Padre Pio told this story to padre Anastasio.
“One
evening, while I was alone in choir to pray, I heard the
rustle of a suit and I saw a young monk that stirred next to
the High altar. It seemed that the young monk was dusting the
candelabra and straightening the flower vases.
I
thought he was Padre Leone rearranging the altar, and, since
it was supper time, I went to him and I told him: “Padre
Leone, go to dine, this is not the time to dust and to
straighten the altar”.
But a voice, that was not Father Leone’s answered me”: “I am not Padre Leone”, “and who are you? “, I asked him. “I
am a brother of yours that made the noviciate here. I was ordered
to clean the altar during the year of the noviciate. Unfortunately
many times I didn’t reverence Jesus while passing in front of
the altar, thus causing the Holy Sacrament that was preserved
in the tabernacle to be disrespected. For this serious
carelessness, I am still in Purgatory. Now, God, with his endless goodness, sent me here so that you may quicken the time I will enjoy Paradise. Take care of me.”
I
believed to be generous to that suffering soul, so I
exclaimed: “you will be in Paradise tomorrow morning, when I
will celebrate Holy Mass”.
That soul cried: “Cruel!” Then he wept and disappeared.
That
complaint produced in me a wound to the heart that I have
felt and I will feel my whole life. In fact I would have been
able to immediately send that soul to Heaven but I condemned
him to remain another night in the flames of Purgatory.”