Amazing! I have been talking to people lately who do not understand that there is a purgatory and that it is a horrible place of suffering.For some reason, most Catholics I have been talking to think they will go to heaven when they die. They have not even thought of purgatory, purgation, the entire point of my perfection series of now over 700 posts.
Some see purgatory as a sad place of healing. NO. Some see purgatory as merely the absence of the God they just saw for the first time. NO.
Many simply do not believe in purgatory. Lately, I have read stupid articles in Catholic media of all types which state that saints were not perfect. Yes, they were, which is the entire point of canonization. A saint is a person who skips purgatory and goes right to heaven after death for two reasons. One, they were purified on earth. Two, they reached the highest level of perfection they could while on earth.
Most people go to hell. Many people go to purgatory. A few people go straight to heaven when they die.
That is the truth. Sorry, it is not a nice idea, but it is the teaching of the Catholic Church.
The whole point of purgatory is that it is purification not faced on earth and the paying back of punishment due to sin.
One sins, one goes to confession, one gets a penance. But, one still has to pay back for the sins in a temporal manner. And, this why we have purgatory-penance and purgation.
I do not know what will happen to those many people I have met who honestly think they will go straight to heaven when they die and who are far from being saints. Read my perfection series, including the Doctor of the Church series. What else can I do to help those who deny punishment due to sin to realize the reality and the need for purgatory? Atonement, expiation and NO merit is what one experiences in purgatory......
(Apologies for spacing errors- The Net is acting up and I do not have Office or anyway to compose except on the blog online.)
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Confusion as to Purgatory and Sin--More Magical Thinking
Purgatory is not nice, but necessary.
I have written about this many times, but one more time will not hurt....in fact, this post is another contradiction of more magical thinking
Only the perfect see God. Confession and the Last Anointing, according to the CCC, takes away sin, as Christ forgives us of our sins. But, these do not take away the punishment due to sin, or the time of purification necessary for those who die with imperfections and even venial sins. There are many references in the CCC, so look under sections 1499 on and 1020 on.
Remember, that the souls in purgatory are fixed in their sanctifying grace and cannot gain merit for themselves or others. Here is a statement from the Second Council of Lyons:
And from Trent:
Some priests do not teach the Church's teaching on purgatory and assume all people go to heaven after the Last Rites. Such a thing was said today.
The apostolic blessing is plenary indulgence. A plenary indulgence takes away the temporal punishment due to sin, but not the sin, and therefore follows the Last Rites.
Here is the section from The Enchiridion of Indulgences:
I have written about this many times, but one more time will not hurt....in fact, this post is another contradiction of more magical thinking
Only the perfect see God. Confession and the Last Anointing, according to the CCC, takes away sin, as Christ forgives us of our sins. But, these do not take away the punishment due to sin, or the time of purification necessary for those who die with imperfections and even venial sins. There are many references in the CCC, so look under sections 1499 on and 1020 on.
Remember, that the souls in purgatory are fixed in their sanctifying grace and cannot gain merit for themselves or others. Here is a statement from the Second Council of Lyons:
If
those who are truly repentant die in charity before they have done
sufficient penance for their sins of omission and commission, their
souls are cleansed after death in purgatorial or cleansing punishments .
. . The suffrages of the faithful on earth can be of great help in
relieving these punishments, as, for instance, the Sacrifice of the
Mass, prayers, almsgiving, and other religious deeds which, in the
manner of the Church, the faithful are accustomed to offer for others of
the faithful.
And from Trent:
If anyone says that, after receiving the grace of justification the guilt of any repentant sinner is remitted and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such a way that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be paid, either in this life or in purgatory, before the gate to the kingdom of heaven can be opened: let him be anathema (DB 840).
The
Catholic Church, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, in accordance with
Sacred Scripture and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, has taught
in the holy councils, and most recently in this ecumenical council, that
there is a purgatory, and that the souls detained there are helped by
the prayers of the faithful, and especially by the acceptable Sacrifice
of the Altar.
Therefore, this holy council commands the bishops to be diligently on
guard that the true doctrine about purgatory, the doctrine handed down
from the holy Fathers and the sacred councils, be preached everywhere,
and that Christians be instructed in it, believe it, and adhere to it.
But let the more difficult and subtle controversies, which neither
edify nor generally cause any increase of piety, be omitted from the
ordinary sermons to the poorly instructed. Likewise, they should not
permit anything that is uncertain or anything that appears to be false
to be treated in popular or learned publications. And should forbid as
scandalous and injurious to the faithful whatever is characterized by a
kind of curiosity and superstition, or is prompted by motives of
dishonorable gain (DB 983). more here
Some priests do not teach the Church's teaching on purgatory and assume all people go to heaven after the Last Rites. Such a thing was said today.
The apostolic blessing is plenary indulgence. A plenary indulgence takes away the temporal punishment due to sin, but not the sin, and therefore follows the Last Rites.
Here is the section from The Enchiridion of Indulgences:
The
Moment of Death (In articulo mortis). PLENARY INDULGENCE. EXCEPTION TO
THE THREE CONSTANTS. (Verbatim recitation of the grant follows:) "To
the faithful in danger of death, who cannot be assisted by a priest to
bring them the sacraments and impart the Apostolic Blessing with its
plenary indulgence (see can. 468, Sec.2 of Code of Canon Law), Holy
Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary indulgence to be acquired at
the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime.
The use of a crucifix or a cross to gain this indulgence is
praiseworthy." The condition: 'provided they have been in the habit of
reciting some prayers during their lifetime' supplies in such cases for
the three usual conditions required for the gaining of a plenary
indulgence." The plenary indulgence at the point of death can be
acquired by the faithful, even if they have already obtained another
plenary indulgence on the same day."
