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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Willingness to Suffer	Kevin	Monday, May 26, 2014
Question: My greatest hope is to save as many people from hell as possible; through prayer, worship, and any other way I or God can help me think of. I pray that Jesus will allow me to suffer longer in purgatory so that my suffering will save others. I will have the sure knowledge that I am saved, but I will do anything to help others. My question: Do you think God will honor my request? Is my question theologically sound? God bless you and your most important ministry!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Kevin: What you are intending is a great sacrifice on your part. It is similar to a Heroic Act. A Heroic Act is "an act of charity by which a person offers to God, for the benefit of the souls in purgatory, all the works of satisfaction he or she will perform during life, and all the suffrage that will come to him or her after death. It is not a vow but an offering that can be revoked at will. Its heroism consists in the readiness to undergo sufferings here and in purgatory in order to relieve others of their purgatorial pains. The Church has more than once approved such a heroic act of charity. [Source: Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary] Also see Catholic Encyclopedia. What you are proposing is not this Heroic Act, but in a similar way, you are proposing the offering of yourself for the salvation of souls here on earth "all the works of satisfaction you will perform during life, and all the suffrage that will come to you after death." Doing this is not a vow, but an offering that can be revoked at will. In similar manner this act "consists in the readiness to undergo sufferings here and in purgatory in order to relieve others of their purgatorial pains." You should discuss this with a spiritual director first. The Church advises that no one should attempt severe mortifications unless under spiritual direction. While this is not a mortification, it is a severe offering, a serious decision. I advise that you be under spiritual direction. If you make this offering God will honor it. Expect to suffer. Should you decide to revoke this offering there is no shame in that. We will pray for you. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Willingness to Suffer

Kevin

Monday, May 26, 2014

Question:

My greatest hope is to save as many people from hell as possible; through prayer, worship, and any other way I or God can help me think of. I pray that Jesus will allow me to suffer longer in purgatory so that my suffering will save others. I will have the sure knowledge that I am saved, but I will do anything to help others. My question: Do you think God will honor my request? Is my question theologically sound? God bless you and your most important ministry!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Kevin:

What you are intending is a great sacrifice on your part. It is similar to a Heroic Act.

A Heroic Act is "an act of charity by which a person offers to God, for the benefit of the souls in purgatory, all the works of satisfaction he or she will perform during life, and all the suffrage that will come to him or her after death. It is not a vow but an offering that can be revoked at will. Its heroism consists in the readiness to undergo sufferings here and in purgatory in order to relieve others of their purgatorial pains. The Church has more than once approved such a heroic act of charity. [Source: Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary]

Also see Catholic Encyclopedia.

What you are proposing is not this Heroic Act, but in a similar way, you are proposing the offering of yourself for the salvation of souls here on earth "all the works of satisfaction you will perform during life, and all the suffrage that will come to you after death." Doing this is not a vow, but an offering that can be revoked at will. In similar manner this act "consists in the readiness to undergo sufferings here and in purgatory in order to relieve others of their purgatorial pains."

You should discuss this with a spiritual director first. The Church advises that no one should attempt severe mortifications unless under spiritual direction. While this is not a mortification, it is a severe offering, a serious decision. I advise that you be under spiritual direction.

If you make this offering God will honor it. Expect to suffer. Should you decide to revoke this offering there is no shame in that.

We will pray for you.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum