Resistances, Desolation & Torments in Hell

Dear TIA,

Your recent posting of two Catholic songs from the period of the French Revolution (here and here) has reminded me of the parallels between the 18th century Catholic resistance to a godless central government and the "Pilgrimage of Grace" of the English Catholics of the 16th century.

Both resistance movements began in the provinces away from the capitals of France and England and both sought to preserve the Catholic Faith in the face of central governments which sought to destroy the Church.

Both movements were put down in a sea of blood, yielding martyrs for God, proving once again that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church."

May the Church today be willing to continue to learn this lesson!

     W.M.

Dear Tradition in Action,

I'd like to share with your readers the pictures below taken by a photographer in Philadelphia.

Do they not look like something out of Prophecy? Well, it actually is!

This symbolizes the True Faith, the True Faith that is in eclipse. This symbolizes what the enemies of God and His Church did to the Faith. The church of man is glorified while the Church of God is left to fall apart.

At one time, these glorious churches used to house the King of Kings in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Throngs of true Catholics used to attend the True Mass in these churches. Incense would rise to Heaven and God was glorified in His Church.

We must do something! We must pray for the restoration of the True Faith. As an SSPXer and a young Catholic, I am dedicated to it. This has to stop. We must work for the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ, the Triumph of Our Lady's Immaculate Heart and the restoration of the Holy Catholic Church.

We're the Church Militant! Now is the time to fight like never before, to fight for what is right and true, to fight for the True Faith, even if we're the only ones. God put us to the test. Will we pass it or will we fail it? It's up to you. Personally, I will fight to the end and God willing, live to see the fruits of all of our (and especially, His Excellency, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre) glorious labors.

Thank you for the part you play in the restoration, Tradition in Action!

Long live the True Faith and the True Mass!

     God bless you all!

     H.T.

Dear Tradition in Action,

I writing you because I’ve been troubled by this question for some time.

Your website contains various articles regarding Hell which I’ve read. I’ve also read the book, Hell: The Dogma of Hell by F. X. Schouppe which upon reading these items, then pondering, and thinking, actually so I can avoid Hell, a question came to my mind. I’ve thought about this, wondered about it, and I do not have an answer, so I ask you.

Some background to my question: According to convention on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted the ninety-five theses on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg, thus beginning what is called the Protestant Reformation. With the Protestant Reformation, for example, some Priests and Nuns abandoned their vocations, recanted their vows of celibacy and often married, following the example of Martin Luther.

The Protestant Reformation also resulted in religious wars, Catholic persecutions, with many Catholics losing their lives, I image in the tens of thousands, I don’t know a total number. Numerous others turned from the Catholic faith and as a result lost their souls and were condemned to Hell. After almost 500 years we still live under the effects of the Protestant Reformation.

With that background: I’ve seen many paintings dating from the Middle Ages showing the demons or devils tormenting the lost souls in Hell. And our Heavenly Mother, Mary, when showing the seers of Fatima, Hell, the children said they saw devils tormenting lost souls.

Here is my question: Someone like Martin Luther, and there are many others akin to him through the ages, who have caused tens of thousands to lose their souls and be condemned to Hell, how can Martin Luther be tormented in Hell? Wouldn’t the Devil, the demons, and evil spirits welcome one who caused so many individuals to be dammed? I would think the Devil, and evil spirits would not torment him but appreciate him and his efforts ito have souls dammed to Hell.

I ask this in all sincerity,

     Dominus vobiscum - the Lord be with you

     R.T.


TIA responds:

Dear R.T.,

Thank you for the confidence in us you reveal by asking this question.

You are taking as a presupposition of your reasoning that in Hell there is a sort of inverted justice, according to which those who helped the aims of the Devil in their lives on earth will receive rewards as they do here.

We believe this premise is not true, because:

First, the One who establishes the punishments in Hell is not the Devil, but God, who issues the sentence each reprobate has to pay for all eternity. So, Luther is in the place of Hell God in His infinite Justice determined given the enormous evil he practiced.

Second, insofar as suffering in Hell relies on the Devil, he does not give rewards to those who helped him to offend God and to lose souls, but makes them share more keenly his own incommensurable torments. The closer to the Devil someone is in this earthly life, the more tormented in Hell he is.

Third, in order to offend God and win souls, the Devil gives many successes and rewards in this life to those who follow him. However, this does not continue in Hell. When the Devil’s followers die and go to Hell, their share is only suffering and torments, never happiness or personal advantages.

We hope that with these observations you will understand that the reprobates are tormented in Hell to the degree they helped the work of the Devil on earth.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk