The bishops, Cardinals nor dare I say the Pope worry about Hell nor the fact that souls can be damned. They have a different perspective. Everyone (or almost everyone) is not going to Hell because it is so hard to 'commit a mortal sin'. Have you ever wondered why the First secret of Fatima was the vision of Hell? In 1917 many believed in Hell. In 2016 very few believe in Hell.
That is a wonderful way of looking at it. There is a guy in work who annoys me so much I never stop praying for him. Sometimes I think how lucky he is that we don''t get on. Another thing I think that is as Jesus said, 'I am sending you out like sheep among wolves'. Either we have God in our hearts or we have Satan in our hearts. It is one or the other. I sometimes have the feeling I am amongst wolves who might given the cnace turn on me. Oh they are very friendly and social , nice people. But I do think the time will come when they wil lturn on people like me as wolves would when the right button is pressed..and it will be pressed.
I always think the Churches teaching on hell and Purgatory is so logical. If there were no hell we should have to invent it. I remember the words of Jesus that we should strive to enter , 'By the narrow gate' . Not believing in the reality of hell is not a narroow gate, it is a very,very wide one. Poor people. I think people who do not bele3ieve in hell must believe in the reality of evil. They must lead very sheltered lives. But to stare into the face of someone who wants to kill you teaches that evil does exist. I ahve stared into such faces on many occasions. I remeber a lady who had been in a Concetration Camp was asked what the most terrible thing was she had seen there, to which she replied, 'Hatred in the face of another human being' So true
No one goes to hell without choosing it, which is a life apart from their creator. Your sentiments are on all our hearts. It is as if we are surrounding by the 'walking dead'. I think God put us all in different parts of the world for a reason. We are to pray for those whom we walk with. We are to be the light in the darkness. We are to act and when necessary speak in way's that show the light of God within. We are to fast and sacrifice the things of this world for them. I think we will be surprised one day when we find out how many people found God through our efforts via the grace of God. One day soon, we will not have this forum and our world of sound Catholic faithful will be no more until the Second Coming and New Earth arrive. It will get very lonely for most. We will also be surprised whom God sends our way during the storm and where he may send us as well. If only but for the grace of God, vis loving parents, relatives or friends, we might well be the person that we see around us that sees no hope, no future. The following song brings us a message:
I'd suggest that we don't assume anyone is going to Hell but ... just ... Pray They Don't .... and Remember The Message of The Cross and the theme throughout the Ministry of Jesus of infinite Mercy to those that would just "Reach Out" or even glance to Jesus at their moment of death! I still believe that God is a real sore loser when it comes to losing souls to satan. GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
I rarely post here,but this is a topic that really hits home with me. I think of this very often especially when I am in public places and see so many people who are so angry ,rude or mean to strangers they don't even know. I look at their faces and say to myself, "Lord these are your children too, I don't know how to help them, they are so far away from you."
Very kind words Padraig. This forum is like a refuge or even a family. Heated discussions now and then, but all united by our Catholic Faith.
Yep, we do live in difficult times. And it will only get much, much worse. Many, many people will sadly find themselves in hell. But let's not forget, the power of prayer. Let's not forget that in this time of great evil, great grace is available to us. Let's not forget the powerful, powerful intercessor we have in our Blessed Mother. Let's have confidence in God's plan for the salvation of all the souls in our territory. Let's not forget the workings of the Holy Spirit that will get our church back on track to lead souls to Heaven. Now is not the time to be down, but the time to trust and have faith. We need to do our part and pray without ceasing, offer up every suffering or even inconvenience in our lives, fast if you can, do penance. If I continue to do this, I expect ALL of my territory souls to be saved. They may find themselves in the lowest levels of purgatory, but I am consecrated to our lady, I have turned over my loved ones to her, and she intercedes for me and she won't let me down. Have great faith. Have great confidence in God and Our Lady. Believe in the power of prayer. And get praying.
St Faustina has an interesting account in her diary. One time she returned home from her convent on a visit. In the little country parish which was her home she was something of a star for having left home and become a nun, she was kind of a , 'Star'. So people came from all about to visit with her and meet and talk to her. The holy nun who had made good. But St Faustina's reaction , to what was happening I found interesting. Remember this was way back in the 1930's when people would have been living, I suspect a far, far more moral life than they are leading now. Also it was in Catholic Poland were I sure everyone she met was attending mass and the sacraments regularly. Yet St Faustina wrote at her real horror at the spiritual condition of many people that she met. There jumps out from the pages of her diary a real horror at what she was seeing. It is true was cannot make the final judgement on men;''s souls, but neither, on the other hand can we be blind either. View attachment 5761
A fuuny strange thing happened to me last week and yesterday. I had been walking along the very busy Antrim Road when I happened to glance over at a man in his 50's with his dog. I did not know him from Adam but when he caught my glance he shouted very angrily across the road at me, 'What the f.... do you think you are looking at?' Its funny in away to address a complete stranger in a way like this. But anyway I walked on a little until the disrespect of it sunk ion and I lost my own temper and rushed back and started shouting back at him a real rage. So the two of stood there shouting insults for a while with a crowd around us listening. But yesterday the same guy came up to me and very humbly said sorry. He told me he had been having a very bad day and did know what came over him. I found it touching, we never know what is going on in other peoples lives at times and have to make allowances. But I am so glad it had a happy ending.
Padraig sez: "I found it touching, we never know what is going on in other peoples lives at times and have to make allowances." YUP!! That is what "Turning the Other Cheek" is all about! Some worthy once said something about people living lives of quiet desperation. I'm guessing that "These Days" most people are living lives of quiet desperation ...... and we should not be consigning anyone to Hell 'cause we simply don't know what kind of Hell on Earth they may be going through!! .....even seemingly "Normal People" ... but ..... Let's not be twisting the words of "Turning the Other Cheek" as the Liberals do!! .... Cherry Pickin' Bible verses to excuse evil-n-perversion!! GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
I have asked and also listened on catholic radio shows about others peoples opinions as to when is it appropriate to be speak up or act in regards to pointing out bad behavior or not living up to your catholic promises of faith, many have said "when you think that the other person may actually listen". I feel like that the youth today won't listen. They don't want to hear. They have had no moral up bringing in their lives and they just don't know any better. I think about the children of Fatima at such a young age and what they knew and did spiritually. When you compare that to the children today, it boggles my mind. What happened? Where did we fail? How do we even attempt to correct this when the adults don't even know or practice any faith. It is very sad. I say a small pray quietly to the Blessed Mother every time I see a child in a bad behavior situation, "Please Mary, show this family the way you raised your son"
[QUOTE="PotatoSack, post: 155430, member: 157"...Have great faith. Have great confidence in God and Our Lady. Believe in the power of prayer. And get praying.[/QUOTE] Amen! Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
Sometimes when I am praying for those who will die this day, I get intensely sad. However I "know" that my prayers will surely help some soul(s) escape from rushing over the precipice of Hell. Prayers said from the heart are never wasted. God Bless
We have a custom in our church where at the end of every mass said, we kneel down and say 3 "Hail Marys" for the next parishioner that is going to die.
What a wonderful custom; I wonder who thought of it? At the hospital they often ask us to pray for those who are dying or are about to die. I am touched by one of the priests who keeps lists of people he promised to get prayers for and reads it out. He sometimes tells us little details of the people who died and their circumstances. I remember he told us a young woman who died who had no visitors because all the rest of her family had already died.
My favourite prayer of petition is for the souls deepest in purgatory and the souls most in danger of hell.
I was watching the life again of St Teresa of the Andes, a Carmelite nun who died of typhus and blood poisoning and who died a very painful death. One of the Carmel nuns who nursed the sick said that, 'The holy ones always die painful deaths'. I suspect this may well be so.
I know this might seem insensitive to some, but sometimes I find myself saying a prayer for the souls who might be in purgatory that nobody will pray for. say for instance someone like Hitler. Even though he was responsible for the death of my mother in law's father, I find that I am compelled to pray for such souls. I find it hard to do this at times but I just know that that is what God would want me to do.
