Church teaching on consequences of these:

[Kathryn_Ann]

Does the Church teach exactly what happens to people after they die, if they are in the following conditions? Do they spend time Purgatory,or worse? Do most of us go to Purgatory for purification anyway, but for differing amounts of time?

The following represent many of my dearest friends, so I am constantly praying for them because they mean so much to me. Can someone reply please to each one, and what the Church teaches on what will happen to them after death if they remain in these states?

-Lapsed Catholics, not practicing, civilly divorced but not re-married and living single lives?
What if one is having an affair?

-Lapsed Catholics, non-practicing, civilly divorced and remarried to other people?

-Protestants who were offered the opportunity many times to learn more about the Catholic Faith but who continually reject invitations to learn about our Faith?

-Children of Protestants who know only their one, Protestant faith and are either baptized or not? And what if their parents have, numerous times, been invited to observe Mass, and who saw a relative received into the Church, who have had many opportunities to convert? In this one couple, the husband is a lapsed, non- practicing Catholic who is very angry at God because of a very difficult childhood, despite the fact that God sent a very loving couple to “adopt” him into their home, and despite all the blessings he has, he remains angry at God and spends Sundays in sports, resting, etc while his wife occasionally takes the children to a local Protestant Church.

-A divorced woman entering RCIA while married (civilly) to a Catholic. The woman, who was previously civilly divorced (then granted a Church Annulment for the previous marriage) remains married happily to her Catholic husband, their marriage blessed by the Church? Couple leads an exemplary Catholic life devoted to helping others.

-Jewish people and others who are invited to learn more about our faith but who refuse to listen. Some become agnostic and are angry at God.

-Agnostics
-Atheists in general.

Two lapsed Catholics married to each other, not practicing any faith, and the wife had a civil divorce from a former Protestant husband who is still living. The new married couple are not interested in practicing any particular faith at all but are leading exemplary charitable lives, helping one particular child in need and helping the child’s mother.

Young Catholic wife with abusive husband, and husband demanded civil divorce year after year. After years of abuse, they civilly divorced and each remains single for now. The Church may not recognize the civil divorce at all, so they are, in the eyes of the Church, still married, but they live apart. Also, without a Church Annulment, what will happen if one or both remarries another person? What if they die in that state, re-married without a Church Annulment? What if they each remain single, don’t remarry but have occasional affairs?

Protestants in general leading exemplary lives as far as helping the needy, being good citizens, etc. They have never known anything else but the Protestant faith they have grown up in, but they believe the distortions coming down the centuries about the Catholic Faith, and some hold Martin Luther in high esteem. Does this come under the category of “Invincible ignorance?” What does this mean for them if they die in this state?

Protestant couple. Husband was formerly married to another, then civilly divorced. Protestant couple lead exemplary lives, but have had ample and great opportunity to learn more about the Catholic faith, and have decided they are more comfortable in their Protestant lives even though they believe the Catholic Church is correct in most ways. Wife in particular has rejected joining, despite all attempts to answer her questions.
If they ever decide to become Catholics, the husband would have to have an annulment for his previous marriage and this I believe is one reason the wife keeps rejecting the idea of converting, as she would have to face that previous marriage of her husband. What happens to them in death if they remain opposed to converting despite all knowledge they have of the Catholic faith?

Thank you for any help. Please pray for all these people in these circumstances. These are not simply statistics, but living, caring people.

 

[Actaeon]

Does the Church teach exactly what happens to people after they die, if they are in the following conditions? Do they spend time Purgatory,or worse? Do most of us go to Purgatory for purification anyway, but for differing amounts of time?

We can’t say what the disposition of any particular person’s soul is… that is between them and God based on their freedom of will, their level of knowledge, and the matter of what they are doing. That being said, what we CAN determine is whether or not one is in danger because they are engaging in grave matter.

As to whether or not most of us go to purgatory, that isn’t doctrinally defined, but I would GUESS, based on my opinion alone, that the majority of those who are saved will go through SOME time in purgatory (and, in my opinion, salvation is a narrow path that many many will not find)

Can someone reply please to each one, and what the Church teaches on what will happen to them after death if they remain in these states?

I will say what is dangerous in their behavior provided the following: it is a tool for you to know what they are in need of prayer for and that you don’t take their danger to engage in judging that they are “bound for hell”…

-Lapsed Catholics, not practicing, civilly divorced but not re-married and living single lives?

Not practicing is the danger here. It is grave matter to fail in our Sunday Obligation, so they are in danger for their not going to mass and attending the sacraments.

What if one is having an affair?

Also in danger since they are compounding not going to mass and attending the sacraments with engaging in another activity involving grave matter.

-Lapsed Catholics, non-practicing, civilly divorced and remarried to other people?

Unless a marriage is validly disolved (failure to consumate and with good reason, petrine, or pauline privilege) or one spouse has died, there is no such thing as being “remarried”. This situation is exactly as above: they are in danger because they are not practicing and they are engaging in adultery (with someone that they are inaccurately calling their “spouse”)

-Protestants who were offered the opportunity many times to learn more about the Catholic Faith but who continually reject invitations to learn about our Faith?

There is always danger in being outside of the catholic church, but we cannot say if what they are doing puts them in any specific danger. If their catechesis is poor (such that they don’t have full knowledge) or their education has “brainwashed” them to be so bigoted towards catholics that they cannot be rationally catechized (ie, they don’t have full will) then they MAY be protected because of their invincible ignorance. Nonetheless, fervant prayer may break their hearts of stone and bring them to accept good catechesis.

-Children of Protestants who know only their one, Protestant faith and are either baptized or not? And what if their parents have, numerous times, been invited to observe Mass, and who saw a relative received into the Church, who have had many opportunities to convert? In this one couple, the husband is a lapsed, non- practicing Catholic who is very angry at God because of a very difficult childhood, despite the fact that God sent a very loving couple to “adopt” him into their home, and despite all the blessings he has, he remains angry at God and spends Sundays in sports, resting, etc while his wife occasionally takes the children to a local Protestant Church.

The same as above for all three, they are in danger as is anyone outside the church, but they may ALSO be protected by invincible ignorance. Pray for their conversion and salvation.

-A divorced woman entering RCIA while married (civilly) to a Catholic. The woman, who was previously civilly divorced (then granted a Church Annulment for the previous marriage) remains married happily to her Catholic husband, their marriage blessed by the Church? Couple leads an exemplary Catholic life devoted to helping others.

If she has a declaration of nullity, the fact that she is civilly divorced means nothing to her current marriage because she was never validly married to begin with. Not in danger from any of this, but you should pray for her as you should pray for all people

-Jewish people and others who are invited to learn more about our faith but who refuse to listen. Some become agnostic and are angry at God.

-Agnostics
-Atheists in general.

Same as with the protestants who might hope to be saved despite their invincible ignorance. Pray for their conversion.

Two lapsed Catholics married to each other, not practicing any faith, and the wife had a civil divorce from a former Protestant husband who is still living. The new married couple are not interested in practicing any particular faith at all but are leading exemplary charitable lives, helping one particular child in need and helping the child’s mother.

The man and woman in this are not married, they are committing adultery (assuming no declaration of nullity has been issued). Furthermore, their failure to attend to their sunday obligation likewise puts them in danger.

Young Catholic wife with abusive husband, and husband demanded civil divorce year after year. After years of abuse, they civilly divorced and each remains single for now. The Church may not recognize the civil divorce at all, so they are, in the eyes of the Church, still married, but they live apart. Also, without a Church Annulment, what will happen if one or both remarries another person? What if they die in that state, re-married without a Church Annulment? What if they each remain single, don’t remarry but have occasional affairs?

Being separated is fine provided that one remains single. Without a declaration of nullity, they cannot validly marry another person, and to do so would constitute adultery, and they would be in danger. If they remain single and chaste, they’re okay, if they engage in affairs, then they would be in danger.

Protestants in general leading exemplary lives as far as helping the needy, being good citizens, etc. They have never known anything else but the Protestant faith they have grown up in, but they believe the distortions coming down the centuries about the Catholic Faith, and some hold Martin Luther in high esteem. Does this come under the category of “Invincible ignorance?” What does this mean for them if they die in this state?

They are in danger, as is anyone outside the church. As before, we HOPE for their salvation despite their invincible ignorance (if they have that on their side).

Protestant couple. Husband was formerly married to another, then civilly divorced. Protestant couple lead exemplary lives, but have had ample and great opportunity to learn more about the Catholic faith, and have decided they are more comfortable in their Protestant lives even though they believe the Catholic Church is correct in most ways. Wife in particular has rejected joining, despite all attempts to answer her questions.
If they ever decide to become Catholics, the husband would have to have an annulment for his previous marriage and this I believe is one reason the wife keeps rejecting the idea of converting, as she would have to face that previous marriage of her husband. What happens to them in death if they remain opposed to converting despite all knowledge they have of the Catholic faith?

I’m not sure if the church recognizes that the previous marraige is eternal or not… someone else will have to get this one…

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

Dear Actaeon, thank you for your very thoughtful and informative reply to all my questions. I really appreciate your help on this. May God bless you for your kindness.
Kathryn Ann:heaven: