Victim Soulhood "Pooh-poohed" Once Again

There is more to offer Jesus in reparation: the suffering of continuing ignorance regarding victim souls as a vocation.

A man perhaps in his early 40's who is devout in his faith, has a rare affliction that came upon him a few years ago. Brain surgery was required to attempt alleviation of some of the suffering. He now suffers from depression and cannot work due to the symptoms of the affliction which include memory loss.

It came to me prior to Mass the other day that the Lord could utilize this man's suffering, and that perhaps this man is being asked to be a victim soul. In fact, I mentioned victim souls to the man, and he had not heard of this. I returned to my pew and prayed more, and it seemed that I needed to offer to this man a copy of the classic book on Victim Souls of the Sacred Heart. I did so, and the man was very interested. We made arrangements for me to give it to him at this morning's Mass.

This man is an assistant and does much work in the Cathedral, serving. This morning prior to Mass I saw him and gave him the book. When he left to return to the Sacristy, the thought came that the priests, if they saw it--and somehow I sense he would show them--would down-play this book.

Sure enough, after Mass, the man was less enthused. He said he had some of the priests look it over, and they said it was "an old notion or idea." I asked, "So they pooh-poohed it, did they?" He nodded. I then told him that while it is an old book, about 100 years old, it is very much a current vocation and also an age-old one in the Church!

This man wants to be healed. I pray this for him and told him thus. However, I pointed out that being a victim soul can be temporary, and that it is good work to unite one's suffering's with Christ, to offer him sufferings in reparation for the sins of the world. I said, "This is NOBLE work."

Although not as interested now, and somewhat skeptical, the man says he will look it over--and will write out questions he has.

I already knew the priests who likely put the damper on the small spark. There were but four at that Mass, and one being the Bishop who was not party to this. One is my confessor, and I suspect he and one other perhaps unintentionally displayed their skepticism. It is easy enough to snuff flames through suffocation. It takes but a poof of negativity to snuff a barely smouldering wick.

I went to the Bishop who was still greeting people after Mass, and I told him. Yes, I did. He asked, "What priests?" I simply gestured toward the sacristy. What difference? It is the whole point, the idea of it--that the reason for such little faith and detriment to those who could provide such good to Jesus and the Church, is due to little faith in the mysterium tremendum, in the age-old, time-honored truths of the Church, of suffering, of the mystery of reparation. Why, Popes have written encyclicals and left decrees regarding victim souls!

I mentioned to the Bishop, the work of St. Padre Pio and St. Therese, the Little Flower, as victim souls; I had mentioned these to the man in an attempt to encourage him. I'd also mentioned Conchita of Mexico and the recent passing of Audrey Santo. The Bishop said, "Of course this is of the Church--think of St. Paul!"

So it goes. I will see my confessor in the morning, and I may likely bring this up. I have no fear, nothing to lose, since all has been taken away, thanks be to God.

I ponder all the more the work to be done, and yet I am not going to react other than to pray for this man and his suffering. If it be God's will to remove it, praise Him! If the man is called to suffer, praise Him! Over time, the Lord will make it known to the man, if he is open. I had previously asked him to ask Jesus if He desired his sufferings as a victim soul, and if so to accept. Today the priests took the opportunity a few steps back, but we shall see. God is greater than all of our little steps--either forward or back.

In the meantime, I have more to write about St. Catherine de Ricci as a victim soul, and also St. Gertrude the Great whose heart was wounded and who shared within her heart the five wounds of Christ.

And victim souls is an old idea? Do ideas have age limits? Are ideas things temporal? Is then, the Bible an old idea?