The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"PURGATORY, ETC.26SMany an anxious day and sleepless night did shewatch at his bedside. And she moistened theparched lips,and cooled the fevered brow, andraised the drooping head on its pillow. Everychange in her patient for better or worse, broughta corresponding sunshine or gloom to her heart.It was filial love that prompted all this. Herfather died, and she followed his remains to thegrave. Though not a Catholic, standing by thebier, she burst those chains which a cruel religiousprejudice had wrought around her heart, and, risingsuperior to her sect, she cried out :Lord, have mercyon his soul. It was the voice of nature and ofreligion.Oh ! far from us a religion which would decreean eternal divorce between the living and the dead.How consolingis it to the Catholic, to think that,in praying thus for his departed friend, his prayersare not in violation of, but in accordance with, thevoice of the Church ;and that as, like Augustine, hewatches at the pillow of a dying mother, so, likeAugustine, he can continue the same office of pietyfor her soul after she is dead, by praying for her.How cheering the reflection that the golden link ofprayer unites youstill to those who fell asleep inthe Lord," and that you can still speak to themanc! pray for them !Tennyson grasps the Catholic feeling, when hemakes his hero, whose course is run, thus address hissurviving comrade, Sir Bedivere :