Purgatory

By Marie René-Bazin | Introduction by Ronald Knox Purgatory is a mystery. It is for those souls who die in a state of imperfection and attachment to sin to be purified “so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” Purgatory is discipline, expiation, purification—and as such need not be feared nor despised. In the words of the Book of Job: “Blessed is the man whom God correcteth: refuse not therefore the chastising of the Lord.” In Purgatory: Threshold of the Kingdom, Marie René-Bazin casts light on the state of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and their needs in the eyes of God. Those needs are best expressed by that ancient prayer: “Grant them, O Lord, eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon them.” To enter into rest, one’s work must be complete; to behold the light, one’s blindness must be cured. Purgatory, by fire, water, or whatever mysterious means God has ordained, accomplishes this. First published in English in 1957, with an Introduction by Monsignor Ronald Knox, Purgatory: Threshold of the Kingdom weaves a wealth of instruction and insight from Scripture, the saints, and the treasury of tradition into a series of evocative poems and imaginative fables that illuminate the mystery of Purgatory. Before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. (Saint Gregory the Great) The Lord thy God is a consuming fire. In truth, the fire which is God, consumes to be sure, but it does not destroy. It burns sweetly. (Saint Bernard)   Marie René-Bazin (1883–1970) was a French Catholic author. Finding critical and popular success with her writings, she was awarded the French Academy’s Prix Juteau-Duvigneaux, Prix Louis-Paul-Miller, and Prix Montyon—the last, awarded to works “recommended for their character of moral elevation and usefulness,” for Purgatory. Ronald Knox (1888–1957) was an English Catholic priest, theologian, and author of numerous books, many of which are now available from Cluny. * * * Paperback: 140pp. ISBN: 978-1685954390