Padre Pio: "I see so many souls from Purgatory that they don't frighten me any more' Part One

'More souls of the dead than the living climb this mountain to attend my Masses and seek my prayers.'

November is famed as the month of the Holy Souls, and in November 1910, Padre Pio wrote to his spiritual director, Padre Benedetto. Padre Pio told Benedetto that the devil was making repeated, merciless attacks on him. Padre Pio prayed to be set free from the trial of direct assault from satan, and asked permission of his spiritual director to (instead) offer himself as a victim for sinners and for the holy souls in Purgatory:
"Now, my dear father; I want to ask your permission for something. For some time I have felt the need to offer myself to the Lord as a victim for poor sinners and for the souls in Purgatory. The desire has been growing continually in my heart, so that it has now become what I would call a strong passion. I have, in fact, made this offering to the Lord several times, beseeching Him to pour upon me the punishment prepared for sinners and for the souls in Purgatory, even increasing them a hundredfold for me, as long as He converts and saves sinners and quickly admits to Paradise the souls in Purgatory. But I should now like to make this offering to the Lord in obedience to you. It seems to me that Jesus really wants this. I am sure that you will have no difficulty in granting me this permission."
Padre Benedetto responded on December 1st 1910.
"Make the offering of which you speak and it will be most acceptable to the Lord. Extend your own arms also on your cross, and by offering to the Father the sacrifice of yourself in union with the most loving Saviour, suffer, groan and pray for the wicked ones of the earth and for the poor souls in the next life who are so deserving of our compassion in their patient and unspeakable sufferings."
After this time, myriads of holy souls visited Padre Pio. So much so that he remarked, ‘I see so many soulds from Purgatory that they don’t frighten me any more.’