After I posted the video of Fr. Stephen Scheier's judgment experience, a blogging friend (thank you, Philangelus) sent me a link to Gloria Polo's judgment before the Lord. The details in this particular NDE are phenomenal...I've never read anything quite like it. I don't believe anyone could make up a story like this and I am inclined to believe it's true.
Reverend Joseph Dwight has her full testimony on his blog. Scroll down the page a bit until you see:
The Testimony of Gloria Polo
Gloria Polo's story is truly remarkable and I've read a few different translations of it. You can find her interview with Radio Maria, which is a bit shorter, here.
I started with the interview with Radio Maria (found a few translations online) and now I am reading the longer testimony on Rev. Dwight's blog.
There are so many things that stood out for me that I don't know where to start. I will say this - it shows the power of prayer and the importance of placing God first in our lives.
Please take the time to read it. I truly think stories like these have the ability to change lives and are even helpful to those deep into their walk with Jesus. Every word that comes out of our mouth matters. The Lord took Gloria Polo through the Ten Commandments and showed her how she broke each one. It's a remarkable story.
Very thought-provoking.
ReplyDeleteMary, do you know what is the Church's position about "out of body" experiences? Does the Church (Vatican) accept them as genuine or not?
Another point. Are we judged the moment we are dead? Or at the "last judgement" whenever that is? Are we left in a holding place (waiting room) until the last judgement? Or is a decision made there and then about our destination in Heaven, hell or Purgatory? (Hence the souls in Purgatory?).
Can't find any Church teaching about that either.
God bless.
Victor,
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the Vatican has a stance on this issue. One of the links, Fr. Dwight's blog speaks a bit about this before getting into the testimony. What's interesting are the similarities in many of these "experiences". In the case above I don't see how anyone could make up such a detailed story, especially when you notice that it paints her in a very poor light. Most people don't do this willingly except by the grace of God.
I put up the painting of the Last Judgment as a reminder to pray :) At the end of time there will be a final judgment the Church teaches, but upon our death comes our personal judgment. We are not left in a holding place but go to either Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory after our personal judgment.
God bless!
Victor,
ReplyDeleteHere's a link about the Last Judgment:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08552a.htm
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI have NEVER read anything like this before. There is so much to this story that I will want to read it over and over again.
When Gloria speaks about enslavement to the body bells go off in my own head. Or to think that the book of life would record my every uncharitable thought....wow, that's a wake up call.
I can go on and on but I don't what to "hog" all your space ;).
Thank you for this post..it is an incredible call to conscious.
God bless
Always learning something here. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThanx Mary for your helpful reply and for the link. Quite a lot to think about here.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
DG,
ReplyDeleteI have NEVER read anything like this before either. I think it's a wake up call to all of us. Reading this testimony makes me really see how utterly dependent we are on God's grace and mercy. We cannot live a lie and must work to strip the facade that covers our world right now too.
I'm far from perfect so this "judgment" that Gloria Polo went through was an eye opener. It also points to the necessity of intercessory prayer. Not long after I put this up I went to Mass and the Gospel reading and Homily fit right in with this post. Coincidence? I think not. This was the first time I heard a priest mention Hell in many years. He gave quite a sermon! I walked out of there knowing that I still had tons of work in front of me.
There, I hogged my own comment space for you. And without one mention of septic tanks ;)
Hi Grace,
ReplyDeleteFascinating story, isn't it? All the more reason to keep our eyes on the Lord at all times. God bless!
You're welcome, Victor. I've been thinking and praying about this story since last night. It's pretty hard to just shove something like this aside. Nor would I want to.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of out of body experiences, both my dad and I have had them. It's not something that a person has any control
over. If God chooses to pluck somebody out of their body then that is exactly what happens :) No two ways around it. My dad's was an NDE and Jesus asked him if he'd like to "come home now". I think I wrote about it somewhere on my blog. He "saw" my mom crying and chose to stay but there was no way he could see my mom crying because she was crying outside of the room and people can't see through walls, can they?
http://openingthefloodgatesofmercy.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=father+near+death+experience
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Hee!Hee! Pretty funny that you can find things on my blog that I can't! I forgot I called it "Do you want to come home now?" Should have been simple. The search box on my blog doesn't work and I can't find my own posts half the time because there are too many to search through
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteI've only read this post and the comments so far but I will HAVE to find out more! Thank you for the links.
God bless.
Victor, my educated guess would be that as long as an NDE doesn't contradict church teaching, we're allowed to think it may possibly have happened as recorded.
ReplyDeleteSame as if I tell you I saw the Virgin Mary in my kitchen. If I report that she appeared in glowing light and encouraged me to pray for sinners -- you can feel free to take inspiration from that. And if I report that she appeared in glowing light and told me to drink more beer, you can feel free to think I'm deluded and suggest heavy-duty psychotherapy. :-)
I believe our personal judgment happens immediately after death, though, and that after teh general resurrection there's going to be a public judgment confirming the sentences, but we start receiving our sequelae immediately after death. (Based on a couple of different books...I think one was called The Four Last THings.)
It was powerful reading, Mary. I think what came out of it, for me, was the importance of frequent and good confession. I can't think of any other way to overcome the hidden faults that we're not even aware of. I think it's really sad to know that people might think they've bought spiritual security through the Eucharist, when unconfessed sins might have actually condemned them further, at Communion.
ReplyDeleteNow, I think I understand that strong urge to go to Confession even, or maybe especially, at times when the urge to pray seems weak. Does that make sense?
Thank you for sharing this, Mary. God bless:-)
Mary,thank you so much for this link. I definitely intend to share this...I think we all have a responsibility to let others know about it. God does indeed work in mysterious ways and there is enough in here to keep us pondering for the rest of our lives. God bless!
ReplyDeleteSue,
ReplyDeleteHold on to your hat! (An American expression that means you'll be going for quite a ride. I don't know if it's used in Australia too.) This "judgment" is mind-boggling - especially when He takes her through the ten commandments.
Jane,
ReplyDeleteI'm inclined to agree with your comment.There's a statement on so called "private revelations" but I'll have to find it and link to it. In a nutshell, what you've said pretty much follows it. Thanks!
Gee, I think my husband wouldn't mind if Mary suggested another beer, though ;)
I have the book you've mentioned here but it's been quite a few years since I've read it. Thanks again for the link. It's one of those things in life that make you take a step back and look more closely at how we live our lives. Gloria Polo's story is a good example of presumption versus true contrition. She mentions this in her comment on bad confessions. It was similar to Fr. Scheier's when he said his confessions were no good either but rather "fire insurance".
Vicky,
ReplyDeleteI got a similar message from this on the importance of Confession. As a matter of fact...I wanted to go right after I read this.
Okay, if I'm being honest, the part that struck me was her commenting on her children and family. Can I do more as a mother and wife? Can I be more loving? The answer is that I know there's room for improvement in these areas. It's not that I don't have sins of commission...because I do, but it's the sins of omission that seem to trouble me in this area. God calls us to be loving as He is.
Yes, your comment on Confession makes sense to me. There are tremendous graces in this Sacrament.
Lisa Maria,
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome :) I agree, there's lots to think about here! I haven't been able to get her story out of my head. I'm going to read it again.
God bless you, too!
Mary,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this. I have to admit, I was a little afraid at first to read this woman's testimony, but so glad I did. God's mercy is so amazing. There is so much in her story to benefit the most hardened of sinners, and it also shows how much room there is in my own life for deeper conversion. While our two blogs share many of the same readers, I am going to post about this as well for the sake of the passerby.
Karin,
ReplyDeleteYou and me both! I was a bit afraid to read it too. And after I read it I was still a bit afraid and had to toss that fear into Jesus' hands. I was a bit worried about putting it up (as Jane can attest) but after praying about it I decided it was a "go".
There is just so much here...I couldn't ignore it. I'm glad you are going to post it too.
Mary, I tried to leave a comment last night, but the "publish" box wouldn't show up! Anyway, like everyone else, I was simply blown away by this story. It was absolutely sobering, and as I read it, I found myself making an examination of conscience of sorts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wakeup call! I will not soon forget this, and definitely have a lot to ponder. Thank you so much for sharing. I will pass it on to others.
BTW, the final judgment at the end of the world is when God will reveal to all mankind exactly what effect their lives, for both good and bad, had on His plan for creation. We will comprehend the impact of all of our own deeds and omissions, as well as those of others. Can you imagine seeing God's Original Plan for our world compared to what we all turned it into?!! (See CCC 1039-1040)
Thanks again, Mary.
Happy Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus....our Merciful Savior.
Okay, Mary, another question for you. Have you heard of any judgment experiences where the soul in question *passed*? Your father was given the choice or staying or going, but he hadn't died yet and wasn't subjected to judgment. I suppose that means he passed (since God is unlikely to say, "HAH! Caught you out! You were supposed to say no!") but I was wondering if anyone out there has a picture of what judgment goes like when all is well and the soul's trajectory was good.
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you Karinann...actually, got half way through it and since it's so long, will read the rest today. I am not good reading too long on computer.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing testimony!! Thanks so much for sharing this link.
My indecisive brain is back on Blogger, BTW. I love driving everyone crazy : )
Patricia,
ReplyDeleteI think a wake up call is exactly what it is. Souls are fast asleep and God is pouring out grace everywhere calling His children out of the slavery of sin and into the freedom of His Kingdom. We can live in slavery to "ole slewfoot" (as my mom calls him) or live in freedom as the children of God. Which reminds me of the 1st reading today at Mass.
We didn't follow God's original plan, did we? Goes to show the greatness of God's mercy. Everything we do or say has an impact on others. Scary thought, huh? But love has a ripple effect too and today's Feast Day is a perfect reminder of that love.
God bless!
Hi Jane,
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't :) Have you? Because if you have I'd sure like to read it. There are two books out about children who visited heaven but there were no judgments involved. One is "Heaven is For Real" (Colton Burpo?) and the other is about a boy named Kevin called "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven". They were both interesting I have to say.
Why aren't there more stories about positive judgments? My guess is because they don't come back. I know my dad wanted to "go home" - it took everything within him to "stay". Of course, he was never judged.
Now I'm curious and am going to search for such a thing. My mom read a book many years ago (she thought, in the seventies?) about a doctor who "died" but she can't remember the name of the book. I searched for it before but never found it.
Hi Theresa,
ReplyDeleteIt is rather long :) That's why I put up the shorter version too (though it's harder to read). Even the shorter version takes a while unless the person scrolls down to the judgment part.
You're back on Blogger? At least this time I'm not taking a break and won't wonder what happened to you...lol! God bless!
(Hey, I slept pretty good last
night ;) Hope you are getting rest too!)
Mary, no, I have never read an account like that, but I thought you might.
ReplyDeleteI had read accounts of individuals who went to Purgatory and were allowed to return rather than do the rest of their time in Purgatory (and who subsequently reformed their lives & did penance) but the judgment part was glossed over.
I think if that were done harshly, none of us could withstand illumination of our consciences. Sad, but true.
Mary...just finished the long version...with my mouth hanging open! I found the fact that the mother's prayers for her children were so efficacious...what a holy woman! It gives me great hope.
ReplyDeleteI slept really good last night...you go girl! I am ever so grateful...I am one that does not take a good night's sleep for granted.
I will try not to disappear without notifying you first~LOL! Have a blessed weekend.
PS...you may like the post I have over there now...actually the links within the post are good sites.
Jane,
ReplyDeleteYes, I've read a few stories like that too. One committed suicide and "saw" the depths of Purgatory. I guess there are different levels according to most who've seen it. I've never read as clear an experience as Gloria Polo's though. One of the reasons I think her experience is of God is because of this mark of humility which led her to share what happened in detail in order to help others despite the fact that she knew her sins would be shared with the whole world. That takes grace.
Uhm...it's illuminating my conscience.
Theresa,
ReplyDeleteI had to pick up my jaw off the floor too :)
Glad to hear you slept well - that insomnia is torture at times! I don't take it for granted either and am very grateful when I sleep well.
I'm coming over to visit!
When I read the shorter version I was blessed by it but I felt uneasy about some things in the longer version. I don't doubt that she had a real, life changing experience but it seems to me that she would stray into her own interpretations at times and veered away from truth and Catholic teaching. Just my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, both my sister and I got more out of the shorter version too. The problem is that I am unsure about what gets lost in the translation and what may be from human error. This is always an area of concern with private revelations but I decided to post it after a lot of prayer because in discerning it there is definitely that mark of humility that seems to come with truth.
Thanks for commenting on this - I will read the longer version again and think about this. Were there particular parts that made you uneasy? If you'd like to bring them to our attention it may be helpful to both myself and others who have read this post.
Without re-reading it, (been super busy), of what I can remember, there were a couple things that stood out that I felt uneasy about. One, how she mainly saw suicide victims in hell. The Church teaches that there can be hope for someone who commits suicide & you have to take in account a person's mental state. I also felt uneasy about the way she describes aborted babies being ripped out of the hands of God. Not sure what she meant by this but the Church believes they are innocent victims that we can entrust to the mercy of God. She also mentioned Limbo which the Church no longer teaches. Anyway, hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. Yes, that helps. It's long so I didn't know what to look for. In the short version it seemed that those who had committed suicide were in Purgatory, though a lower level of it. I'll have to compare the two stories. Thanks for the heads-up on what to keep my eye out for. One version was translated from a Radio Maria interview while the other was translated from one of her talks. Whether the inconsistencies stem from Gloria Polo or from those who translated her words, I don't know, but I'm going to research it a bit more.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
This story really struck me. I was sitting in the library at university, just not really doing much. I glanced and saw this book on the shelf about William Blake - this prompted me later in my room to start googling religious things like 'Blessed Mary' and I ended up on this particular website. Randomly.
ReplyDeleteI truly believe God has brought me here deliberately. This is not a coincidence. What's most striking about this story is how God turns an argument around - Gloria thinks she's done something right by just interpreting the commandment on the surface, when actually it's much easier for us to go wrong.
I'm really going to have a harder look at my life now. I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me become a better person!! :)
Went to visit my mother this morning and she handed me this material copied in folded white paper mailed by my sister from India who joined the Missionaries of Charity. The story was "Gloria Polo's Return from the Gates of Hell". My mother asked me to make copies so she can give them to my other family members.
ReplyDeleteWhile at work, I started reading Gloria's story and found myself unable to stop reading, at times I feel scared, thinking what's in store for me but I also look at it as a wake up call and to look at my life and examine it more closely.
I pray that with God's blessing and guidance I will be worthy to enter the gates of Heaven when my time comes.
How can a woman who had her brain fried,must of been given many drugs,medications,painkillers,anesthesia for operations etc,experienced trauma,remember so perfectly all this in every detail when she wrote many months or years latter ? it seems impossible Its like outrageous claims from faustina^s diary like the Eucharist flying out of the Tabernacle 3 x or Christ after 2,000 years trying to establish something for salvation(that he already did),not to mention her claims Christ sais she was a Sacred Host or Eucharist itself.Mental illness comes in different degrees & has different foundations.Approval does not mean its guaranteed truth
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention how she was mortally injured with complete recovery impossible and how the attending doctors were awed.
ReplyDeleteThe disciples of Antichrist never weary of publishing book after book, each more pernicious than the preceding, with the design of perverting the minds and corrupting the hearts of millions; they employ every effort, every stratagem to spread around by means of the press and in every possible form the deadly poison of hell.
Should the children of Holy Church, they who have it in their power to counteract these diabolical designs by the publication and circulation of good books, remain idle? Should they fancy themselves exonerated from further efforts in a contrary direction by the mere utterance of useless lamentations whilst, at the same time, they behold the tide of evil gaining fresh strength as it sweeps along bearing with it innumerable souls to ruin? Can too much be done to stem the torrent, to avert the danger before it is too late?
May we not, also, whilst offering an antidote to the deadly effects of so much of our current literature, supply the spiritual wants, and gratify the varied tastes of many souls hungering for fresh and more suitable nourishment?
As every bad book tends to mislead the mind and corrupt the heart of its reader; so every good book is a cherished companion, a faithful teacher, whose lessons are often more telling on the interior life than the most eloquent sermons.
Should we be called upon to lament the spiritual ruin of so many of our young people, had they not imbibed principles of infidelity and licentiousness from the pages of those miserable publications whose only aim is to depict vice in its most vivid colors, and to spread it broadcast throughout the land? Earnest Catholic parents, good Catholic schools, zealous priests, are indeed rich blessings for our Catholic youth; but let some dangerous book fall into a child's hand, and the efforts of parents, teachers, and priests will soon be frustrated.
I found nothing that contains contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church, either as to dogma or morals, on the testimony of Gloria Polo, yet have been the source of encouragement for many.
For skeptics and critics, no amount of truth or evidence would convince them, until it's too late. St. Paul have been shown mercy. I pray God would be merciful at you.
I recommend reading “City of God” from the revelation of St. Mary of Agreda, also the life of St. Anne Catherine Emmerich and Marie-Julie Jahenny. You can also include Padre Pio.
God Bless Us All
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ReplyDeleteI confuse why satan punished her but in revelation said that satan and devils will be throwed in hell?
ReplyDelete