Purgatory

[cargau]

If someone has died shortly after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, must they still go to Purgatory to satisfy temporal punishment for past (forgiven) sins. Or, do they go right to heaven?

I teach eighth grade religious education and I explained that while sins are forgiven, full reparation for those sins may not have been paid. Thus, Purgatory may still be the destination even if the deceased recently received reconciliation. He showed me where the textbook said otherwise.

Who’s right???

 

[tobinatorstark]

If someone has died shortly after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, must they still go to Purgatory to satisfy temporal punishment for past (forgiven) sins. Or, do they go right to heaven?

I teach eighth grade religious education and I explained that while sins are forgiven, full reparation for those sins may not have been paid. Thus, Purgatory may still be the destination even if the deceased recently received reconciliation. He showed me where the textbook said otherwise.

Who’s right???

I would say yes an no. It all depends on the situation. Say someone died half hour after confession. If they have not sinned since reconciliation then they may go straight to heaven if everything is pure. No if they have sinned because they haven’t have been forgiven of there sins since the last confession. One doesn’t 100% know for sure except God himself

 

[CentralFLJames]

Those who are ill, or in danger of death, benefit from the sacraments of Anointing, Reconciliation, and Holy Communion, which are often accompanied by a special type of indulgence, called the Apostolic Pardon.

The Apostolic Pardon (Apostolic Blessing) must be administered by a priest. The pardon does not forgive sins. It typically makes time in Purgatory unnecessary. Many of today’s priests don’t routinely administer the Pardon, so you may need to specifically request it
Apostolic Pardon:

By the Faculty which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a plenary indulgence for the remission of all your sins, and I bless you. In the Name of the Father and the Son + and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

But also know that a special plenary indulgence is granted by The Church for the dying. This is normally included in the last rites, but in the event a priest is not present, the Church grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful “at the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime” (norm 18).

The Rite of Extreme Unction (last rites) in which the Sacrament is offered includes the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist (in that order), followed by the Sacrament of Unction itself. It may be received conditionally up to three or four hours after apparent death (we can’t presume to know the moment the soul leaves the body and can only know with moral certainty that death has occurred after corruption has begun). If the sick one is unconscious, conditional absolution and Unction are offered, without the Eucharist (known at this time as “Viaticum,” meaning “Food for the Journey”).

All that said, only God knows for absolute certainty what the soul held in its last moments before it left its body to face God. Therefor my personal recommendation would be to still offer up many masses and mass prayer cards for the deceased as well as performing as many plenary indulgences as one might be able to perform for a period following the death of a loved one. Rest assured that no prayer will ever go to waste and so its certainly a charitable deed to offer up indulgences for a departed loved one or friend - especially on the highly indulgenced feast days (and All Souls Day Octave and month of November).

I also recommend saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet even for those who are already died since God can hear those prayers in the “now of eternity” as if pleaded before that person died. St. Faustina tells us that Jesus’ is so moved by this prayer that he can not and will not ignore it when spoken in faith by a person who commits their life to merciful acts.

James

 

[RosaryFan]

If someone has died shortly after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, must they still go to Purgatory to satisfy temporal punishment for past (forgiven) sins. Or, do they go right to heaven?

I teach eighth grade religious education and I explained that while sins are forgiven, full reparation for those sins may not have been paid. Thus, Purgatory may still be the destination even if the deceased recently received reconciliation. He showed me where the textbook said otherwise.

Who’s right???

You are exactly right. Just having gone to confession does not mean a person would go straight to heaven if they’re hit by a bus outside of Church (except for the Saints). We still have to go through a cleansing process in purgatory (temporal punishment) before we are worthy to enter into God’s Kingdom. This is where indulgences come in quite handy! They relieve, in full or in part, our temporal punishment due to sin.

A priest once explained it to me this way: Sinning is like driving a nail into a board. Confession merely pulls the nail out, but the hole still remains. Purgatory fills in the holes. However, the holes could also be filled in on earth, such as through redemptive suffering, or charitable acts, or receiving indulgences, but let’s face it… not many people are up to the task of suffering in this day and age, and certainly not in the practice of offering up their sufferings to Our Lord, so there’s purgatory.

Those saints who spend their lives in service to Christ at any cost are the ones who have their holes filled in, so to speak, when they die. That’s why they go straight to heaven. But Joe Average does not. The good news is Jesus calls us all to be better than Joe Average - do we accept this invitation?

 

[Philthy]

If someone has died shortly after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, must they still go to Purgatory to satisfy temporal punishment for past (forgiven) sins. Or, do they go right to heaven?

I teach eighth grade religious education and I explained that while sins are forgiven, full reparation for those sins may not have been paid. Thus, Purgatory may still be the destination even if the deceased recently received reconciliation. He showed me where the textbook said otherwise.

Who’s right???

You are.
The sacrament of confession restores our relationship with God in that the condemnation we deserve for our sins has been forgiven. This is so by virtue of the merits accomplished by Christ’s Passion, death and Resurrection.
Purgatory is the process by which our souls, maimed and deformed by attachment to sin, are renewed and made ready to be in the unveiled presence of God almighty. This is so by virtue of the merits accomplished by Christ’s Passion, death and Resurrection.
Most people will need some degree of purgation prior to being in God’s presence. In addition, what is the point of the young man’s question - its not like you can control when your time is up.
I would use this opportunity to discuss the reality that sin deforms our true nature. We were created to spend eternity basking in the pure Light of God’s presence. It is truly the complete fulfillment of every good desire we experience on earth. Choosing sin alters our holiness and promotes ungodly behavior. Doing this repeatedly allows habitual sin to develop and numbs our sense of God’s presence in our life and our own sinfulness. If we allow sin to overwhelm us by ignoring the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the spiritual nourishment offered us in the Eucharist, it is easy to make a “shipwreck of our faith” and jeopardize our eternity in God’s presence. Sin is serious.

 

[cargau]

I think young people are very intrigued about what happens after death. We were discussing purgatory and he asked the question. Certainly it is a hypothetical question and one that may or may not apply to a particular circumstance, but I am glad to see the kids reading, thinking and asking good questions.

Normally, I would have answered the question by saying that temporal punishment is not erased during confession. It’s like spilling the orange juice on the floor. Mom, says that’s OK, honey, I forgive you for breaking my pitcher and making a mess, but the mess is still on the floor. Who’s going to clean it up?

The book clearly contradicted my understanding. Before I ventured ahead with my understanding, I wanted to be certain I was on solid ground.

 

[Aquiness]

****I think we have to look at the fact that our actions in this life do affect others…so even if we have had our sins forgiven we have to make ammends… if not in this life…then the next.

For example if a person spreads a rumour that Mrs Smith is having an affair…and lets say she isn’t…then Mr Smith on hearing of this would naturally be devastated and confront his wife. Despite her repeated denials he would never ever trust her again. The person who spread this malicious gossip might be sorry and confess this sin to a priest but still the suffering continues in the Smith household…Though the person who started this rumour may know nothing about it.

So we have to make ammends and put the ‘situation to rest’ or it will have to be sorted in the next life.

God Bless

Jan