The Church's concern for the deceased
by Gabriele Cantaluppi
Don Guanella iIn a circular written to the Servants of Charity in 1913 he invited us to «make the life of the Eucharistic Sacred Heart our life, if we want to be able to benefit our soul and the serious needs that surround it, to relieve the many corporal and spiritual miseries of the next". Pope Francis echoes this by underlining that "Christ, who nourishes us under the consecrated forms of bread and wine, is the same one who comes to meet us in daily events".
The Pious Union of the Transit of San Giuseppe supports the concrete works of charity of the Guanellians, now present in all five continents, but above all in mission lands. It is the bread of Saint Joseph that reaches many brothers in need of help; thus almsgiving becomes help and a personal economic sacrifice becomes a benefit for many. Important help comes from the offers that come from our Associates for the celebration of Holy Masses and which we send to our brothers in those nations, thus allowing the management of charitable works.
Praying for the deceased by having Mass celebrated for their suffrage is an ancient and venerable tradition of the Church. The Catechism recalls that souls in a state of purification, which we call Purgatory, can be helped by the suffrages of the Church and of individual Christians, especially by the Holy Mass. Indeed, it is in the celebration of the Mass that the communion of saints is expressed, that is, the solidarity of believers and of the entire Christian community which prays to God to facilitate the purification of the deceased.
Don Guanella again: «To the living show yourselves generous in helping and with the deceased devoted to suffrage. With this you will please men and God together", because "whoever gives a suffrage to souls in purgatory acquires a treasure for their own soul". The offerings of our Associates also constitute substantial help for the Seminaries, oases of prayer and training for future workers in the great harvest of Guanellian charity.
It is also good to reiterate the prescriptions of Canon Law, which we observe carefully: «The faithful who give the offering so that the Mass is celebrated according to their intention, contribute to the good of the Church, and through this offering participate in its concern for the sustenance of ministers and works. Even the appearance of bargaining or commerce must absolutely be kept away from the offering of the Masses. Distinct Masses must be applied according to the intentions of those for whom individually the offering, even if small, was given and accepted" (can. 946-948).