A 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Thought: Something Special for The Souls in Purgatory

We're almost a full week into the month of November, the month devoted to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. How are your devotions going so far?

Not so good so far? No worries. We've got something to shake you out of your spiritual lethargy. Pretty good? Glad to hear it. But perhaps you're looking for something extra special to do for these poor souls. If so, you've come to the right place.

Disclosure: The "Heroic Vow" you're going to learn about isn't for the faint of heart. But since I've personally taken this vow, just know you don't have to be particularly courageous or generous to do so. Besides, as vows go, you can disavow the vow any time you choose to: no sin, no black mark, no big deal. And since you'll make it privately (the best way, I think), no one else is involved.

So why did I take this Heroic Vow, as cowardly and selfish as I am? Well, it had to do with simply thinking about what it might be like for the poor souls suffering now in Purgatory. I had a sufficient number of loved ones, including my Mom and Dad, who might benefit. And I read various "reports" from the front lines about how things go for them, typically stuff written by saints who were given a vision of some sort of Purgatory. 

Now, I do understand that such private revelations aren't required reading, nor do we have to believe them either literally or at all. Nevertheless, if you know anything about Purgatory, you likely have some sense that it's not a walk in the park. You're being cleansed of any lingering residue from a lifetime of sin. (And let's remember that despite the current trend of avoiding "unpleasant" things like sin, guilt and suffering for our past offenses, the fact is we're all sinners, and we've all got a load of reparation due for those sins we've committed over a lifetime. If we haven't sufficiently made reparation while we're here on earth, we'll be doing so in Purgatory. (This assumes we're not going to Hell, of course.)

Anyway, meditate on all this for a while and you may decide the Heroic Vow is for you. And, again, you don't have to commit to a lifetime of observance.

So here's that Heroic Vow as explained by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.J. (1823-1904): 

“It remains for us to make known an act which comprises all works and means, whereby we can most effectually assist the poor souls; it is the Heroic Vow, or, as others call it, the Heroic Act of Charity towards the souls in purgatory. This act consists in ceding to them all our works of satisfaction, that is to say, the satisfactory value of all the works of our life and of all the suffrages which shall be given to us after our death, without reserving anything wherewith to discharge our own debts. We deposit them in the hands of the Blessed Virgin, that she may distribute them, according to her good pleasure, to those souls which she desires to deliver from purgatory. It is an absolute donation in favor of the souls of all that we can give them; we offer to God in their behalf all the good we do, of any kind whatsoever, either in thought, word or works, all that we suffer meritoriously during this life, without excepting anything that we may reasonably give them, and adding even those suffrages which we may receive for ourselves after death. It must be well understood that the matter of this holy donation is the satisfactory value of our works, and not the merit, which has a corresponding degree of glory in heaven; for merit is strictly personal, and cannot be transferred to another.

“Formula of the Heroic Act: “O Holy and Adorable Trinity, desiring to co-operate in the deliverance of the souls in Purgatory, and to testify my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I cede and renounce in behalf of those holy souls all the satisfactory part of my works, and all the suffrages which may be given to me after my death, consigning them entirely into the hands of the most Blessed Virgin, that she may apply them according to her good pleasure to those souls of the faithful departed whom she desires to deliver from their sufferings. Deign, O my God, to accept and bless this offering which I make to Thee at this moment. Amen.” 

(N.B.  Another version of this act: “O my God, in union with the merits of Jesus and Mary, I offer Thee, for the souls in purgatory, all my propitiatory works, and all those which others may apply to me during life or after my death. I beseech Thee, O my God, to accept this offering, for Thy honor and for the salvation of my soul. Amen.” Whatever formula we may prefer, let us always bear in mind that in private devotions, it is the intention behind the act which is important, not so much the words or the formula we use. The formula is merely there to give shape and inspiration to our intentions and excite interior devotion. After we have sincerely made this offering using one of these formulas, or even one of our own composition, we should, from time to time, renew it, or even simply to recall and renew our intention of giving all of our satisfactory works to the holy souls.")

Note the distinction made here between our donation of our prayers and good actions to those currently suffering in Purgatory and the merit such actions may garner. If we forego making reparation for sin for our own sake, we do not lose the merit of the good we do. That merit will come back to us when - by God's grace - we someday arrive in Paradise.

Of course, we may find it a bit daunting to give up our acts of reparation for others, especially if we have a clear sense of our own sinfulness and the punishment(s) it may deserve. But one way to look at it is this: If we wind up being one of the suffering souls, perhaps there will others who, like us, will have taken the Heroic Vow and offer their acts of reparation for us.

It's a rather beautiful cycle of charity, isn't it?

Happy Sunday!