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Question Title Posted By Question Date
Nun delivering message from hell Chris Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Question:

On at least two of your answers you told the following story to explain the need for confessing all sins:

"a nun who everyone thought was "saintly". When she died everyone presumed she went straight to heaven. One night in a vision this dead nun came to one of the sisters and beg her to tell everyone in the convent to never be too embarassed to confess any sin. She has been too embarassed and never confessed one mortal sin. As a result she was in hell since she died with that one mortal sin on her soul."

How can you reconcile this story with story of the Rich man and Lazarus in Luke Chapter 16. ("Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'(NAB)).

Would/Could a soul come from Hell with such a message? Would such an event make Satan divided against himself (which Jesus tell us he is not in Mathhew 12:25-26).

I do agree wholehearted with the point you are making through the story but I think that messages encouraging someone toward salvation would come from heaven or maybe purgatory not hell (only lies and blasphemy from there).

Please educate me if I am wrong as I have have no experience in this area beyond what I've read in books.


Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Chris:

Sorry for the delay in responding.

God is God and He can allow such things when it serves His Divine Purpose.

Yes, "normally" such a thing will not happen as Luke mentions. But what is normal is not a limitation to God.

This exception is not a Satan's "house divided" as it was not Satan who sent or allowed this sister to appear to St. Teresa. Obviously the devil would never permit such a thing. It was God who allowed this, I am sure over the strong objections of Satan.

We must always remember that while we are bound by natural law, spiritual law, the Sacraments, etc. God transcends these boundaries of which He created and can allow what is normally not allowed when it serves His will.

In any event, the story is a private revelation and thus no one must believe it happened. Nevertheless the lesson learned by the story is a real one that we need to take heed.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary


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