William Doyle "Bill" Gilligan passed away suddenly at home in Houston on
23 April 2004 while preparing to go to daily mass.
Bill was a native of Limerick, Ireland, a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War,
lived for many years in Chicago where he received an undergraduate degree in
philosophy at Northwestern University and was a resident in Houston for over 30 years. He was the publisher
of Lumen Christi Press and provided Catholic publications to many Catholic
outlets throughout the U.S., Ireland and Europe. After retiring from
publishing Bill made pilgrimages to holy sites to do research for his
devotional books. This photograph was taken in Bill's home about four months ago where Bill had been working
on a devotional book on St. Patrick. He was a good friend and mentor and
wonderful story
teller. Bill was a lifelong bachelor and is survived by five brothers and
sisters, their spouses, and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be missed by all his family and friends. Please pray
for the repose of his soul.
"Can the souls in Purgatory help us? There is no article of faith which says that the souls
in purgatory can help us. However, the Church allows the faithful to privately ask for help from these souls. And there is nothing to
hinder us from believing that the holy souls are allowed by the mercy of God to remain in touch with those whom they knew and loved
on earth. One must also consider that when the holy souls do get to heaven and are face to face with God, they will certainly remember to
intercede for their friends on earth, particularly those who contributed with prayers to get them to heaven sooner."
"St. Catherine of Bologna said that she had received many and great favors from the saints,
but still greater favors from the holy souls in purgatory."
"Archdeacon Bartholomew Cavanagh was pastor of the parish of Knock, Ireland when Our Lady
appeared to a group of people. He had a great devotion to the souls in purgatory. This devotion and his devotion to Mary, Mother of God,
were inseparable. She is the mother of her children, above all her suffering children. She is the Refuge of Sinners here on earth and she is
also the helper of the souls in purgatory. A few months before the apparition the Archdeacon began to say one hundred masses for the poor souls
whom Our Lady wished most to release. It was on the day that the hundredth mass was said that Our Lady came to visit Knock on August 21, 1879,
as a wonderful gift, showing the gratitude of the released souls." (Pages 26&27,
Devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory by Bill Gilligan.)
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter, A faithful friend is beyond all price, A faithful friend is a life saving remedy, For he who fears God behaves accordingly, Sirach
He who finds one finds a treasure.
No sum can balance his worth.
Such as he who fears God finds.
And his friend will be like himself.
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