Purgatory

[musicmantg11]

Hello, I have read some church teachings on Purgatory, but I still have some questions of my own that I have wanted the answer to for a long time.
For example, if a person who has committed both mortal and venial sins has just received the sacrament of confession (received absolution) but as soon as he got out of the confessional he was hit by a car and died immediately. Would he go to heaven, hell, or purgatory. Why or why not?
How long would a person stay in purgatory?

 

[teachccd]

Assuming that this person did not commit a mortal sin from the time that he left the confessional to the time that he got hit by the car then chances are that he will either be in purgatory or heaven. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) removes the guilt of the sin and the eternal consequenses of mortal sin but it does not remove the temporal punishment due to sin. The penance is given to remit part or all of the temporal punishment but in most cases the attachment to sin is still present and one cannot enter heaven with this attachment to sin.

So, rather than guess whether or not this person is a saint and went directly to heaven, the Church encourages us to pray for all of our departed in the chance that they are in purgatory.

How long is one in purgatory? There is no time in the afterlife. Purgatory could be the immense light of God that is “burning” off whatever is left on the person to make him unholy and so purgatory is the journey towards God. Time? We cannot know this. Some theologians speculate that when we die we will recognize ourselves to be immediately in our resurrected bodies. We don’t know. This is all theological opinion. The existence of purgatory is doctrine but the essence of how we will be is known only to God…teachccd

 

[bpcatholic]

Assuming that this person did not commit a mortal sin from the time that he left the confessional to the time that he got hit by the car then chances are that he will either be in purgatory or heaven. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) removes the guilt of the sin and the eternal consequenses of mortal sin but it does not remove the temporal punishment due to sin. The penance is given to remit part or all of the temporal punishment but in most cases the attachment to sin is still present and one cannot enter heaven with this attachment to sin.

So, rather than guess whether or not this person is a saint and went directly to heaven, the Church encourages us to pray for all of our departed in the chance that they are in purgatory.

How long is one in purgatory? There is no time in the afterlife. Purgatory could be the immense light of God that is “burning” off whatever is left on the person to make him unholy and so purgatory is the journey towards God. Time? We cannot know this. Some theologians speculate that when we die we will recognize ourselves to be immediately in our resurrected bodies. We don’t know. This is all theological opinion. The existence of purgatory is doctrine but the essence of how we will be is known only to God…teachccd

I like what teachccd says.

 

[teachccd]

I like what teachccd says.

Why, thank you!!

 

[bpcatholic]

Why, thank you!!

You are very welcome!

 

[Luke65]

Assuming that this person did not commit a mortal sin from the time that he left the confessional to the time that he got hit by the car then chances are that he will either be in purgatory or heaven. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) removes the guilt of the sin and the eternal consequenses of mortal sin but it does not remove the temporal punishment due to sin. The penance is given to remit part or all of the temporal punishment but in most cases the attachment to sin is still present and one cannot enter heaven with this attachment to sin.

So, rather than guess whether or not this person is a saint and went directly to heaven, the Church encourages us to pray for all of our departed in the chance that they are in purgatory.

How long is one in purgatory? There is no time in the afterlife. Purgatory could be the immense light of God that is “burning” off whatever is left on the person to make him unholy and so purgatory is the journey towards God. Time? We cannot know this. Some theologians speculate that when we die we will recognize ourselves to be immediately in our resurrected bodies. We don’t know. This is all theological opinion. The existence of purgatory is doctrine but the essence of how we will be is known only to God…teachccd

Do you teach CCD in L.A.? Where! Just being rhetorical, but good answer!

 

[danonwaveland]

How long is one in purgatory? There is no time in the afterlife. Purgatory could be the immense light of God that is “burning” off whatever is left on the person to make him unholy and so purgatory is the journey towards God.

In the past few years, this has become a comforting thought. Growing up – and even many years into adulthood – I thought of purgatory as the penalty box where you “did your time” painfully as a form of retribution. Now I view it as removing whatever preferences we have for sin over God until we are consumed with love for Him, loving Him with all our heart, soul and being. I expect that it will be painful, mixed with the joy of anticipation.

There’s so much about the Catholic faith that is beautiful and makes perfect sense. We are so blessed to be Catholic!

God bless,
Dan

 

[Luke65]

In the past few years, this has become a comforting thought. Growing up – and even many years into adulthood – I thought of purgatory as the penalty box where you “did your time” painfully as a form of retribution. Now I view it as removing whatever preferences we have for sin over God until we are consumed with love for Him, loving Him with all our heart, soul and being. I expect that it will be painful, mixed with the joy of anticipation.

There’s so much about the Catholic faith that is beautiful and makes perfect sense. We are so blessed to be Catholic!

God bless,
Dan

Amen, brother.

 

[teachccd]

Do you teach CCD in L.A.? Where! Just being rhetorical, but good answer!

Thank you. I will have to show this to my Junior High students some of which who tell me that their parents have to “drag” them into class…

In the past few years, this has become a comforting thought. Growing up – and even many years into adulthood – I thought of purgatory as the penalty box where you “did your time” painfully as a form of retribution. Now I view it as removing whatever preferences we have for sin over God until we are consumed with love for Him, loving Him with all our heart, soul and being. I expect that it will be painful, mixed with the joy of anticipation.

There’s so much about the Catholic faith that is beautiful and makes perfect sense. We are so blessed to be Catholic!

God bless,
Dan

Yes we are!! It’s funny how when I was younger I thought exactly how you did and now I see it as you do. You stated it very well…teachccd

 

[bpbasilphx]

How long is one in purgatory? There is no time in the afterlife. Purgatory could be the immense light of God that is “burning” off whatever is left on the person to make him unholy and so purgatory is the journey towards God. Time? We cannot know this. Some theologians speculate that when we die we will recognize ourselves to be immediately in our resurrected bodies. We don’t know. This is all theological opinion. The existence of purgatory is doctrine but the essence of how we will be is known only to God

Very well put!