We continue our series of posts in anticipation of All Souls Day.

I suspect that how people imagine Purgatory is mostly formed by images from the Italian poet Dante’s description in his work Purgatorio, the second part of his work The Divine Comedy. Whether one has read the work or not, the result is the idea that Purgatory is a place of punishment for sin because redemption and salvation are somehow incomplete. Many people carry the idea of a fiery, but temporary punishment because of their reading of 1 Cor 3:13-15. It is a misreading of the passage, but nonetheless, the images endure in the imagination.

None of that is the teaching of the Catholic Church.

The Church teaches that Redemption was accomplished once, for all, by Jesus’ death on the Cross. One’s salvation depends on one accepting the gift of Redemption and placing one’s faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. At the moment of one’s death, “particular judgment” is rendered, where each person receives a judgment based on their life choices and relationship with God during their earthly life. This is distinct from the final judgment, which will occur at the end of time when all souls will be resurrected and judged collectively, not individually. That was done at the moment of death in the particular judgement. The particular judgment determines the soul’s eternal destiny: heaven or hell. Notice that purgatory is not one of the eternal destinations. Purgatory has been described as “the mud room of heaven,” that place where your mom made you take off your muddy clothes, your snow boots and parka (growing up in Florida this analogy was somewhat lost on me…), or anything that would track things into the house. In other words, the mud room (purgatory) is already inside the house (Heaven) but there are a few small things to take care of first.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides a more detailed and theological explanation of Purgatory, particularly in Paragraphs 1030-1032. “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.” (1030) This paragraph establishes that those who die in God’s grace are ultimately destined for Heaven, but they may need to undergo purification to attain the holiness required to enter into God’s presence fully in the heavenly Temple.

The next paragraph elaborates: “The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.” (1031)  Here, the Catechism distinguishes Purgatory from Hell, emphasizing that Purgatory is a state for the elect—those who are saved—and is not a place of eternal damnation. The Catechism continues: “This teaching is also based on the practice of the early Church. 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.” (1032) 

It is this last paragraph that connects all that we have been discussing: holiness, salvation, purgatory, prayers for the faithful departed and our celebration of All Souls. It brings into focus the Church’s belief in the communion of saints and the intercessory power of the living on behalf of the deceased.

In summary, the Church teaches that Purgatory is a necessary and merciful process for the purification of the souls of the faithful who have died in grace but still require cleansing from the effects of sin. It is a state of hope and assurance, as those in Purgatory are ultimately destined for Heaven, and the living can assist them through prayers and sacrifices. The understanding of Purgatory reflects the Church’s commitment to the belief in the communion of saints and the transformative power of God’s grace.

So far so good, but most people still have questions about two other connected ideas: “temporal punishment” and “indulgences.”

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Image credit: All Souls’ Day | Jakub Schikaneder, 1888 | National Gallery Prague | PD-US