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 sister Religious told her that she seemed to be on lire, she replied simply, " Yes," without adding anything more. When they represented to her that she carried her zeal too far, and that she ought not to ask of God such excessive suffering, " Pardon me, my dear sisters," she said to them, "if I answer you. Jesus has so much love for souls, that all we do for their salvation is infinitely agreeable to Him; that is why I gladly endure any pain, whatsoever it may be, as well for the conversion of sinners as for the deliverance of the souls detained in Purgatory."

The forty days having expired, Catherine returned to her ordinary state. The relations of the prince asked where his soul was. " Have no fear," she replied; " his soul is in the enjoyment of eternal glory." It was thus known that it was for his soul that she had suffered so much.

This example teaches us many things, but we have cited it to show that the greatest sufferings are not incompatible with interior peace. Our saint, whilst visibly enduring the pains of Purgatory, enjoyed an admirable peace and a superhuman contentment.

The souls in Purgatory receive also great consolation from the Blessed Virgin. Is she not the Consolation of the Afflicted? and what affliction can be compared to that of the poor souls? Is she not the Mother of Mercy? and is it not towards these holy suffering souls that she must