John: Great piece. I, too, recall those days when Sister and Mom told us to "offer it up," usually to reduce the sentencing of those suffering--literally--in purgatory. Quid pro quo. But there was a darker side. 

Naive elementary Catholic school students, highly motivated and philanthropic, actually SOUGHT suffering to "offer up." At Sister's direction, they self-devised "mortifications" to offer. And some (many?) naturally deduced that the more suffering one does, the more they could personally free souls from purgatory. "It hurts so good" was the psychologically unhealthy directive.  

And, sadly, personal suffering became an objective and even a goal. Sister even rewarded those who found new ways to suffer. There were mortifcation "points" that related to pain, fasting, illness, etc., clearly indicating the more one suffered, the better liberator of souls he/she should become. 

If you didn't have suffering to offer up, you darn well better get some! Agony, not ecstasy, was holy.