PURGATORY?

Another thing that has been on my mind lots since

my retreat weekend is purgatory.

For you who are not Catholic, purgatory can be defined as

A PLACE OR STATE WHERE ACCORDING TO CATHOLIC

DOCTRINE THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO DIE

IN GOD'S GRACE MAY MAKE SATISFACTION FOR

PAST SINS AND SO BECOME FIT FOR HEAVEN.

I never wanted to believe in purgatory before.

I wanted to think that all except for those who 

broke the ten commandments severely, went to Heaven.

This weekend I am changing on this believe.

Immaculee' talked of a book called

"GET US OUT OF HERE"

written by Nicky Eltz from interviews he conducted with

Maria Simma

Not only are my beliefs of purgatory changing but I am

learning so much about my faith I claim to be my own,

Catholic that I did not know nor think of before.

the book, has been investigated by the Church and deemed

to be valid. The thing about this sweet woman, Maria who

you will come to know if you read this book, is that she was 

not from the 1800's, from a time before us but from our own

generation. she died in 2004.

The things in this interview, as I mentioned before have been

investigated as many. I am not pushing this book to have

any change their beliefs nor to say I have changed all my 

beliefs I have had my whole life because of one book

but I am stating that it has given me lots of information 

to think about. If nothing else, I will be glad for reading it

because it has given me much hope that Heaven is for all

and not unreachable for any of us. Last night, as I read more

of this most interesting book, I highlight this sentence:

LACK OF INTELLIGENCE BY ITSELF NEVER KILLED

ANYBODY, BUT LACK OF LOVE KILLS

EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.

For me, If nothing but this one strong statement stays in

my head and heart after reading this book,

it will have been enough.