Is purgatory reserved for Catholics?

[yesukristus]

We know that non-Catholics can go to Heaven in some mysterious way. Does that mean they will also undergo purgatory if God sees fit? What about those who enter Heaven via baptism of desire? What does the Church teach on this?

 

[fhansen]

We know that non-Catholics can go to Heaven in some mysterious way. Does that mean they will also undergo purgatory if God sees fit? What about those who enter Heaven via baptism of desire? What does the Church teach on this?

Purgatory is reserved for Catholics because all heaven-bound travelers convert to Catholicism when they die.

 

[MarcoPolo]

We know that non-Catholics can go to Heaven in some mysterious way. Does that mean they will also undergo purgatory if God sees fit?

Yes, if those persons need purification to remove any temporal punishment for sin.

What about those who enter Heaven via baptism of desire? What does the Church teach on this?

Yes, they too will go through Purgatory if they have temporal punishment of sin (understood as stains of sin) still attached to their soul. The means by which they united with Christ may have been an exception, but actual entry into heaven will be like anyone else.

 

[tobbias88]

Yes, everyone - Christians allsorts, Muslims, Hindoos, pagans - all pass thru Purgatory.
Some visionaries have said that some non-Cathloics have to stay a lot longer in that place of Suffering because they have no one to pray for them.

So if your non-catholic friend dies it is a good & proper thing to pray for the speedy release of their soul. Masses & Rosaries are the quickest way to get a person free from Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves & depend on our prayers.
This is a good month to remember all our dead friends & family going back 500 yrs. Again some of the saints said that some people had to remain 400yrs in Purgatory to expiate the guilt of their sins. A fearful thought!

 

[stephe1987]

Purgatory is for anyone who dies without mortal sin, but still has venial sins on their soul. It is a purification for anyone who needs it.

Those with mortal sin go to hell; those with no sin go directly to heaven.

Edit to add: Is anyone really in purgatory for that long? 400 years is a bit extreme even if a person committed venial sins every day for their entire life and didn’t repent any of them.
a) How long does it take for an all-powerful God to cleanse a person’s soul? Why would they suffer longer than they needed to, even if nobody was praying for them?
b) What about the millions of people who make general prayers for “the souls in purgatory”? There’s even a group here on Catholic Answers called “Let’s empty Purgatory.” Wouldn’t those prayers go to the people who have nobody to pray for them by name?

 

[MarcoPolo]

Edit to add: Is anyone really in purgatory for that long? 400 years is a bit extreme even if a person committed venial sins every day for their entire life and didn’t repent any of them.
a) How long does it take for an all-powerful God to cleanse a person’s soul? Why would they suffer longer than they needed to, even if nobody was praying for them?

Trying to quantify specific “time” to Purgatory is not the Church’s current understanding of Purgatory. Historically, time was cited as a means to identify the gravity and severity of the temporal stains of sin still remaining on a soul, however, time was never included as part of the definition (although the figure of time does help us understand degrees of sin). So whether a person suffers “longer” or “more severely” or with greater “fire” these all are ways of the human mind to understand the temporal consequences of sin.

Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) wrote in his book Eschatology:The transforming ‘moment’ of this encounter [Purgatory] cannot be quantified by the measurements of earthly time. It is, indeed, not eternal but a transition, and yet trying to qualify it as of ‘short’ or ‘long’ duration on the basis of temporal measurements derived from physics would be naive and unproductive. The ‘temporal measure’ of this encounter lies in the unsoundable depths of existence, in a passing-over where we are burned ere we are transformed. To measure such Existenzzeit, such an ‘existential time,’ in terms of the time of this world would be to ignore the specificity of the human spirit in its simultaneous relationship with, and differentation from, the world.

 

[MarianD]

Purgatory is for people who didn’t die in a state mortal sin.

The 3 criteria for mortal sin are:

1. It is grave matter
2. Full knowledge of the gravity of the matter
3. Full consent to the matter

I really doubt that many non-Catholics fulfill qualification #2. They may do things that are of a “grave matter” but they don’t know that, and otherwise God may still deem them righteous. Purgatory would then be the only place they’d go.

 

[lutherlic]

Purgatory is reserved for Catholics because all heaven-bound travelers convert to Catholicism when they die.

Actually… I think this is true. There is and always has been only one truth. Non-Catholics can reject that here on earth, but in heaven (and by extension, purgatory) we are not divided into Catholic and other sections.

One of my favorite sayings is that while non-Catholics may go to heaven, there are only Catholics in heaven.

 

[thistle]

**Yes, everyone - Christians allsorts, Muslims, Hindoos, pagans - all pass thru Purgatory.**Some visionaries have said that some non-Cathloics have to stay a lot longer in that place of Suffering because they have no one to pray for them.

So if your non-catholic friend dies it is a good & proper thing to pray for the speedy release of their soul. Masses & Rosaries are the quickest way to get a person free from Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves & depend on our prayers.
This is a good month to remember all our dead friends & family going back 500 yrs. Again some of the saints said that some people had to remain 400yrs in Purgatory to expiate the guilt of their sins. A fearful thought!

Be careful what you say. The only way that someone who is not a member of the Catholic Church while alive may be saved at death is through invincible ignorance and that can hardly apply to the groups you mentioned.

 

[Javl]

Be careful what you say. The only way that someone who is not a member of the Catholic Church while alive may be saved at death is through invincible ignorance and that can hardly apply to the groups you mentioned.

The only ones that do not go through Purgatory are those that condemn themselves to hell. Purgatory is for all others.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

 

[clmowry]

The only ones that do not go through Purgatory are those that condemn themselves to hell. Purgatory is for all others.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

Well there was certainly a Saint or two that skipped right on through to heaven, but generally, I would have to agree.

Chuck

 

[thistle]

The only ones that do not go through Purgatory are those that condemn themselves to hell. Purgatory is for all others.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

The only people who would go through Purgatory are those who die in a state of grace and are members of the Catholic Church (either directly by sacramental baptism or through baptism of blood or desire).
There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Those who reject Jesus as God and reject his Church condemn themselves to Hell.

 

[stcolumcille]

There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Those who reject Jesus as God and reject his Church condemn themselves to Hell.

“Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience–those too many achieve eternal salvation.” - Lumen Gentium

For those who reject the Catholic faith because of incomplete knowledge or circumstances beyond their control that kept them from discovering the fullness of truth that exists in the Church, we hope and pray that they also will be saved.

“First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” - 1 Timothy 2:1-4 NAB

 

[thistle]

“Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience–those too many achieve eternal salvation.” - Lumen Gentium

For those who reject the Catholic faith because of incomplete knowledge or circumstances beyond their control that kept them from discovering the fullness of truth that exists in the Church, we hope and pray that they also will be saved.

“First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” - 1 Timothy 2:1-4 NAB

I see you agree with me.
Baptism of desire (implicit) is invincible ignorance while living in accordance with the teachings of Christ without realising it. Such people would be deemed to be members of the Church at death.
However, invincible ignorance can hardly apply to non-Catholic Christians, Muslims, atheists etc. These are people who know something about Christ and his Church. They either know something but choose not to explore further or have explored further and still reject the Church.

 

[MarianD]

However, invincible ignorance can hardly apply to non-Catholic Christians, Muslims, atheists etc. These are people who know something about Christ and his Church. They either know something but choose not to explore further or have explored further and still reject the Church.

Many people truly are misguided. I used to think the Catholic Church and the Pope taught evil, unbiblical things and promoted the worship of the Saints. For this reason, I stayed away from it until I was called to learn more one day. Needless to say, I found out I was wrong and converted a year later (now in the process of being formally received).

 

[Javl]

Well there was certainly a Saint or two that skipped right on through to heaven, but generally, I would have to agree.

Chuck

Most certainly, such as Padre Pio, and Mother Teresa, in modern times.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

 

[Javl]

The only people who would go through Purgatory are those who die in a state of grace and are members of the Catholic Church (either directly by sacramental baptism or through baptism of blood or desire).
There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Those who reject Jesus as God and reject his Church condemn themselves to Hell.

Except for those who are destined to go directly to Hell, I’m inclined to belive that all non-Christians are given a chance to accept Jesus as God and Savior.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

 

[thomas_jd]

We know that non-Catholics can go to Heaven in some mysterious way. Does that mean they will also undergo purgatory if God sees fit? What about those who enter Heaven via baptism of desire? What does the Church teach on this?

No but Heaven is.

 

[thistle]

Except for those who are destined to go directly to Hell, I’m inclined to belive that all non-Christians are given a chance to accept Jesus as God and Savior.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

I’m puzzled by your expression “destined” to go to Hell.
As a Catholic you know the Church teaches that nobody is “predestined” to go to Hell.
Anyone who goes to Hell has freely chosen to do so.

As to your second point you are right that everyone does have the chance to accept Christ as God and Saviour but that applies while they are still alive. Those who reject Christ do not have the chance to change their mind after death when they face Christ.

 

[Javl]

I’m puzzled by your expression “destined” to go to Hell.
As a Catholic you know the Church teaches that nobody is “predestined” to go to Hell.
Anyone who goes to Hell has freely chosen to do so.

Yes, and the ones who have freely done so are the ones who are “destined to go to hell”.

As to your second point you are right that everyone does have the chance to accept Christ as God and Saviour but that applies while they are still alive. Those who reject Christ do not have the chance to change their mind after death when they face Christ.

Christ did say that sins can be forgiven in the next world, or did I misunderstand Him?

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem