The Heroic Act of Charity

[Dreams]

Hello,

I have made the Heroic Act of Charity to offer all of the satisfactory value of my works, prayers, indulgences, etc. to help the Souls in Purgatory.

I have always been afraid of Purgatory so I made this Act to help Souls there as much as possible. Do you think I will have to spend a long time in Purgatory because I have made this Act?

 

[Elias]

I dunno, maybe, maybe not. That’s not for us to decide. Only the Eternal Judge, Jesus Christ, can make that call.

 

[Irishmom2]

What is The Heroic Act of Charity? I have never heard of it before.

 

[tomo_pomo]

Depends what is in you heart.
Its easy to offer what is easy to offer.
Did you offer what is hard to offer?
Like patiently endure some sort of suffering that life brings you?

 

[Freddy]

Hello,

I have made the Heroic Act of Charity to offer all of the satisfactory value of my works, prayers, indulgences, etc. to help the Souls in Purgatory.

I have always been afraid of Purgatory so I made this Act to help Souls there as much as possible. Do you think I will have to spend a long time in Purgatory because I have made this Act?

You made a promise to accept punishment in lieu of others but you don’t know what that punishment will comprise?

 

[DIERM]

I have always been afraid of Purgatory so I made this Act to help Souls there as much as possible. Do you think I will have to spend a long time in Purgatory because I have made this Act?

I, personally, am not afraid of purgatory, because without it, my hope for salvation is not existent, given the understanding that impure souls may not enter heaven.

Long time? Who knows…That’s God’s decision…but given the fact that at each mass, during the prayers of the faithful we pray for the souls of the dead, and I would like to think this common prayer raised daily by the entire Church, and given the faith of those offering the prayers, are enough to persuade God to grant mercy and allow those souls into his loving arms.

 

[Genesis315]

I don’t know, but suffice it to say, “charity covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

 

[thistle]

Hello,

I have made the Heroic Act of Charity to offer all of the satisfactory value of my works, prayers, indulgences, etc. to help the Souls in Purgatory.

I have always been afraid of Purgatory so I made this Act to help Souls there as much as possible. Do you think I will have to spend a long time in Purgatory because I have made this Act?

First, absolutely nobody but God knows how long souls spend in Purgatory. We don’t and the Church doesn’t.

Second, if I die and find myself in Purgatory I certainly would not be afraid. I would be happy because it means I have been saved.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

You made a promise to accept punishment in lieu of others but you don’t know what that punishment will comprise?

No, the OP didn’t “make a promise to accept punishment in lieu of others”.

Praying or offering indulgences for a soul in Purgatory doesn’t mean that I inherit their purgatory time or take it on myself, as in, “I offered this prayer for X who’s in Purgatory for 1 year, so he’s going to get out early and I will have to do his 1 year in Purgatory.” Far from it.

Instead, the fact that I offered prayer for X is highly likely to reduce or even eliminate my own purgatory time, if God even decides I need any. So I help both X and myself. It’s a win-win.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I have always been afraid of Purgatory so I made this Act to help Souls there as much as possible.

That’s a good thing to do, both because you are helping others and also because the practice of helping others in this way will hopefully reduce your own fear of purgatory by bringing you closer to God and helping you to love and trust him more.

Do you think I will have to spend a long time in Purgatory because I have made this Act?

First, we have no idea or way of knowing if you’d need to spend a long time or a little time or no time in Purgatory. God decides that.

Second, regardless of how much time you’d have to spend (or not spend) in Purgatory, we have no idea how God might choose to apply your works and prayers and indulgences, etc. God decides that. Also, the main benefits of good works, prayers and indulgences is that they bring you closer to God on earth. It’s wrong to focus on banking up a big store of merits to be redeemed after death for a quick exit from Purgatory.

I suggest you read this.
http://www.catholicapologetics.org/St Theresa on Purgatory.pdf

 

[Pattylt]

I have a quick question, if I may…
Do those in Purgatory know they are in Purgatory or is this something the Church hasn’t commented on?
Thanks in advance…

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Do those in Purgatory know they are in Purgatory or is this something the Church hasn’t commented on?

Yes, a deceased person is informed by God of the result of his or her judgment immediately after death and therefore knows whether they have been sent to heaven, hell or purgatory.

 

[Pattylt]

Thank you!

 

[PatK63]

I suggest you obtain a plenary indulgence for your sins. Indulgence are a dogma of the church and really quite easy to obtain!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I suggest you obtain a plenary indulgence for your sins. Indulgence are a dogma of the church and really quite easy to obtain!

The OP made the so-called “Heroic Act of Charity” (I really dislike its being called that, it’s not “heroic”, it’s what we all should be doing IMHO) to give all their indulgences away to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, so any plenary would be going to the Holy Souls instead of to the OP.

The OP consequently will need to rely solely upon the love and mercy of God to avoid Purgatory themself.
Which is a good thing to do according to St. Therese.