Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/651

 PURGATORY

579

PURGATORY

that indulgences are available for them "by way of suffrage" (per modum sujfragii).

(1) Augustine (De Civ. Dei, XX, ix) declares that the souls of the faithful departed are not separated from the Church, which is the kingdom of Christ, and for this reason the prayers and works of the living are helpful to the dead. "If therefore", argues Bellarmine (De indulgentiis, xiv) "we can offer our prayers and our satisfactions in behalf of those de- tained in purgatory, because we are members of the great body of Christ, why may not the Vicar of Christ apply to the same souls the superabundant satis- faction of Christ and his saints — of which he is the dispenser?" This is the doctrine of St. Thomas (IV, Sent., dist. xlv, q. ii, a. 3, q. 2) who asserts that' indulgences avail principally for the person who performs the work for which the indulgence is given, but secondarily may avail even for the dead, if the form in which the indulgence is granted be so worded as to be capable of such interpretation, and he adds "nor is there any reason why the Church may not dispose of its treasure of merits in favour of the dead, as it surely dispenses it in favour of the living".

(2) St. Bonaventure (IV, Sent., dist. xx, p. 2, q. v) agrees with St. Thomas, but adds that such "relaxation cannot be after the manner of absolution as in the case of the living, but only as suffrage (Hsec non tenet modum judicii, sed potius suffragii). This opinion of St. Bonaventure, that the Church through its Supreme Pastor does not absolve juridi- cally the souls in purgatory from the punishment due their sins, is the teaching of the Doctors. They point out (Gratian, 24 q. ii, 2, can. 1) that in case of those who have departed this hfe judgment is reserved to God; they allege the authority of Gelasius (Ep. ad Faustum; Ep. ad. Episcopos Dardanise) in sup- port of their contention (Gratian ibid.), and they also insist that the Roman Pontiffs, when they grant in- dulgences that are applicable to the dead, add the restriction per modum suffragii et deprecationis. This phrase is found in the Bull of Sixtus IV "Romani Pontificis provida diUgentia", 27 Nov., 1477.

The phrase per modum suffragii et deprecationis has been variously interpreted by theologians (Bellar- mine, "De indulgentiis", p. 137). Bellarmine him- self says: "The true opinion is that indulgences avail as suffrage, because they avail not after the fashion of a juridical absolution 'quia non prosunt per modum juridicae absolutionis'." But according to the same author the suffrages of the faithful avail at times per modum merili congrui (by way of merit), at times per modum impelralionis (by way of sup- plication) at times per modum satisfactionis (by way of satisfaction) ; but when there is question of apply- ing an indulgence to one in purgatory it is only per ■modum suffragii satisfactorii, and for this reason "the pope does not absolve the soul in purgatory from the punishment due his sin, but offers to God from the treasure of the Church whatever may be necessary for the cancelling of this punishment".

If the question be further asked whether such satisfaction is accepted by God out of mercy and benevolence, or ex juslitia, theologians are not in accord — some holding one opinion, others the other. Bellarmine after canvassing both sides (pp. 137, 138) does not dare to set aside either opinion, but is in- clined to think that the former is more reasonable while he pronounces the latter in harmony with piety (admodum pia).

Condition. — That an indulgence may avail for those in purgatory several conditions are required: (1) The indulgence must be granted by the pope. (2) There must be a sufficient reason for granting the indulgence, and this reason must be something per- taining to the glory of God and the utility of the Church, not merely the utility accruing to the souls in purgatory. (3) The pious work enjoined must be

performed by the living and if the enjoined satisfac- tion requires the state of grace, this must be verified as in the case of indulgences for the living.

If the state of grace be not among the required works, in all probability the person performing the work may gain the indulgence for the dead, even though he himself be not in friendship with God (Bellarmine, loc. cit., p. 139). Suarez (De Pcenit., disp. hii, s. 4, n. 5 and 6) puts this categorically when he says: "Status gratiae solum requiritur ad tollen- dum obicem indulgentia; " (the state of grace ia required only to remove some hindrance to the in- dulgence), and in the case of the holy souls there can be no hindrance. This teaching is bound up with the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, and the monuments of the catacombs represent the saints and martyrs as interceding with God for the dead. The prayers too of the early liturgies speak of Mary and of the saints interceding for those who have passed from this life. Augustine believes that burial in a basilica dedicated to a holy martyr is of value to the dead, for those who recall the memory of him who has suffered will recommend to the martyr's prayers the soul of him who has departed this life (Bellarmine, lib. II, xv). In the same place Bellar- mine accuses Dominicus A Soto of rashness, because he denied this doctrine.

VII. Invocation op Souls. — Do the souls in purgatory pray for us? May we call upon them in our needs? There is no decision of the Church on this subject, nor have the theologians pronounced with definiteness concerning the invocation of the souls in purgatory and their intercession for the living. In the ancient liturgies there are no prayers of the Church directed to those who are still in purgatory. On the tombs of the early Christians nothing is more common than a prayer or a supplica- tion asking the departed to intercede with God for surviving friends, but these inscriptions seem always to suppose that the departed one is already with God. St. Thomas (II-II, Q. Ixxxiii, a. 11, ad 3 um) denies that the souls in purgatory pray for the living, and states that they are not in a position to pray for us, rather we must make intercession for them. Despite the authority of St. Thomas, many renowned theo- logians hold that the souls in purgatory really pray for us, and that we may invoke their aid. Bellarmine (De Purgatorio, lib. II, xv) says the reason alleged by St. Thomas is not at all convincing, and holds that in virtue of their greater love of God and their union with Him their prayers may have great in- tercessory power, for they are really superior to us in love of God, and in intimacy of union with Him. Suarez (De poenit., disp. .xlvii, s. 2, n. 9) goes farther and asserts "that the souls in purgatory are holy, are dear to God, love us with a true love and are mindful of our wants; that they know in a general way our necessities and our dangers, and how great is our need of Divine help and divine grace".

When there is question of invoking the prayers of those in purgatory, Bellarmine (loc. cit.) says it is superfluous, ordinarily speaking, for they are ignorant of our circumstances and condition. This is at variance with the opinion of Suarez, who admits knowledge at least in a general way, also with the opinions of many modern theologians who point to the practice now common with almost all the faithful of addressing their prayers and petitions for help to those who are still in a place of purgation. Scavini (Theol. Moral., XI, n. 174) sees no reason why the souls detained in purgatory may not pray for us, even as we pray for one another. He asserts that this practice has become common at Rome, and that it has the great name of St. Alphonsus in its favour. St. Alphonsus in his work the "Great Means of Salvation", chap. I, III, 2, after quoting Sylvius, (/lotti, Lessius, and Medina as favourable