Purgatory and the means to avoid it

by Martin Jugie, Malachy Gerard Carroll

Common fallacies about Purgatory They’re cleared up, in a book that liberated many a struggling Catholic half a century ago. In 1949, this English translation of Fr. Martin Jugie’s acclaimed book -- which had gone through seven editions in France -- was greeted as a much-needed corrective to popular fallacies about Purgatory, many of which continue to cloud the faith of good Catholics. Chief among those fallacies, writes Fr. Jugie, is that Purgatory is kind of “temporary” Hell, its pains differing only in duration. From this follows many other errors that can lead us seriously astray in our conduct and in our prayer lives.     Some of the vitally important truths Fr. Jugie   Why a balanced view of Purgatory must consider the joy -- not just the suffering -- of the Holy Souls Too often Why Purgatory is a consoling doctrine The radical difference between suffering in Purgatory and the torments of Hell Three chief characteristics of Purgatory. The three reasons a soul may go there Key the place vs. the state of Purgatory The two kinds of purgatorial pain, and their three functions. The “great pain” that is the source of all the others How best to understand the “fire” of Purgatory? One interpretation, favored by St. Catherine of Genoa, founded on sure dogma The duration of Purgatory. What is the measure of time for the separated soul? Two things that can shorten the pains of Purgatory Why it is not presumption to strive to avoid Purgatory Eight ways of avoiding Purgatory that draw their efficacy from the Sacraments. The surest one of all Eighteen other means of avoiding Purgatory, consisting of virtuous dispositions or practices, and acts of charity Five practices to cultivate the necessary “spirit of penance” The “new mode of knowledge”

Genres: Religion

203 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1949

Reviews

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BOOK WRITTEN "TO FOSTER... A SALUTARY FEAR OF THE PAINS OF PURGATORY, AND... THE MEANS OF AVOIDING THEM"

Martin Jugie was a French author who also wrote 'Will Union be Easy for the Orientals?,' 'The Roman Primacy in the East at the Time of St. Leo the Great,' and other books which have not been translated into English.

He wrote in the Preface of this 1949 book, "Our reasons for writing this is that we have remarked how other writers have treated of Purgatory in itself and for itself---that is to say, with a view to making known the state of these suffering souls and inspiring the living to aid them. Now, Purgatory can be looked at from a different point of view... The others have written with their eyes primarily on the dead. We write with our eyes on the living---the faithful on earth---and we strive to foster in them a salutary fear of the pains of Purgatory, and point out to them the means of avoiding them."

He states, "If the soul, at death, is constituted in a state of enmity with God... it is... plunged into a state of damnation. This state will be eternal, for, after death, the soul does not change. It remains immutably fixed in the dispositions in which it was at the moment of death. After death, there is no repentance, there is no conversion... God can no longer pardon that soul, for it no longer wishes to ask for pardon... This state of damnation is called Hell... It is also a place, but in the analogical sense..." (Pg. 2)

He explains, "A soul may go to Purgatory, then, for three reasons: 1. on account of venial sins not remitted here on earth; 2. on account of vicious inclinations left in the soul through habits of sin; 3. on account of the temporal punishment due to every sin, mortal or venial, committed after Baptism and not sufficiently atoned for during life. Certain souls go to Purgatory for the third reason only, for they have brought to the Judgment Seat neither venial sins nor ingrained inclinations to vice." (Pg. 4)

He says, "As regards the duration of Purgatory for each particular soul, it is clear that this will be more or less long according to the degree of gravity and the number of the sins which have not been atoned for on earth by penance and good works. The duration can be shortened... both by the suffrages of the living and the intercession of the elect." (Pg. 16)

Later, he adds, "the intercession of the elect can directly help the souls in Purgatory, but within very precise limits, and in given cases." (Pg. 81) He explains, "The blessed in Heaven can no longer accomplish works of satisfaction to compensate for the temporal punishment due to sin. Only by their prayer... can they aid the suffering souls." (Pg. 91)

He suggests, "When we undertake to discuss the population of Purgatory, we make no pretense... to give even remotely approximate statistics. To make a census of Purgatory is something entirely beyond our means. Only God and His saints... know what, at any given moment, is the exact population of the Church suffering. But we may speak of that population without hazarding any figures. The first most striking trait is that it is a continually floating population... arrivals from the earth, departures for Heaven..." (Pg. 34)

He speculates, "The souls in Purgatory know each other... Spirits must have a means of communication, absolutely unknown to us... In Purgatory, one is known and one makes new friends. How many contemporaries, citizens, neighbours, friends, relations, the newly arrived must find in Purgatory! A son finds himself again with his parents, a brother with his sister, a religious with his superior... one meets the great ones of the past... They will be able to reveal to their fellows why they are still in Purgatory, and by what mercy they have escaped Hell." (Pg. 41)

He adds, "Yes, even canonized saints have had to spend a time, more or less long, in Purgatory. St. Severinus... remained there for some time... How many other saints, especially those who exercised high authority on earth, must have known the sufferings of Purgatory." (Pg. 54-55)

Martyrdom is one means for avoiding Purgatory (pg. 118-119); another is "to embrace the religious life, the life of perfection" (pg. 137); "Infants do not go to Purgatory. If they have been baptized, they enter Heaven." (pg. 159).

Conservative/Traditional Catholics will appreciate this book.

[Judge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very challenging book, but challenging in a very good way. The material was presented in an extremely thorough manner and gave great hope and guidance to steps we can take on earth to minimize or time in purgatory upon death. I particularly appreciated the efforts made in the book to emphasize the importance of our “loving our neighbors” by assisting them with our prayers to move from purgatory to heaven. Concrete examples were provided that can guide one’s prayer life for the benefit of others which, in turn, will help us by conforming to God’s will.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally written in 1949, this book teaches much about Purgatory that has not been passed on to generations because of "fluff" catechism. This book covers it all. We learn why we believe there is a Purgatory, the joys and suffering of those in Purgatory, our important role in praying for and sacrificing for the souls in Purgatory, and how to avoid Purgatory ourselves.

[Riley Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The greatest book on purgatory I have ever read!

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Catholic should read this book that dispenses true knowledge and advice about our inevitable end. A great book written by an Assumptionist priest.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative book about a little discussed topic, Jugie explains Purgatory as it is understood in Church teachings and through private revelations.

[Maryann Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book over a year ago; got scared and put it down, picked it up a little before Christmas 2023 and am almost done.
I now understand why we go, and how to avoid and more to learn...