 Hungry
Souls,
Supernatural Visits, Messages, Warnings from Purgatory, by Gerard Van Den
Aardweg, a new and powerful -- and fascinating -- collection of actual,
well-documented cases during which the deceased made contact with the living
seeking help in the afterlife -- the noises in the night, the Lutheran minister,
no believer in purgatory, who learned about it by direct experience, an
indelible hand mark on the sleeve of one witness's clothes! More than just
'Catholic ghost stories,' it discerns truth about afterlife.
CLICK HERE
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AS
HOLY MAN FROM DETROIT ADVISED: SAY PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING BEFORE
YOU RECEIVE GRACE, AS WELL AS AFTER
by Susan Tassone
“Thank God ahead of time.”
These are the famous words
of Venerable Solanus Casey -- once known as Barney Casey.
Born on November 25, 1870, Barney Casey was
one of 16 children in an Irish-American family from Superior, Wisconsin.
Barney felt that God wanted him to
dedicate his life to the priesthood. And so it was that on Christmas Eve,
1897, he entered the door of the Capuchin monastery on Mt. Elliot Street, in
Detroit, Michigan.
Devotion? Humility? (Oh, how these count!)
Father Solanus was given the humble job as doorkeeper.
Like other famous “porters” -- St. Faustina, St. Andre
of Montreal -- Father Solanus had the
gift of prophecy and healing.
Thousands of every walk of life (and
faith) were healed.
More cases than not.
And, importantly, not only physical healings, but
spiritual ones.
Indeed, Solanus used his gifts to encourage,
challenge, and bring back hope to those suffering, searching, and in need of
God’s unbounded love and mercy.
To this day, pilgrims visit his tomb at St. Bonaventure
Monastery in Detroit where he is laid to rest, leaving petitions on
top of his tomb and exercising the traditional “knocking” on his tomb to get
his attention: thanking God ahead of time (as he always recommended).
Those coming to Solanus for help also heard him inviting them first to do
something more for God and God’s people: such as confident thanks shown in good
deeds. “Confidence is courage divinely reinforced," he once
said. "It is courage. Have confidence in the providence of God. Shake off
excessive worry and exercise a little confidence in God’s merciful
providence. God condescends to use our powers if we don’t spoil His plans by
ours!”
Father Solanus felt the answered requests were due to
three things: belief, praying with faith, and making a promise. His usual
invitation was enrollment in the
Seraphic Mass Association, which is still in
existence to help the holy souls (important!) in purgatory.
Meanwhile, as far as further advice, the
Michigan holy man always said to pay at least a little sacrifice of some kind in
thanksgiving if things go favorably.
Thanks must be given
not just after the favorable result but before: to show your confidence in
the goodness of God.
Commenting on prayers for
healings, etcetera, that are not "answered," Father Solanus said these had to be
understood in light of God’s mercifully loving designs. “Blessed be God in
all His designs!”
Selah!
The holy souls were the focus of many of his prayers
and devotions.
A fellow Capuchin, Brother Ignatius once remarked
that “his concern
for the souls in purgatory was very evident in the many letters that he
wrote to people. This was something he would recommend in the event that
someone was asking for a favor, that they should pray for the poor souls in
purgatory. In his mind, the poor souls 'hardly ever fail.' He encouraged
people to have Masses offered for them and enroll them in that Seraphic Mass
Association. He believed by that enrollment they would become
'missionaries with us.' He said: “Prayers for the missions and for the
missionaries are mostly what they need.”
Let us thusly heed!
Father Solanus also explained that “if we by our prayers and
sacrifices freed a soul in purgatory, we would have another intercessor in
Heaven.”
He prayed all the time, especially the
Rosary, and encouraged people to “storm Heaven” with prayers for everything
from good weather to the needs of relatives -- for sinners, for the poor and
needy (for justice and peace). He dreamed that he was suspended over a
hug pit of fire and was almost falling into it. Looking around for something
to hold on to, he saw a huge rosary hanging just above him. He grasped it
firmly. Now he was secure. It was a dream he would never forget. Later on he
recalled that this dream reinforced in him his special relationship with the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
He prayed with perseverance for everything
including perseverance!
Interestingly, he felt that
Solomon’s prayer
for wisdom was one of the greatest prayers.
Wisdom, versus knowledge.
The highest act of prayer, the holy Mass, and
Holy Communion he said was the answer to all problems.
He said frequent Communion brings peace into
a soul and into a family.
“Use Holy Water frequently.," he also
advised. "It keeps the devil away.”
Father Solanus died on July 31, 1957. The exact day to
the hour that he offered his first Holy Mass.
(Venerable Solanus Casey, intercede for us!)
[Susan Tassone writes
books on purgatory]
[additional resources:
Seraphic Mass Association and
Gregorian Masses]
[also: afterlife, prophecy, healing retreats
in September 29 retreat:
Chicago: our prophetic times and
October 13 retreat:
Northern New Jersey-New York]
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