Q: I hardly hear purgatory mentioned anymore. I have even heard some Catholics say we do not believe in it since Vatican II. What is the right teaching? Is the teaching on Purgatory biblical?
Yes. Despite the fact that the Bible does not explicitly use the word Purgatory, the Bible clearly refers to it.
Old Testament:
In the Second Book of Maccabees, Judas Maccabeus offered sacrifices and prayers for soldiers who had died wearing amulets, which were forbidden by the Law; Scripture reads, "Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out" (12:42) and "Thus, [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from the sin" (12:46).
Rabbinic interpretations of Scripture also confirms the belief. In the Book of the Prophet Zechariah, the Lord spoke, "I will bring the one third through fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested" (13:9); the School of Rabbi Shammai interpreted this passage as a purification of the soul through God's mercy and goodness, preparing it for eternal life. In Sirach 7:33, "Withhold not your kindness from the dead" was interpreted as imploring God to cleanse the soul.
So clearly, the Old Testament clearly attests to some kind of purification process of the soul of the faithful after death.
New Testament:
"Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing" (Matthew 5:26). Tertullian understands the "last farthing" to be those petty transgressions which must be expiated in the prison of the underworld in the next (Tertullian, De Anima 58; Saint Cyprian, Epistle 55, 20).
"And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come" (Matthew 12:32). This leaves open the possibility that sins are forgiven not only in this world, but also in the world to come. "In this sentence it is given to understand that many sins can be remitted in this world, but also many in the world to come" (St. Gregory the Great, Dialogue IV, 39; also, Saint Augustine, City of God, XXI, 24, 2).
" If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire" (I Corinthians 3:15). The Latin Fathers of the Church understand this passage to mean a transient purification punishment in the next world (Cf. Saint Augustine, Enarr. in Psalm 37:3 and Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 179).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
clearly affirms the Church's belief in purgatory and the purification of the soul after death: "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" (cf. No. 1030-32).
Vatican II:
In the "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church" the Council Fathers confirmed, "This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable faith of our ancestors in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the glory of Heaven or who are yet being purified after their death; and it proposes again the decrees of the Second Council of Nicea, of the Council of Florence, and of the Council of Trent" (No. 51).
Why does Purgatory exist?
We can more easily understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, when we remember that sin has two consequences. First: we incur guilt before God for the self-will that caused us to sin. We become more or less separated or estranged from God, depending on the gravity of our sin. Second: We deserve punishment for the disorder we cause by our sinful conduct. This is called ‘temporal punishment’. We become liable to suffering pain, again more or less pain, depending on how seriously we have done wrong.
When we sincerely confess our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and have a firm resolve, with God’s Grace, to avoid future sins we are always forgiven. But we must still do penance and make reparation. In other words we must still do our part to show that we recognize that our actions damaged our relationship with God. When we try to make amends in some way, we do our bit to show that we are serious in our desire to repair that relationship which we ourselves have broken.
This satisfaction of the temporal debt for sin must either be completed in this life, or before entering heaven by a proportionate stay in the purifying fires of purgatory. In Purgatory, souls cannot merit or help themselves in any way anymore, they can only suffer. But the prayers and penances of those on earth can relieve them, and somehow, they are enabled to know when we do that, and in return they pray for us.
What can we do to help the Souls in
Purgatory?
Offer up our Holy Masses for souls
Offer up our Daily Rosaries
Pray The Way of the Cross ~ It was revealed to a chosen soul that when one offers up the stations of the cross for the holy souls in Purgatory he obtains the release of 10,000 souls!
Praying many short indulgenced prayers:
'Jesus, Mary, I love You, save souls.'
"Eternal Rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace. Amen."
"May the Divine assistance remain always with us, and may the souls of the faithful departed through the Mercy of God; rest in peace. Amen."
Offer up our daily actions, sacrifices and fasts united to Jesus'life and suffering here on earth.
Offer up our daily sufferings and pains to relieve theirs.
Spread devotion to the Holy Souls
Give Alms on behalf of the Holy Souls
Join the Association of the Holy Souls:
The Assoc. of the Holy Souls
Dominican Nuns of the
Perpetual Rosary,
Monastery Pius XII
Rua do Rosa'rio, 1
Fatima, Portugal
(Please Print when you write them)
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