if we just aim for Purgatory, we may unfortunately find ourselves in Hell; whereas, the best way to avoid Hell is to aim to be perfectly prepared for Heaven when we die. And Fr. O'Sullivan shows how to achieve this.
He maintains that every day most people blindly pass by all sorts of opportunities to earn "gold for Heaven." But rather than calling for heroic measures, he tells us: If we are afraid to do much, let us do many little things. And he gives numerous examples and suggestions.
Although very brief and easy to read, How to Avoid Purgatory is actually a treasure map showing us how to gain the most from this life and at the same time obtain the greatest possible rewards in Heaven.
The author maintains it is God's holy Will that everyone avoid Purgatory, for nobody goes there except for faults which he could have avoided. Moreover, he shows that if we just aim for Purgatory, we may unfortunately find ourselves in Hell; whereas, the best way to avoid Hell is to aim to be perfectly prepared for Heaven when we die. And Fr. O'Sullivan shows how to achieve this.
He maintains that every day most people blindly pass by all sorts of opportunities to earn "gold for Heaven." But rather than calling for heroic measures, he tells us: If we are afraid to do much, let us do many little things. And he gives numerous examples and suggestions.
Although very brief and easy to read, How to Avoid Purgatory is actually a treasure map showing us how to gain the most from this life and at the same time obtain the greatest possible rewards in Heaven.
44 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1936
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126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 3, 2021
Fr. Paul O'Sullivan's works are all short, sweet, to-the-point spiritual classics that are quick, easy, and useful to read. If you are concerned about going to Purgatory, this is the perfect little "self-help" manual. Read it, follow its guidance, and then as Padre Pio says, "pray, hope, and don't worry". You will also be helping other souls by doing some of the practices in the book, so it's a win all around.
This book has been extremely popular over the years, and in recent years has been very hard to find. I think the publisher took it out of print, why I don't know. Maybe the idea of Purgatory, like the idea of Hell, is no longer "popular". Fortunately the book is available online to read for free at a legit website, if you look for it. So you don't have to go scouring eBay or paying the exorbitant prices I've seen some resellers charge.
This book has been extremely popular over the years, and in recent years has been very hard to find. I think the publisher took it out of print, why I don't know. Maybe the idea of Purgatory, like the idea of Hell, is no longer "popular". Fortunately the book is available online to read for free at a legit website, if you look for it. So you don't have to go scouring eBay or paying the exorbitant prices I've seen some resellers charge.
March 28, 2018
It was very informative. Glad I read it.
December 4, 2015
Not so bad untuk ukuran buku saku seharga Rp 10.000,00 saja. Cocok untuk dibaca pada bulan November, yang kebetulan memang didedikasikan untuk jiwa-jiwa di Api Penyucian. Sebetulnya teks bahasa Inggrisnya tersedia online, jadi yang lancar berbahasa Inggris mendingan browsing saja, misalnya di EWTN.
April 4, 2014
This book is a short but insightful read, I gave it 5 Stars because the book doesn't set out to do anything to impressively in-depth yet with its charming simplicity it still managed to be tremendously insightful.
December 5, 2019
93/100 (= 5.5/6) ≈ 5 Stars
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Excellent little booklet. This one shows us how the fault is all our own if we go to Purgatory. It explains many simple things that we can and should be doing to avoid Purgatory! A must read in that regard!
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Excellent little booklet. This one shows us how the fault is all our own if we go to Purgatory. It explains many simple things that we can and should be doing to avoid Purgatory! A must read in that regard!
April 16, 2022
Wake up call
This is a very good book that opens your eyes on how to avoid purgatory and also to help the soul's there. This book open my eyes to things I didn't know about purgatory. This us a book everyone should have to use with daily prayers. This book would make a good guft.
This is a very good book that opens your eyes on how to avoid purgatory and also to help the soul's there. This book open my eyes to things I didn't know about purgatory. This us a book everyone should have to use with daily prayers. This book would make a good guft.
May 3, 2015
Father. O'Sullivan is Great!
Father O' Sullivan is very clear in the many ways we help release the holy souls. And to help us to avoid going to purgatory.
Father O' Sullivan is very clear in the many ways we help release the holy souls. And to help us to avoid going to purgatory.
October 1, 2020
Good book
I learned a lot about how to avoid purgatory what to do.and what not to do. Live by the word
I learned a lot about how to avoid purgatory what to do.and what not to do. Live by the word
June 7, 2022
I could only just give this three stars, and merely for the fact that, at least around its time of publication, it probably helped at least a few people to devote their lives to more prayer and making penance for themselves and the holy souls in Purgatory.
Essentially, however, this is just a booklet with scant amount of depth. It just sets out a quick list of ways that we can (at least supposedly) reduce our time of expiation or avoid the cleansing flames of Purgatory altogether.
While I do think my own attitude towards Purgatory might err towards complacency, in the sense that I am resigned to the fact that I will go there and probably spend whatever amounts to quite a long time. I deserve no less than that, and indeed will consider myself mercifully dealt with to even make it there. And so, with this perspective, I always find books like this kind of annoying, kind of insightful into how the more sectarian Protestants must see Catholics.
The long list of prayers and rituals, and the precise system of rewards that correspond with them, does start to seem a bit too suspicious, making our relationship with God appear more transactional and exploitable than many Catholics really see it. And the way Father Sullivan goes on about it, you would almost think he's forgotten about Hell, and thinks Purgatory is the worst of all places.
I do not doubt that the sufferings of Purgatory are real. I have read some scary, ultra-hardcore Catholic books about them. But I cannot bring myself to fearing the place to such an extent that I would convince myself it is somehow within my own power to attain enough spiritual merits (presented more like coupons here) to reach heaven without any prior purification.
Essentially, however, this is just a booklet with scant amount of depth. It just sets out a quick list of ways that we can (at least supposedly) reduce our time of expiation or avoid the cleansing flames of Purgatory altogether.
While I do think my own attitude towards Purgatory might err towards complacency, in the sense that I am resigned to the fact that I will go there and probably spend whatever amounts to quite a long time. I deserve no less than that, and indeed will consider myself mercifully dealt with to even make it there. And so, with this perspective, I always find books like this kind of annoying, kind of insightful into how the more sectarian Protestants must see Catholics.
The long list of prayers and rituals, and the precise system of rewards that correspond with them, does start to seem a bit too suspicious, making our relationship with God appear more transactional and exploitable than many Catholics really see it. And the way Father Sullivan goes on about it, you would almost think he's forgotten about Hell, and thinks Purgatory is the worst of all places.
I do not doubt that the sufferings of Purgatory are real. I have read some scary, ultra-hardcore Catholic books about them. But I cannot bring myself to fearing the place to such an extent that I would convince myself it is somehow within my own power to attain enough spiritual merits (presented more like coupons here) to reach heaven without any prior purification.
July 10, 2025
Just as the title says, and the author makes it easy to digest!
Note, the book is HOW to avoid Purgatory. It's already presupposed that purgation is believed to be a part of Catholic eschatology.
If you want Purgatory apologetics or something, you can read the JP-II: CCC on Purgatory, the primary works of both Sts. Alphonsus Ligouri & Robert Bellarmine, various exegetical commentary on 1 Corinthians 3:13 [Theodoret, I believe], The Appendix part of the Summa Theologiae, and also the Sacrae Theologiae Summa on "The Last Things," Indulgentarium Doctrina by Pope St. Paul VI, and among various other things that already exist to teach this.
Note, the book is HOW to avoid Purgatory. It's already presupposed that purgation is believed to be a part of Catholic eschatology.
If you want Purgatory apologetics or something, you can read the JP-II: CCC on Purgatory, the primary works of both Sts. Alphonsus Ligouri & Robert Bellarmine, various exegetical commentary on 1 Corinthians 3:13 [Theodoret, I believe], The Appendix part of the Summa Theologiae, and also the Sacrae Theologiae Summa on "The Last Things," Indulgentarium Doctrina by Pope St. Paul VI, and among various other things that already exist to teach this.
March 5, 2018
Very good book,I would recommend this book highly . I didn't dislike any thing about this book.
I would recommend this book highly to all people who want to save their lives before death. Excellent book. Great book!!!!!
I would recommend this book highly to all people who want to save their lives before death. Excellent book. Great book!!!!!
September 12, 2022
excellent
To the point, powerful & most helpful . Easy to follow logic and explanations of facts and the important promises on how to not only avoid purgatory but also work to save others as well.
To the point, powerful & most helpful . Easy to follow logic and explanations of facts and the important promises on how to not only avoid purgatory but also work to save others as well.
May 11, 2017
Excellent book. Straight to the point. It lays out various practices and devotions for sanctification and for help of the blessed souls in Purgatory. Highly recommended.
June 3, 2017
A good 👍read for children and adults!
All of the recommendations are easy to follow!!!!!
Pay attention to what is being said.
Five more words are required ?
All of the recommendations are easy to follow!!!!!
Pay attention to what is being said.
Five more words are required ?
June 23, 2017
A pious work. No better or worse than most pious works.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews