The purpose of this book is to help people avoid Hell. It was written over 1 years ago by the eminent French theologian, Rev. F.X. Schouppe, S.J. His book concentrates mainly upon telling actual stories of people who have had religious visions, revelations and experiences of various kinds that exemplify most vividly the reality of Hell. By this method, he attempts to bring before the mind of his reader the awesome prospect of Hell, that we should be always aware that it truly exists, and it is the just reward of the wicked, and that we never know exactly when it is we shall die (since we have no assurance whatsoever of the length of our days). Therefore we should always be prepared to render an accounting of our lives. THE AMAZING SECRET OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY - [An interview with Maria Simma written by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje] This Story Fills A Void: One day, I read with great interest a book about the souls in Purgatory. It struck me so much because it related very recent testimonies and also explained very well the Churchs doctrine on the subject. It is a book by Maria Simma, called The Souls in Purgatory ...Straight away, I wrote to the editor who told me that Maria Simma is alive. Quickly, I contacted her and she agreed to meet me to answer my questions, which were many! I was delighted, because each time I have the opportunity to speak or preach on the poor souls, Ive found that there is an immense, extraordinary interest on the part of my listeners. Often, they beg me to tell them more, pushing me further, asking me: Tell us more, other things about these souls. I saw clearly that this fulfilled a vital thirst, a thirst to know what is waiting for us, each of us, after death. It must be said too that these things are scarcely taught any more in parishes, in regular catechism, in chaplaincies, practically nowhere. So theres a great emptiness, a great lack, if you prefer, a great ignorance, even a certain anguish in the face of these realities of the final things. Therefore, this booklet will help us not only to get rid of this anguish once and for all, with regard to Purgatory but will also enlighten us, hopefully, and enable us to understand that Gods plan for us, for our destiny, is absolutely magnificent, splendid, worthy of our enthusiasm! Also, that we have in our hands an immense power on this earth to give happiness for ourselves as well, in our own lives. Today, Maria Simma is 82; she lives alone in her little house in Sonntag, a very lovely village in the Vorarlberg mountains in Austria, and that is where I met her. Who is Maria Simma? A simple country woman who, since her childhood, has prayed a great deal for the souls in Purgatory. When she was twenty-five, she was favored with a very particular charism in the Church, very rare too, the charism of being visited by the souls in Purgatory. She is a fervent Catholic and has a great humility -- this struck me a lot; she has a great simplicity too. She is very much encouraged in her task by her parish priest and her bishop. In spite of the quite extraordinary character of her charism, she lives in real poverty. For example, in her little room we hardly had enough space to move around the chairs she had offered us... An extraordinary charism? Yes, but which obviously has deep roots in the history of the church, for many are the saints -- canonized or not -- who have exercised this charism. I could mention, for example, St. Gertrude, St. Catherine of Genoa, who wrote much on the subject. Maryam of Jesus, St. Margaret Mary of Paray-le-Monial who had the vision of the Sacred Heart, the Holy Cure of Ars, Blessed Faustina, St. John Bosco, Blessed Maryam of Bethlehem, etc. A book could be written on the subject; in fact I think several have!........