The Will and the Intellect of the Damned

The will of a person in hell is, by its own perversechoice, confirmed in evil, and is changelessly and wholly devoted to evil. Every act of such a will is a sin.

Repentance in the true meaning of that word, is a hatred of sin as such. There is no repentance of this kind in hell. But if repentance be taken to mean merely the regret that sin causes suffering, and hatred of sin merely as the cause of suffering, then we can say that there is repentance in hell.

The condemned in hell cannot wish to be annihilated,for this wish is in conflict with the nature of every being. But doubtless the damned wish for some kind of sleep or death or extinction of consciousness that would bring surcease of suffering.

As in heaven there is perfect charity, and happiness inthe fact of each soul’s being saved, so in hell there is perfect hatred and envy, and malicious desire to see others suffer the pains of hell.

The damned hate God (not in himself, for this is impossible) in the effects of his justice which they haveperversely brought upon themselves.

Strictly speaking, there is no meriting or demeritingin either heaven or hell. For the time of meriting and demeritingis the time of life on earth.

Knowledge acquired during earthly life will remain inthe damned and will be a factor in their suffering.

The condemned who are in hell will never think upon God directly, but only in so far as the thought of him is involved inthe thought of the divine justice which afflicts them.

The damned have knowledge of the glory of the blessed in heaven. When the resurrection of the body restores bodily eyes,the damned will look in vain to see the glorified bodies of the saints. But they will know of heaven, and they will feel the punishment of not being worthy even to look at it.