will be found unwilling to avail themselves of the immense advantages offered in this Raccolta. We have all to satisfy the justice of God, in atonement for our many sins: since, even after their guilt has been washed away in the sacrament of penance, and the eternal punishment due to them remitted, there remains still the debt of temporal punishment to be paid. And who is there who would not rather atone for his sins in this life, than leave them to be expiated in the flames of purgatory, where mercy has no place, and where payment will be exacted to the last farthing?
Holy Church comes to our aid, and increases the value of our prayers and good works, by attaching to them indulgences drawn from the inexhaustible treasure of the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and intrusted by him, without limit or restriction, to her maternal care. Even if we did not stand in need of availing ourselves of this exceeding bounty to atone for our own sins (although who is there who would be presumptuous enough to believe it?) the holy souls in purgatory have claims upon us,—claims
