The False Apparitions of Maria Simma of Austria

vaticancatholic.com Maria Simma of Austria (1915-2004) was an alleged mystic who claimed to see apparitions of souls in Purgatory.  She wrote a book called, The Souls in Purgatory Told Me.  Below is a reader’s interesting e-mail about the blatant heresies in her messages.  Since her messages contain heresies that contradict defined Catholic teaching, we know they are not from God but from the Devil.

Subject: False Apparitions Dear Brothers, I am grateful to you that I can now clearly pick up the heresies which are contained in the false apparitions.  I came across a little book given to me by my sister-in-law some time ago, about a woman called Maria Simma born in Austria to whom the souls of purgatory supposedly have been appearing for the last 50 years requesting her prayers and sacrifices for their relief.  Now in this book the woman is being interviewed by a Novus ordo nun who asks her a number of questions regarding her apparitions. I thought I would look through this book out of curiosity to investigate its contents, and in doing so I did come across a number of contradictions.  At one stage the Novus Ordo nun asked Maria Simma if she had had any official recognition of the Church as to her particular charisma with the Purgatory Souls and with those touched by her apostolate.  Her answer: M.S….. My Bishop told me that, as long as there are no theological errors I should continue. He is in accord. My parish priest, who is also my spiritual director confirms these things…. N.O: nun…. What happens to persons who commit suicide, have you been visited by such souls? M.S…... I have never come across a suicide case that had been lost, this does not mean that it doesn’t exist, obviously, but often the souls tell me that the biggest culprits are the people around them, by neglecting and insulting them. N.O. nun… Do these people repent for having taken their own lives? M.S…… Yes, but suicide is sometimes due to an illness, however they deplore their deeds when looking at things according to God's light, the souls can understand at once the graces that were reserved for them and the souls they would have helped if they had offered the rest of their lives to God.  What makes them suffer mostly is the good they could have done if they had not shortened their lives, but the Lord takes into account the illness of their subsequent suicide. N.O. nun… Have you been visited by persons who were destroyed little by little by drug “overdoses” for instance? M.S…. Yes, they did not lose their souls.  It depends on the causes, but they must suffer in Purgatory. N.O. nun… Did persons of other religions also visit you? For example Jews? MS… Yes, and they are very happy, those that live well in their own faith are happy. But it is through the Catholic Faith that most win Heaven. N.O. nun… Are there religions that are harmful to the souls? M.S… No, but there are many religions on earth… those that are most near are the Orthodox and the Protestants there are many Protestants that pray the Rosary. The sects are very bad one should do everything to leave them. N.O. nun… Have you been visited by souls that on earth practiced for instance, sexual perversions? M.S… yes, they are not lost, but have to suffer a lot in order to be purified. Homosexuality for example truly comes from the Devil. N.O. nun… What are the attitudes of heart that can lead to permanent loss of the soul, i.e. to Hell? M.S….When one does not want to go to God, and so forth… Sincerely, In J.M.J. M. Fernanda da Silva

MHFM: That’s very interesting.  Thanks for the e-mail.  Her messages clearly contradict defined Catholic teaching (see below).   We know for a fact, therefore, that her experiences and messages were not true apparitions God enabled her to see, but false apparitions of the Devil.

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, “Cantate Domino,” 1441, ex cathedra: “The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that all those who are outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans but also Jews or heretics and schismatics, cannot share in eternal life and will go into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless they are joined to the Church before the end of their lives; that the unity of this ecclesiastical body is of such importance that only for those who abide in it do the Church’s sacraments contribute to salvation and do fasts, almsgiving and other works of piety and practices of the Christian militia produce eternal rewards; and that nobody can be saved, no matter how much he has given away in alms and even if he has shed blood in the name of Christ, unless he has persevered in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.” Pope Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus, 1336: “Moreover, we declare that according to the common arrangement of God, the souls of those who depart in actual mortal sin immediately after their death descend to hell where they are tortured by infernal punishments…”