A BETTER DEAL FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
The Archconfraternity for the relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory has been re-established by the traditional Redemptorists at Papa Stronsay to help vivify faith in the following three truths of our holy religion: 1) There is a middle state of suffering, to which souls separated from the body at death go, who, though in a state of grace and friendship with God, yet have not fully satisfied the Divine justice for the debt of temporal punishment due for their smaller sins, or for their more grievous sins, whose guilt has been remitted by the sacrament of Penance, or who die under the guilt of smaller sins or imperfections. 2) That the living, by the offering of the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, by prayers, by almsdeeds, indulgences, and other good works offered up to God for the departed, can shorten the sufferings of the souls in Purgatory, alleviate their condition, and deliver them from their place of torment. 3) That to assist these suffering souls is an act of charity pleasing to Almighty God. Fr. Michael Mary tells us more...
Fr. Michael Mary, your community of Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers faithful to Tradition is best known for missionary work. How did it come about that you started the Purgatorian Archconfraternity?
Many people write to our community asking for Masses to be said by our priests. There are so many intentions, so many needs–and so few priests to offer the Traditional Mass! I think that every priest must have the same feeling of regret as I do when he has to turn away worthy and pressing requests for Masses because they have become too numerous for him to say within a reasonable period according to the mind of the Church. For example, today it is almost impossible to find a Traditional priest who will offer the 30 Gregorian Masses1 for a deceased soul; it's very difficult, really, what with the great demand for Masses. Anyway, the Redemptorists are there to help the most abandoned souls, and the poor souls in purgatory are certainly more abandoned than ever in these days of failing faith and graces. A while back we were trying to think how we could do something more for the poor souls, so in 2003 we decided to use the privilege we have as Redemptorists to say a votive Requiem twice a week, even on third class feast days. Then on All Souls' Day that year we decided that every day one or other of our Fathers would apply his Mass intention for the faithful departed. We have so many deceased friends, relatives and benefactors! Anyhow, one thing led to another, and we were also getting requests to start up some kind of purgatorian society. Well, we looked into the matter, and it turned out that the Redemptorists had been running a Purgatorian Archconfraternity that was the biggest such organization in the Church. Once we found out more about it, it seemed that Providence was leading us to revive it. Certainly, we felt that there is a great need for such a work at the present time.
What is the Purgatorian Archconfraternity and how does it help the faithful departed?
As you know, there are many confraternities and archconfraternities in the Church; those of the Rosary or the Scapular, for instance. Each of these brotherhoods of the faithful is set up with the approval of the ecclesiastical authorities so that some special work of Christian charity or piety can better be promoted among its members. An archconfraternity is a confraternity that has the authority to join other local confraternities to itself and let them share in its advantages. When we join the Rosary Confraternity, for example, we join a particular confraternity set up in a particular place, but when we are enrolled in the Brown Scapular, we become members of the universal Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
So you have all these different confraternities promoting special works of Christian charity and piety. Then you have some that make it their purpose to assist in every possible way the poor souls in purgatory.2 Their members perform a spiritual work of mercy by helping the dead by their prayers, penance and almsdeeds. But since there is no better way of helping the poor souls than by having as many Masses said for them as possible,[3]there is an archconfraternity which has that particular good work precisely as its goal. That is the Purgatorian Archconfraternity.
What is the history of the Purgatorian Archconfraternity?
The Purgatorian Archconfraternity is really just a continuation of a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of the Church. Christians have always promised to offer Mass or have Mass offered on hearing of each other's deaths, and from such informal obligations, more formal associations have arisen over time. The Middle Ages were certainly a high point in the development of purgatorian societies, but what with all the social upheaval at the time of the Reformation, many of the great medieval purgatorian associations disappeared along with numerous foundations of Masses.4
In modern times the most important purgatorian society has been the one which we are continuing. Its full name is the "Archconfraternity for the Relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory under the title of the Assumption of Mary in the Redemptorist church of Santa Maria in Monterone at Rome." It was founded in that church in 1841, and it spread rapidly throughout the world, and in the USA in particular. It was richly indulgenced by the popes from the time of Gregory XVI onwards. It is an archconfraternity, something which assisted its rapid expansion, since it is authorized to aggregate to itself any other confraternity of whatever name and object, and to communicate to it its graces and privileges, as long as the confraternity in question adds to its title the words "and for the Relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory." [Continued after sidebar.]
Purgatorian ArchconfraternityThe Archconfraternity exists to afford to all the means of securing the benefit of daily Mass for themselves or their friends, living and deceased, and especially to relieve the poor souls in purgatory. Conditions 1) $15.00US is the annual contribution for one person. This contribution may be paid as often as one wishes to do so; and when the offerings have reached the sum of $150.00 the membership becomes perpetual and continues after death. The offering for perpetual membership ($150.00) may be paid at once. The annual contribution for a family ($35.00) accumulates to a perpetual membership ($350.00) in the same manner. 2) Living as well as deceased persons are eligible to be made members at any time during the year. The year begins on the day of enrollment. 3) When contributions are renewed, the certificate of membership should be presented, in order to find the name in the roll-book. 4) The members should seek to assist the souls in purgatory by their prayers and good works, and especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. They should strive to promote this charitable devotion in others.
Advantages 1) Every day on the island of Papa Stronsay the Holy Mass is offered for the living and deceased members according to the traditional rites of the Catholic Church. 2) The members share in the prayers offered by the Redemptorist Fathers for their benefactors. 3) When a member dies a special Mass will be offered for his or her soul upon the return of the certificate. 4) The Rosary will be recited every Monday in the chapel of the Holy Face for the deceased members of the Purgatorian Archconfraternity.
Additional provisions It is the intention of the Transalpine Redemptorists that this Purgatorian Archconfraternity to be affiliated with, and a continuation of the Archconfraternity for the Relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory under the title of the Assumption of Mary in the Redemptorist church of Santa Maria in Monterone in Rome, founded in 1841. Nevertheless, the following additional provisions apply: 1) There is every hope that the Purgatorian Archconfraternity will be perpetual, and that the Holy Sacrifice will be offered by generation after generation of priests. Still, if–which may God forbid!–the Transalpine Redemptorists were, through some unforeseen circumstance, reduced to less than three priests, they would not be able to assure a daily Mass. If there were only two priests in the community, the Purgatorian Archconfraternity members could only expect Mass to be offered for their souls once a week. If the community were to cease to exist, then the obligations of its members to the Archconfraternity would also cease. 2) It is understood that the Holy Mass is not offered for the Purgatorian Archconfraternity on the days when the Holy Sacrifice is offered by only one priest in the monastery, or indeed not at all (viz. Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday). But on all other days (including Christmas Day and Easter Sunday) the Holy Sacrifice will be offered for all its members. 3) The Archconfraternity offers Mass for all members, living and dead; Requiem Mass will be said whenever convenient according to the liturgical rules and the Redemptorist privileges, which provide that every monastery has the right to offer two Requiem Masses a week on feasts of the third class in addition to the fourth class votive Masses permitted to all priests. 4) The names of the members are registered either in the book of permanent members or in the book of temporary members. A certificate is issued of permanent or temporary membership respectively. Unless requested to the contrary, members' names may be published in the monastery's newspaper, Catholic. All correspondence should be directed to: Purgatorian Archconfraternity |
That is precisely the work for the poor souls which we have revived on our little island, though we have taken as our particular model the once renowned branch of it first established in the USA in the 1870's in the Redemptorist Mission Church, Boston, and which later moved to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, East 150th St., New York. It was from here that the work spread throughout the English-speaking world. The enrollment offerings have been adjusted to be of the same or of similar value to the enrollment offerings formerly made to the Archconfraternity. We took the offerings made to the New York branch as the basis for the current stipend,5 allowing for inflation.
Where and when are the Purgatorian Archconfraternity Masses offered?
They are offered daily in the chapel of Golgotha Monastery Island, Papa Stronsay in Orkney, Scotland. It is usually the first Mass of the day, and so it begins at 10:45pm EST on a weekday, or at 1:00am EST on a Sunday or major feast day. When the priest goes up to the altar he knows that we have an unseen congregation of thousands in assistance who have a right in justice to the fruits of this Mass. We encourage all our members to unite with that daily Mass spiritually, as it cannot fail to bring them many graces. When I was growing up in Temuka, New Zealand, there was a "Mass Clock" pinned up on the back wall of Sister Mary Eustacius's classroom, and it fascinated me as it showed what time the Holy Sacrifice was being offered at each hour all around the world. That was in 1963, and we could see how many consecrations of Our Lord's Sacred Body and Precious Blood were taking place, and where, at every minute of the day. How proud a schoolboy I was to belong to the Church where "from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same" the Mass was being offered up, according to the chart, four times every minute! Well, that was then, and now that we have to travel so far to find the true Mass, I know that many faithful Catholics rejoice in the fact that they have a share in the special fruit6 of the Holy Sacrifice offered daily on a remote island north of Scotland where they can be present in spirit, perhaps even making a Spiritual Communion.7
We also have other special Masses offered for the members of the Archconfraternity from time to time, and when a member dies, Mass is offered for the repose of his or her soul when we are notified.
How does the priest offer the Mass for the members?
By name?
No, the priest cannot call to mind more than a few souls by name at any Mass, which he does during the Memento of the Living and the Memento of the Dead in the Canon. At the Archconfraternity Mass he applies the special fruit of the Eucharistic Sacrifice to all its members. Their names, of course, are already known to God, and so they are truly having Mass offered for them every day.
Can only the faithful departed be members of the Purgatorian Archconfraternity?
No, membership is open to all, both living and dead. The daily Mass is offered for the intentions of all our members, except on Mondays and Wednesdays, when we offer Mass (the Mass of Requiem whenever possible) specifically for the faithful departed.
What about non-Catholics?
May they be enrolled in the Archconfraternity?
Certainly, since the Holy Sacrifice may be applied privately8 for non-Catholics, they too may benefit from the Archconfraternity's Mass. But the Church does not permit a priest to say the Mass of Requiem with the collects for the individually named departed soul for deceased non-Catholics.
Who can enroll others in the Archconfraternity?
Does one have to be a relative?
Does one have to have their consent?
Anyone may enroll whomsoever they wish in the Archconfraternity with or without their knowledge or consent, since to procure membership for others is simply an act of charity like praying for them. One need not be related or in any way connected to those whom one enrolls.
How many members are there in the Archconfraternity now?
The Archconfraternity was revived on All Souls' Day, 2003, but we first began to promote it publicly through the January-February 2004 issue of our newspaper Catholic. Since then we have enrolled over 9000 members, mostly living. The deceased members make up about a quarter of the total.
Have that many people written in?
No, most members are enrolled by others. We have had about 700 applications, and frequently people give us a list of names to enroll, usually of family members. Nearly half our applications have come from the USA, where our community has many friends and our newspaper many readers.
How are families enrolled in the Archconfraternity?
The rules of the Purgatorian Archconfraternity which we have inherited foresaw both individual and family membership. Formerly a family was understood to mean simply two parents and their children, but to accommodate the urgent spiritual needs of our time of crisis, where, so often, the Faith is kept and passed on by a single member of a family, we have taken the three-generation family as the basis for this kind of membership.
Who can be enrolled as part of a family then?
So, we take any husband and wife as mother and father, and we include their parents and their children and children-in-law in the normal structure. Furthermore we allow a three-generation family membership to be based on any individual. One could enroll, for example, his grandparents. One's great-grandparents, along with his parents, aunts and uncles would consequently be included in a family membership, though not oneself or one's siblings in that case.
It is also important to note that if a family is just starting out, then all future children and children-in-law will automatically become members one day.
How far back can one go where enrollment is concerned?
As far as you like. You might enroll an individual from the 12th century or a three-generation family from the 17th century. With God one day "is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." We have already had a number of historical figures enrolled; all this is part of God's Providence too.
How does individual membership work?
Both individual and family memberships can be annual or perpetual. In addition, the stipends offered for annual membership can accumulate with time to make up a perpetual membership.
What should someone do who cannot afford even a temporary individual membership?
If one really cannot afford even an individual annual membership, then one can always assist at the Holy Sacrifice on behalf of the poor souls. But I think that if we truly saw things from the perspective of eternity we would take the Redemptorist St. Gerard Majella as our example. Most know him and are devoted to him as the Mothers' Saint, but it is good to recall that before he entered the monastery he was a poor tailor. He would divide his humble earnings into three parts: one third he gave to the poor, one third to the souls in purgatory and one third he kept to support his mother and family! God is never outdone in generosity, and every offering made on behalf of the poor souls is like an alms given to God Himself. And all sums received go towards the building of our monastery and the support of our apostolate, so not a penny goes to waste!
Is there a lot of administrative work involved in running the Archconfraternity?
Well, there is one brother who works full time at recording the members' names and issuing the temporary and permanent certificates. Another member of the community answers the large amount of correspondence generated by the Archconfraternity, and responds to the members' many questions. Then there is the mailing out of the certificates. By the way, may I take this opportunity to ask all to write their names clearly when applying for membership, so as to avoid misspellings and the need to reissue certificates? Also, we should greatly appreciate it if it were indicated whether those enrolled are living or dead so that we can put "R.I.P." after their names accordingly.
What are some of the most common queries or questions you receive?
One common misunderstanding concerns the Mass offered for a member who has recently died. We only offer this special Mass when the deceased was a member of the Archconfraternity at the time of his or her death, and not when one enrolls someone who is already dead. It is a continuation of the old tradition of the purgatorian societies whereby those who were themselves in some way active on behalf of the poor souls were favored with extra suffrages after their own deaths. To be enrolled in the Purgatorian Archconfraternity is, after all, an act of devotion, even if it is just the first step of our spiritual work of mercy in favor of those in purgatory.
Another common question is this: "What do we do if we do not know the exact names of those to be enrolled?" Since we like our register and certificates to be as accurate as possible, we urge those submitting membership applications to try to supply full names whenever they can. Nevertheless, we do accept enrollments where only one name is given (e.g., "Perpetua" or "Mr. Smith") or even a designation such as a "Soul known to God."
You talk of enrollment being a first step, Father. How can Archconfraternity members do more to help the poor souls?
We have two kinds of members in the Archconfraternity, the passive and active. Merely being enrolled, of course, satisfies the minimum requirements for membership, and a passive member is fully part of the Archconfraternity; clearly the faithful departed are passive members. All the same, we encourage living members to be active in assisting the souls in purgatory by their prayer, penance, fasting and almsgiving. Such active members seek also to move others to this charitable devotion towards the poor souls and to realize the value of the Holy Mass.
Practically speaking, the active member might become, with the agreement of his pastor, a local coordinator for the Archconfraternity, who would work to win new members for it in his parish. Such a coordinator might photocopy and pass around application forms, or organize a special collection to obtain the sum of a gift membership for a deceased member of the parish (in lieu of flowers, perhaps). The Archconfraternity is not merely a "Mass Machine," something automatic, but it should lead its active members to become the friends and devoted servants of the poor souls. There is a whole apostolate in spiritual care of the dead.
How do active members remain in touch?
They write to us–we are delighted to hear from them!–and they subscribe to Catholic,9 our newspaper, which features a regular section devoted to the Archconfraternity.
How do you see the Archconfraternity developing?
We have taken up this work of the Church anew with a pure intention: to obtain a better deal for the poor souls in purgatory. If God deigns to bless our work on their behalf, then I do not see why it should not continue to plead their cause and to grow and spread until the Day of Judgment, or at least until the next great upheaval in the Church!
1. The 30 Gregorian Masses are a series of Masses celebrated on 30 consecutive days for the deliverance of one particular soul from purgatory. They take their name from Pope St. Gregory the Great, who began the practice in the 6th century through heavenly inspiration.
2. "The Catholic doctrine concerning purgatory, the condition of the poor souls after death, the communion of saints, and the satisfactory value of our good works form the basis of these associations, although they were called into life by pure Christian charity for one's neighbor which reaches beyond the grave. This brotherly love was the distinguishing mark of Christ's Church from the very beginning; the first Christian communities and the whole Church of the early centuries down to the time of the catacombs was one grand Purgatorial society. The clearest evidence for this is supplied by the prayers for the dead in the oldest liturgies and breviary prayers, and by the earliest Christian inscriptions." (Fr. Josef Hilgers, S.J., in The Catholic Encyclopedia [New York, 1911]).
3. To have Mass offered for the Holy Souls is certainly the most efficacious way of relieving them. "Since it is certain by the doctrine of the Catholic Church, that the souls detained in purgatory are benefited by the prayers of the faithful, and especially by the august Sacrifice of the Altar, We think we can give them no more useful and desirable pledge of Our love than by everywhere increasing the offering of the pure oblation of the Most Holy Sacrifice of Our Divine Mediator, for the extinction of their pain." (Pope Leo XIII, encyclical Quod Anniversarius, 1888).
4. "Mass-foundations (fundationes missarum) are fixed bequests of funds or real property, the interest or income from which is to procure forever the celebration of Mass for the founder or according to his intentions. Apart from anniversaries, foundations of Masses are divided, according to the testamentary arrangement of the testator, into monthly, weekly, and daily foundations. As ecclesiastical property, mass-foundations are subject to the administration of the ecclesiastical authorities, especially of the diocesan bishop, who must grant his permission for the acceptance of such and must appoint for them the lowest rate. Only when episcopal approval has been secured can the foundation be regarded as completed; thenceforth it is unalterable forever." (Msgr. Joseph Pohle in The Catholic Encyclopedia [New York, 1911]).
5. "By a Mass-stipend is meant a certain monetary offering which anyone makes to the priest with the accompanying obligation of celebrating a Mass in accordance with the intentions of the donor (ad intentionem dantis). The obligation incurred consists, concretely speaking, in the application of the 'special fruit of the Mass' (fructus specialis)....The idea of the stipend emanates from the earliest ages, and its justification lies incontestably in the axiom of St. Paul (I Cor. 9:13): 'They that serve the altar, partake with the altar.'" (Mgr. Joseph Pohle in The Catholic Encyclopedia [New York, 1911]).
6. "In addition to the active, there are also passive participators in the Sacrifice of the Mass. These are the persons in whose favor–it may be even without their knowledge and in opposition to their wishes–the Holy Sacrifice is offered. They fall into three categories: the community, the celebrant, and the person (or persons) for whom the Mass is specially applied. To each of these three classes corresponds ex opere operato a special fruit of the Mass, whether the same be an impetratory effect of the Sacrifice of Petition or a propitiatory and satisfactory effect of the Sacrifice of Expiation. Although the development of the teaching concerning the threefold fruit of the Mass begins only with Scotus (Quaest. quodlibet, xx), it is nevertheless based on the very essence of the Sacrifice itself. Since, according to the wording of the Canon of the Mass, prayer and sacrifice is offered for all those present, the whole Church, the pope, the diocesan bishop, the faithful living and dead, and even 'for the salvation of the whole world,' there must first of all result a 'general fruit' (fructus generalis) for all mankind, the bestowal of which lies immediately in the will of Christ and His Church, and can thus be frustrated by no contrary intention of the celebrant. In this fruit even the excommunicated, heretics, and infidels participate, mainly that their conversion may thus be effected. The second kind of fruit (fructus personalis, specialissimus) falls to the personal share of the celebrant, since it were unjust that he–apart from his worthiness and piety (opus operantis)–should come empty-handed from the sacrifice. Between these two fruits lies the third, the so-called 'special fruit of the Mass' (fructus specialis, medius, or ministerialis), which is usually applied to particular living or deceased persons according to the intention of the celebrant or the donor of a stipend." (Msgr. Joseph Pohle in The Catholic Encyclopedia [New York, 1911]).
7. Here is one traditional formula for the act of Spiritual Communion: My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire to receive Thee into my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. (Here form an ardent desire to receive Jesus in your heart.) I embrace Thee as if Thou wert already there, and unite myself wholly to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee! Amen.
8. The Roman canon lawyer Fr. Pietro Tocanel makes the necessary distinction between public and private Masses in Cardinal Roberti's Dizionario di Teologia Morale (1957): "According to Canon Law, Mass may not be applied publicly for excommunicates vitandi or for those who were denied ecclesiastical burial. The celebrant may apply Mass privately for heretics, schismatics and other excommunicates, as also for the conversion of excommunicates vitandi and of infidels....Mass may never be said for the damned (when their status is known with certainty)." Fr. Gihr makes the same distinction in his work on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when writing that: "Mass may not be publicly offered for those who died outside the fold of the Church: for deceased pagans, heretics, schismatics and excommunicated persons. For all these Mass may be offered privately if no scandal is given." The context makes it clear that he too is speaking of excommunicates vitandi.
9. Published ten times yearly by the Transalpine Redemptorist Fathers, Catholic is a family publication which aims at presenting our holy Faith in its fullness, seeking to provide a balanced mixture of eternal truth, edification, education and news aimed at a family readership, all in a spirit of fidelity to Tradition and the position of the Society of St. Pius X. A year's subscription costs $20.00.
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