Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/207048
2 I CATHOLIC LIFE NOVEMBER 6, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA Prayer for souls in purgatory: a forgotten work of mercy All Souls' Day is an opportunity of mercy because it offers us a reminder to pray for the dead and through our prayers and sacrifices, bring them closer to heaven. It is also a time to recall that, contrary to popular sentiment, not everyone goes to heaven. This idea is not found in Jesus' teachings or in the long tradition of the Church. Since All Souls' Day took place this past Saturday, and the Church sets aside the month of November to pray for the dead, I am dedicating this week's column to encouraging people to go beyond remembering the dead and to actually pray for them. Specifically, we should pray for those souls who are undergoing purification in purgatory in preparation for entering God's presence. Before I reflect on the role our prayers have in helping souls not yet in heaven, I think it is worth spending some time discussing purgatory. The Church traditionally refers to death, judgment, heaven and hell as the "four last things." Every soul goes through the first two experiences and then goes to either heaven or hell. But some souls who are destined for eternal life with God must first be completely purified; and the Church teaches the place of purification is purgatory. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "all who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (No. 1030). In other words, God in his mercy allows some souls to enter into eternal union with him once they have been purified so they are no longer attached to sin and are not suffering from the effects of sins that have already been forgiven. Although many people do not realize it, every sin wounds our relationship with God and comes with consequences. So even though those sins may have been forgiven in confession, their consequences, such as having a greater inclination toward that sin, must be addressed. Once a soul is purified in purgatory, this baggage is gone and they are able to love as God loves. This is where our prayers for the dead make a difference, because the time in which our loved ones are able to work out their salvation on earth has passed. When we pray for the dead, we engage in a spiritual work of mercy. It is also a practice that is rooted in Scripture and the tradition of the Church. In 2 Maccabees 12:46 we read: "Therefore (Judas Maccabeus) made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." I recommend that you read the passage, as it shows the beauty of compassion, mercy and prayer. St. John Chrysostom, in a homily on 1 Corinthians 15:46 asks, "If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation?" In his "Confessions," St. Augustine remembers his mother dying and his brother expressing his concern to St. Monica that she would die outside of Rome, rather than in her native country in Africa. St. Monica looked at her sons, and said: "Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be." One saint that you can look to as an example and intercessor in praying for the departed is St. Nicholas of Tolentino. Throughout his priestly life, St. Nicholas prayed for the dead, especially when he celebrated Mass. St. Nicholas traced his devotion to praying for the deceased to an experience he had one Saturday night. In his bedroom he had a vision of one of his fellow Augustinian friars who had passed away. This friar begged him to say Mass for his soul and others who were with him in purgatory, so that they would be able to enter heaven. Once St. Nicholas obtained his superior's permission, See Aquila, Page 5 Christ in the City ministry expands to Colorado Springs BY VERONICA AMBUUL COLORADO SPRINGS CATHOLIC HERALD COLORADO SPRINGS—It's warm and sunny the morning of Oct. 2 in Colorado Springs, and Eric Snay is looking for an audience. A resident of a group home in Woodland Park for people with disabilities, Snay is friendly and outgoing, and has brought his clarinet and a large collection of sheet music to Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs. Soon he has the audience he was hoping for—Dante Stento, a missionary with the Christ in the City program, and Charlie Holden-Corbett and Hugh Dowell—two novices from the Holy Cross novitiate in Cascade. The group of missionaries and novices is on one of its weekly HEART (Homeless Engagement and Response Team) Walks, in which they travel by foot to several downtown parks where homeless people and others tend to congregate. Although they hand out bottled water, socks and sometimes snacks, the purpose of the walks is not primarily about meeting physical needs. It's to interact one-on-one with people like Snay. "It's relationship-building," said Kevin Farrow, one of six Christ in the City missionaries spending the year in Colorado Springs. "Our motto is a saying from Mother Teresa—'Love until it hurts.'" Christ in the City is a program founded in the Archdiocese of Denver in 2009. Young adults ages 19-25 spend one semester or an entire academic year living in community with other missionaries and serving the poor and marginalized. There are also programs for summer and spring break. The five missionaries working in Colorado Springs are based out of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado's Hanifen Center, where they are supervised by James Fernandez. In addition to Stento and Farrow, there are three female PHOTO BY VERONICA AMBUUL/COLORADO CATHOLIC HERALD ERIC SNAY, center, plays his clarinet at Acacia park in downtown Colorado Springs Oct. 2. Christ in the City missionary Dante Stento, far left, and Holy Cross novices Charlie HoldenCorbett and Hugh Dowell (far right) enjoy the music. CHRIST IN THE CITY Contact information Visit: www.christinthecity missionaries.com Call: Phone 303-952-9743 Email: info@christinthecity missionaries.com missionaries—Mallory Niemiec, Danielle Bauer and Alley LeStrange. Funded in part by a grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, they receive housing, food and a small stipend in exchange for their service. Spiritual formation is provided by the Christian Life Movement. Not all the people the missionaries encounter at the parks are as friendly as Snay, the clarinet player. Some of the homeless are mentally ill and are wary of anyone who infringes on their territory. But just about everyone the missionaries talk to is familiar with Marian House soup kitchen, so they often mention it to break the ice. "Marian House saved my life," says a young woman named Jesse, who came over to investigate after seeing the group gathered around Snay. Jesse, who is barefoot, gratefully accepts a pair of socks offered to her by one of the missionaries and quickly puts them on. Agitated and somewhat disoriented, she says that she needs help because she has "made some bad choices." One of the missionaries offers to pray with her, and she agrees. Holy Cross novice Hugh Dowell leads the prayer, asking God to guide Jesse in her decisions. "The socks are really popular," Stento explains later, because most of the homeless shelters aren't equipped with laundry facilities. But the missionaries also try to steer those they meet toward the more comprehensive services provided at the Hanifen Center as well as other agencies like Urban Peak and Aspen Pointe. They also distribute a pamphlet titled "Colorado Springs Survival Manual," which is a complete listing of agencies providing services such as medical and dental care and help with prescriptions. In addition to the outreach at city parks, Niemiec and Bauer are helping out at the Hanifen Center by working in Catholic Charities' Life Support and Life Connections agencies. For more information on Christ in the city, visit www. christinthecitymissionaries. com. DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-722-4687 OR CIRCULATION@ARCHDEN.ORG Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 General Manager Karna Swanson Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the first week of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. The Register is printed by The Denver Post LLC in Denver. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. Editor Roxanne King Subscriptions: $35 a year in Colorado; $42 per year out of state. Foreign countries: $42 surface, all countries, 6-8 weeks for delivery; $135 air, all other countries (average). Mexico, $48 air; Canada, $55 air. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Denver Catholic Register, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or e-mail circulation@archden.org. Business Manager Michael O'Neill Editorial: 303-715-3215 or editor@archden.org Advertising: 303-715-3253 or dcrads@archden.org Circulation: 303-715-3211 or circulation@archden.org Online: www.DenverCatholicRegister.org