Can our loved ones visit us in Purgatory?

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SeanF1989

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If we go to Purgatory when we die could our loved ones in Heaven visit us, or vice versa?
 
I would say no, as once you are released from Purgatory, you go to heaven, and one would never want to leave heaven.
Also, purgatory is where we purge ourselves of the remnants of sin. It’s not so much like a holding cell. It’s a place of prayer and supplication.

I would way probably not. Never read anything that would support that.
Our loved ones, in heaven, and those still on earth certainly DO pray for our release from purgatory.
 
SeanF1989 said:
If we go to Purgatory when we die could our loved ones in Heaven visit us, or vice versa?
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Saints in Heaven are highly active in the world and likewise are active in freeing souls in Purgatory. These acts of charity wouldn’t mean they are “leaving” the Beatific Vision, it would just mean that they are being active in the world in some fashion. Our Lord & Our Lady have appeared to many people in the world and continue to do so, but they are not vacating Heaven. Saints in Heaven may bilocate and are not bound to a single point. This is most obviously seen in the Eucharist: Jesus exists within space & time in thousands upon thousands of sanctuaries along with also being in Heaven in a heavenly body, along with also existing in another sense within each human being (especially the poor).
 
pianistclare said:
I would say no, as once you are released from Purgatory, you go to heaven, and one would never want to leave heaven.
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I read about a saint having a vision of Mary visiting the souls in purgatory, though.
 
Although Heaven is a place, (those spiritual-bodies need somewhere to move around!) :)🙂 it is even more a level of being.

As such, even if someone from Heaven were to visit someone in Purgatory, they would not be leaving Heaven. This would apply even if Purgatory really were in Colorado.

ICXC NIKA
 
So far as I know, the Church doesn’t have an official saying on this. That said, this is just speculation.

As you noted, Thom, there are some private revelations wherein Mary visits the souls in Purgatory, which would seem to set a precedent that those in Heaven can visit those in Purgatory. Of course then the next thing is that Mary is, well, Mary Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. So there is an argument that it’s something unique to Mary and to my knowledge there hasn’t been a private revelation where another saint visited those in Purgatory. Now that doesn’t discount the idea that your parents could visit you of course, but there, to my knowledge, is nothing to corroborate it either. Personally I’m inclined to say it’s possible, but that’s a tenuous theoretical guess. But if you’re in Purgatory and your parents are in Heaven and it’s the case that they aren’t able to visit you, you’d have to remember that would only be for a short blip of eternity.

Edit: I’m sure Colorado isn’t that unpleasant. 😛
 
Edit: I’m sure Colorado isn’t that unpleasant.
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Probably not, but there is still a Purgatory there.

Just like there really is a Hell in Michigan.

And we are always hotter than Hell!!! :)🙂

ICXC NIKA
 
SeanF1989 said:
If we go to Purgatory when we die could our loved ones in Heaven visit us, or vice versa?
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Far as I know, the Church has said nothing on this, but I would venture to say that they do not. Our guardian angels stay with us in Purgatory, and Mary does visit the souls there to bring them refreshment and to lead some souls out when their time of purification is done, but I’ve never read anything about other saints visiting purgatory. It is the job of the Church Militant to have pity on these souls and pray for their quick purification. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the saints in heaven pray for us and for them. But I haven’t been able to find anywhere that the saints actually visit them, just pray for them. That is why it is* so important* for grieving loved ones here on earth to pray for their deceased relatives and friends- they are helpless and rely on our prayers and masses said for them to release them from Purgatory.
 
Pax et Bonum! I would think it would be up to God and if He willed it for His purpose, it could happen. Other than that, I don’t know of anything written down other than the Blessed Mother visits Purgatory. God bless, angeltime:angel1:
 
I think not, I am reminded of the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31).
 
peter26 said:
I think not, I am reminded of the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31).
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But the rich man (considering the travel was blocked not only to where the rich man was, but also from where the rich man was) was not in Purgatory. So that’s not an example in regards to Purgatorial souls being visited by their loved ones.
 
Lazarus and the rich man concerned the Bosom of Abraham. It was pre crucifixion and the Gates of Heaven had not been opened. All the upright and just in the Old Testament and pre Christ’s death and rising, went into the Bosom of Abraham, a place in hell. This is why , in the Creed, Christ descends into hell. To spread The Good News to those souls.
 
Roseeurekacross said:
Lazarus and the rich man concerned the Bosom of Abraham. It was pre crucifixion and the Gates of Heaven had not been opened. All the upright and just in the Old Testament and pre Christ’s death and rising, went into the Bosom of Abraham, a place in hell. This is why , in the Creed, Christ descends into hell. To spread The Good News to those souls.
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Not really, Purgatory is NOT IN Hell. Once in Hell, always in Hell. It is referred to as Abraham’s Bosom. In the Lord’s Prayer and Creed, a more accurate translations should be, “HE descended to the dead” Why in the world would good souls be subject to Hell even for a moment???. God Bless, Memaw
 
What Jesus descended to is “limbo”, which is more similar to purgatory than to hell.
 
Memaw said:
Not really, Purgatory is NOT IN Hell. Once in Hell, always in Hell. It is referred to as Abraham’s Bosom. In the Lord’s Prayer and Creed, a more accurate translations should be, “HE descended to the dead” Why in the world would good souls be subject to Hell even for a moment???. God Bless, Memaw
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Right, purgatory is not in Hell 😇

And The Bosom of Abraham was not Purgatory. The purpose of Purgatory is to cleanse souls for Heaven. The purpose of The Bosom of Abraham was the repository for the upright and just patriachal , matriachal, prophets, and people of the Old Testament and those who died pre crucifixiation, ie St Joseph, if he indeed did not live to see Jesus ministery. I cant imagine Abraham having to do time in Purgatory, nor Isaah, Noah, etc. But as The Gates of Heaven were closed, these saintly souls would have been in Abraham’s Bosom. The bible states its location as a part of Hell. I will find that later today when I have time.
I guess our perception of Hell these days is different to its nature in Old Testament times.

Those who dwelt in the Bosom of Abraham would, I imagine, be now part of the Communion of Saints in Heaven.

And this is how the story of Lazarus and the rich man is told to us. Lazarus is in Abrahams Bosom. The rich man looks up at him from the depths of hell, and implores for him to be sent to the living brothers to tell them to mend their ways, least they end up where he is, in the agonies of hell.

Hades might be a more accurate name. But even though the parable appears in the New Testament, the plead was to Abraham to release Lazarus. Abraham’s reply was the brothers had the words of the prophets. And if that wasnt good enough for them, nothing would be.

Later, in Jesus Passion, He says, If they do this to green wood, imagine what they will do to dry. Again more on the deaf earsand closed minds theme.
 
Also on the Bosom of Abraham,
we who accept the Word of God, and live as Jesus has prescribed, if not Jewish, are all Abraham’s adopted children. Abraham is our Patriach.

I posted this all, only because the parable of Lazarus was mentioned. And the construct of souls dwelling place was different pre and pst crucifixion due to Gates of Heaven opened or closed.
Except for the damned of course.
 
I believe it was ST JP11 who said that Purgatory isn’t so much a place but a period of cleansing.
 
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