Poor Souls, Dialogue Mass & St. Sylvester

Dear Tradition in Action,

Greetings,

I just wanted to put in a brief article to say please, everyone, put in a prayer for the poor souls in Purgatory during this month of November. Remember them not only during this time only but for months and years to come.

I am only now discovering just how wonderful it is to pray for these dear ones after all these years of being uniformed. It's almost like a new discovery. The poor souls in Purgatory can provide one with great graces during these dark times. Just make one charitable act or prayer for the one you seek relief for, and that soul will provide for the spiritual and temporal needs you seek.

It is such as sad thing that this practice has nearly been demolished since after Vatican II. It seems as though no one any longer comes to their aid. Without the prayers of the Church Militant, a poor soul could stay in Purgatory for 100 years, if not much longer. No one realizes just how grateful these poor souls are for our devout prayers and what great graces God showers upon us through their intercession.

According to certain pre-Vatican II religious, we should make it a practice to pray for the dead before praying for the living because the poor souls in Purgatory can no longer help themselves, being in that state. Anyone here on earth still has time to earn merit, the poor souls no longer can. Please keep in mind, though, that we are not to expect things in return from these departed ones since this would be the wrong attitude. It is their right to be prayed for and aided every step of the way.

The Novus Ordo Masses with all the Protestant flavorings surely have put the faithful departed behind locked doors. Satan is jealous of the souls in Purgatory and wants to make sure that they remain there until the very end of time. Firstly, the dogma of Purgatory was attacked by the Protestant pseudo-reformation; secondly, by the modern theologians after Vatican II. The evil one knows that as long as laymen remain without the sacrament of Confession and just barely cling to the strings of grace by attending Novus Ordo Masses, the poor souls in Purgatory will suffer all the more.

It is absolutely necessary to remain in the state of grace in order to make amends for the departed. I am not simply trying to sound harsh or anything like that I am only repeating what the Holy Catholic Church has always taught for centuries by now.

Thank you every one for reading this letter. I hope it helps someone.

     God bless and happy holidays.

     D.M.

Dear TIA,

Thank you for Dr. Carol Byrne's continuing series on the 20th century history of the Church.

You are providing your readers with the kind of historical research which is otherwise not available, and which helps to explain how Vatican II happened.

     W.M.


TIA responds:

Dear W.M.,

We forwarded your message to Dr. Byrne. She asked us to tell you she appreciates your recognition.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

TIA,

Thank you so much for the article on the Knights of Malta.

This has really resolved some issues.

R.J.

TIA,

It was reported that the Bishops finishing their meeting in Baltimore were most impressed that Bishop of Rome Francis has a fresh message, but they do not understand where he hopes to lead them.

That's understandable because most if not all of them are progressives. They probably never heard of the words Our Lady told Sister Lucy just minutes before the 'Miracle of the Sun', "Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended."

Instead of telling people to amend their lives and ask for forgiveness for their sins as Our Lady requested, the Bishops seem to be awestruck with the idea to tell people its okay to sin if it makes them happy. If the Bishops believe and follow the Bishop of Rome, they will lead their flocks and themselves to hell.

     Homer Sweeney

TIA,

PAX

If there is a question as to whether we should dine with sinners, whether they be heretics or another ilk of sinners, the answer to this social conundrum should be contained in the questions, “Will this be a near occasion of sin for me?” or “Will the other guests or the party atmosphere scandalize my children?” If the answers are, “No.” then the invitation should be taken into consideration.

It does not do the Traditional movement any good if we do not learn the meaning of the directive given by St. Francis of Assisi to his followers, “Preach the Gospel always and if you have to, open your mouth.”

To accept a social invitation and then to be stand-offish with your host and the other guests is counter to what God calls us to be- gracious in our dealings with others. Otherwise, it is far better to decline the invitation than to be a wet blanket by not adding to the gaiety of the occasion.

     A.T.

Dear TIA,

Upon reading the inquiry about which Pope made St. Sylvester a saint here, I consulted a 1903 Butler's Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints, and, while particular mention of which Pope canonized him is not made, perhaps the following may be of help to W.G.. These data appear near the end of the entry for this saint:

... "St. Sylvester greatly advanced religion by a punctual discharge of all the duties of his exalted station during the space of 21 years and 11 months; and died on the 31st of December, 335. He was buried in the cemetery of Priscilla.

St. Gregory the Great pronounced his ninth homily on the Gospels of his festival, and in a church which was dedicated to God in his memory by Pope Symmachus. Pope Sergius II translated his body into his church, and deposited it under the high altar. Mention is made of an altar consecrated to God in his honor at Verona about the year 500; and his name occurs in the ancient Martyrology called St. Jerome's, published by Florentinius, and in those of Bede, Ado, Usuard, etc.

Pope Gregory IX, in 1227, made his festival general in the Latin Church; the Greeks keep it on the 10th of January."

     E.S., Ph.D.