AN ESSAY
ON
MASSES FOR THE DEAD
AND
The Motives for Having Them
Celebrated.
by
Rev. (A.A.) Andrew Arnold Lambing
Although this book was written
over 125 years ago what impressed us about its content
were the specific enumerated motives Father Lambing set
forward for praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
(Because of my fallen nature, my favorite was motive
seven.)
For non-Catholic visitors to
our site, don't be confused by the word "dead" in the
book title. Catholics believe that after our journey
on this earth, we are judged and born into eternal life.
Our God is not the God of the dead but of the Living.
Seeing that when Rev. Lambing lived on this earth his
goal was to address the Church Militant and encourage
them to pray for the Holy Souls, he used the term "Masses
for the Dead" to refer to those Holy Masses the Church
Militant, on earth, would be encouraged to offer up for
the dead or departed, from a worldly/secular
view. Today
the Church uses a more popular term for "the dead"; "the
faithful departed".
The language in the web pages
that make up this on-line book at times are a little
archaic. Nevertheless, we wanted to stick to the original
words of the author.
One last point: Seeing this
was written over 125 years, the reader has to read and
comprehend what Rev. Lambing has said within the times
and culture of the 1880's. At that time, for teaching
and instruction, the Catechism of the Council of Trent
was the norm.
Over time the Church, doesn't
mutate, but clarifies and elaborates on her teachings
for the good of each new generation and culture. For
this reason, I can say with confidence that Rev. Lambing
along with us would recommend that we read what he has
written within the light of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church which was promulgated by Pope Paul II in 1994.
We have a small
section on our site that should help.
"The holy souls are eager
for the prayers of the faithful, which can gain indulgences
for them. Their intercession is powerful. Pray unceasingly.
We must empty Purgatory!"
— St. Pio of Pietrelcina
The souls detained in Purgatory
are helped ... chiefly by the acceptable Sacrifice of
the Altar
— Council of Trent
I do not doubt that the Holy
Mass not only shortens their pains, but also extends
great immediate relief to those poor souls . . . . We
may believe that at every Mass, many souls issue forth
from Purgatory, and fly to holy paradise.
— St. Leonard
of Port Maurice
The Mass affords the greatest
relief to the suffering souls in Purgatory.
— St. Alphonsus
Liguori
In Purgatory the pain never
diminishes although the time does.
— St. Catharine of
Genoa
The very state of the holy souls
is one of the most unbounded helplessness . . . . Not
a soul is delivered from its trail but God is immensely
glorified . . . Can the Sacred Humanity be honored more
than by the Adorable Sacrifice of the Mass? and here
is our chief action upon Purgatory.
— Fr. Faber
— Introduction
to the book —
