Purgatory: Finally understand one of the Church’s most misunderstood teachings

It’s not heaven. It’s not hell. So, what is purgatory and why pray for the dead?

By ANDREW HANSEN
     Editor

Purgatory is one of the most discussed teachings that sets the Catholic faith apart from other Christian faiths. Purgatory is also one of the most misunderstood truths. While we should pray for the souls of the faithful departed every day, November is set aside as a special month when we remember those who have gone before us, and we pray and offer sacrifices to God to quicken the time the souls in purgatory must spend so they can more quickly enter heavenly glory.

In this edition of Catholic Times, we explain all things purgatory to help you better understand what is another example of God’s great mercy.

What is purgatory?

What we do know:

• At death, one undergoes what is called the particular, or individual, judgment from God.
• If a soul is deemed not pure to enter heaven, but not damned to hell, the soul goes to purgatory.
• Souls remain in purgatory for as long as they need until they are made pure.
• Souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves, only for those on earth.
• All souls in purgatory are guaranteed heaven.

How the Catholic Church defines purgatory:

All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned (hell). The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire.

This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin" (2 Maccabees 12:46). From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1030–1032)

---

Where is purgatory found in the Bible?

By FATHER SETH BROWN
     Special to Catholic Times

While the term “purgatory” is not mentioned in Sacred Scripture, the concept of a post-death purification of sin and its effects can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.

The Book of 2 Maccabees, 12:41–45, for example, tells of deceased Jewish soldiers found to be wearing amulets of a pagan god, thereby breaking the First Commandment. The surviving soldiers first pray for their dead comrades and then take up a collection to send to the Temple in Jerusalem to pay for sacrifices to expiate the sins of the dead.

Interestingly, 2 Maccabees was written about 100 years before Christ, and so the idea of purification after death would have been known and believed in by many Jews during Jesus’ lifetime. While our Lord never mentions this notion explicitly, neither does He deny or correct it.

Witnessing the majestic revelation of the new and heavenly Jerusalem, the visionary John foresees the nations of the earth passing through its gates while explicitly noting, “nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does abominable or deceitful things …” (Revelation 21:27).

The Gospel of Matthew, in fact, may be cited to show Jesus supported the teaching of purification of sin after death. In 12:32 He says, “And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Setting aside the question of the unforgivable sin, Jesus discloses that some sins may be forgiven in “the age to come.” Considering the way Jesus uses this term in other places (Mark 10:30, 13:39-40; Luke 18:20, 20:35; Matthew 28:20), He is certainly referring to a time of life after death and so provides a divine foundation for the Church’s current teaching on purgatory.

The concept of purgatory originates in our need to be absolutely free from sin to enter into heaven. Yet people do die imperfectly purified, as witnessed to in the Scriptures. It is necessary, then, for God to provide a way of purgation, or purgatory, for those souls to enter into His presence. Such is found explicitly in the Old Testament and implicitly in the teachings of Jesus Himself.

• Father Seth Brown is pastor of Mother of Dolors in Vandalia and St. Joseph in Ramsey. He is also chaplain of Our Sorrowful Mother’s Ministry, chaplain of the Vandalia Correctional Center, and research theologian for the Diocesan Curia.

---

Wasn’t Jesus’ death enough? Purgatory seems to go against His unconditional mercy

By FATHER SCOTT SNIDER
      Special to Catholic Times

It is true that God loves us and always will, but not everyone accepts the gracious gift of salvation that God offers to us. We have to receive this gift and respond to it with lives of faith, hope, and love. Jesus tells us, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). In the book of Revelation, it says this about entering heaven: “Nothing unclean will enter it” (21:27). We have a part to play in our salvation, growing in holiness by imitation of Christ, who gave Himself over completely and perfectly to doing the will of God the Father.

Even those of us who are striving to be good followers of Jesus sometimes fall short of living out our faith as we should. We sin and break communion with God. But even when we sin, God shows His love for us by giving us a way to be reconciled to Him and heal the wounds of sin.  Through the sacrament of penance, communion with God is restored, and we are strengthened in our pursuit of holiness. As St. John says, “If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse from every wrongdoing” (1 John 1:9).

Far from being a contradiction of the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ, purgatory is an extension of it. In purgatory, we are purified from the lingering effects of sin on our souls. This is necessary because sin has two effects on us. The first is that it damages or completely breaks our relationship with God. This is called the eternal punishment for sin, and it is healed when we go to confession. The second effect of sin is that it creates harmful habits of the heart. We become attached to sin. It leaves a stain on our souls. This is called the temporal punishment for sin. It can be dealt with by prayer, penance and other acts of devotion. If we are not cleansed of this attachment before death, those who die in communion with God will be purified after death in the state called purgatory (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030, 1031, 1472).

Purgatory is a sign of God’s love because it shows us that even if we are not yet perfect, God doesn’t give up on us. If we do our part by striving to grow in holiness and confessing our sins in the sacrament of penance, especially the most serious ones that break our communion with God, then He will continue to work in us to bring us to that state of perfection that is necessary to enter His presence and experience the joy of eternal life with Him.

• Father Scott Snider is pastor of St. Brigid (Liberty), St. Edward (Mendon), and St. Joseph (Quincy).

---

If I have to be 100 percent pure to enter heaven, it sounds like going straight to heaven is impossible

By FATHER SCOTT SNIDER
      Special to Catholic Times

The call to holiness can seem daunting, but Jesus is clear that we are called to perfection. His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount upholds the highest standards of behavior, and He even tells us to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy (Mt 5, 6). How can we live up to this high calling?

It’s important for us to remember that we don’t achieve perfection by our own willpower and determination. It’s only by the grace of God that we can attain holiness. It begins with the gift of faith that brings us to baptism into Christ. At baptism, we are given the Holy Spirit who bestows on us His gifts: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, piety, fortitude, and fear of the Lord. For these gifts to work in us, we need to open our hearts to receive them and use them as God intends. They are like Christmas presents; they will only do us good if we open them up and use them. If we do, they will bear the fruit of holiness in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Then there are the graces that come from the sacramental life of the Church. In addition to baptism, the grace of confirmation strengthens the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us. In the holy Eucharist, Christ comes to us every day with food for the journey of life and at the time of our death fortifies us to pass into the new life of the resurrection. When we stumble along the way, the sacrament of reconciliation picks us up and sets us back on track. Add to this the possibility of indulgences, whereby the Church taps into the infinite merits of Christ and the saints for the benefit of those who are properly disposed and perform certain devotional and penitential acts, and you can see that there is a wealth of opportunity to call on the help of God in achieving holiness.

In cases of sickness or right before death, the Church offers a treasure of graces that can lead us to heaven. For example, the sacrament of anointing of the sick confers absolution from sins. In serious health situations, where death is imminent, the Apostolic Blessing, which is an indulgence that allows for the remission of temporal punishment due to sin, can be imparted by a priest.

Our sanctification is God’s great desire for all of us. He does not leave us on our own but offers us His help every step of the way. Let’s not settle for anything less than the fullness of blessing that God wants to give us. May we always strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Remember, nothing is impossible with God’s help, most notably achieving heaven after our death.

• Father Scott Snider is pastor of St. Brigid (Liberty), St. Edward (Mendon), and St. Joseph (Quincy).

---

What is purgatory like?

Saints who had visions of purgatory offer a glimpse

By ANDREW HANSEN
      Editor

Note: The Catholic Church says one does not have to believe private revelation. However, the Church also recognizes that private revelation from saints can be a good thing that can help people in their faith journey.

“I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in purgatory. The souls call her ‘The Star of the Sea.’ She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. I heard an interior voice which said, ‘My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it.’ Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls.”

• Faustina (Diary of St. Faustina)

“On Wednesday, at the elevation of the Host (during Mass), she (St. Gertrude) besought our Lord for the souls of the faithful in purgatory, that He would free them from their pains by virtue of His admirable Ascension; and she (St. Gertrude) beheld our Lord descending into purgatory with a golden rod in His Hand, which had as many hooks as there had been prayers for their souls; by these he appeared to draw them into a place of repose. She understood by this that whenever anyone prays generally from a motive of charity for the souls in purgatory, the greater part of those who during their lives have exercised themselves in works of charity, are released.”

• A vision described in the book, The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude

St. Louis Bertrand was devoted to the souls in purgatory. One story goes, after he became a priest, his father, who died many years earlier, appeared to him and asked for help. After celebrating many Masses for his father’s soul, St. Louis saw him free from purgatory and enjoying eternal life in heaven. A similar story is told where St. Louis saw a deceased fellow brother of his order surrounded by flames. This brother begged him pardon for something he had said to St. Louis that was offensive. The deceased brother asked for St. Louis to celebrate a Mass for him so he could be delivered from purgatory. St. Louis offered a Mass for his soul the next day and then, later that night, he saw the deceased brother enter heaven.

What you can do right now

• Pray for your deceased family and friends in purgatory. If they are in heaven, God will use those prayers to help another soul in purgatory;
• Offer Masses for deceased loved ones;
• Take your children to the cemetery where your loved ones are buried and pray for their souls, teaching your children why it is important to do so;
• To ensure you receive a funeral Mass when you die, pre-plan your funeral with a funeral home. Sometimes, if the adult children are not practicing their faith, the children may not have a funeral Mass offered despite the request from the deceased. Pre-planning your funeral ensures the Mass will take place.

You may have heard the Catholic Church described this way: the Church Militant, the Church Triumphant, and the Church Suffering. We on earth are the Church Militant, tasked with carrying on the mission of the Church. The Church Triumphant are the souls in heaven praying for us on earth and the souls in purgatory. The Church Suffering are the souls in purgatory, who cannot pray for themselves, only us on earth. Whether in heaven, in purgatory, or on earth, we are all one Church, tasked with helping each other gain eternal life.