Purgatory

[mosher]

Holland:

Now that’s funny! But seriously, I am not sure if I am any further along in understanding Purgatory. It seems from reading these posts through that there are still two points of view. The one you prescribe to and the other, which would allow you to enter Heaven if you “faithfully receive the Eucharist”. I guess I will just have to do some more reading…

Actually the views are one and the same I just don’t think that you are quite making the connection internally yet. There is nothing wrong with holding to the idea of Purgatory as a place or a process as both ideas are correct in a sense. The Church Herself has very few defined doctrines on the nature of Purgatory. However, I tend to use the traditional form of understanding it because it is better for teaching than the von Balthasar image of Purgatory. The important thing to know is that a person in purgatory will go to heaven but to get to purgatory you cannot have any mortal sin on your conscious and it will be for reporation according to any unmended temporal punnishment (residue as you call it) that must fulfill God’s justice.

 

[volzcpa]

Holland:

If making satisfaction for all your sins is doing whatever penance the priest gives you during Confession then you have made satisfaction and you would go to Heaven, right?

Not necessarily. The satisfaction of the penance given by the priest in confession is the last piece that is necessary to receive absolution/forgiveness of the sin (the first two pieces being contrition and the verbal confessing of all mortal sin). The Church/priest cannot determine the extent of the temporal restitution need for complete satisfaction (that is for God to determine) but the completion by the penitent of the satisfaction/penance given by the priest only satisfies the requirement of confession to receive forgiveness.

For example, let’s say a priest is hearing confessions and he is having a bad day and he gives the penance of three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys to everyone whom he absolves that day. So the penitent who confesses a 20 year span of weekly fornication receives the same penance as the penitent whose only sin was stealing a pack of baseball cards from the corner store. So assuming both have made a good confession and met the other requirements, by the performance of the same penance both penitents have both been forgiven their sins but both have not necessarily fulfilled the temporal atonement demanded by God’s perfect justice.

 

[Holland]

"

So assuming both have made a good confession and met the other requirements, by the performance of the same penance both penitents have both been forgiven their sins but both have not necessarily fulfilled the temporal atonement demanded by God’s perfect justice."

So what can you do to fulfill the temporal atonement demanded by God’s perfect justice? I always feel a little weird when the priest gives me a light penance when I know I have done something pretty bad. I think most people leave the confessional relieved and don’t give much thought about temporal atonement.

 

[Ghosty]

First know that your sins are absolved even if you get what you think is a light penance, you still don’t have to re-Confess those sins.

If you want to make atonement, participate in a devotion that comes with a plenary indulgence. They are offered for special events, like the year of the Eucharist, and for special devotions throughout the year. I’m not sure where you can find a list for them, though you might find out more from other posters.

Peace and God bless!

 

[Madia]

So what can you do to fulfill the temporal atonement demanded by God’s perfect justice?

Have you looked into indulgences?

There’s partial and plenary. Partial indulgence remits some of the temple punishment due to sin; plenary remits all temporary punishment due to sin.

Here’s some information about indulgences:
vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P3I.HTM

Also here’s a book:
ewtn.com/vcatalogue/pages/itemdetail.asp?itemcode=585&source=searchresult.asp&keyword=indulgences&g_than=1&l_than=2000&pgnu=1&category=BOOKS&eventcode=

 

[mosher]

"

So what can you do to fulfill the temporal atonement demanded by God’s perfect justice? I always feel a little weird when the priest gives me a light penance when I know I have done something pretty bad. I think most people leave the confessional relieved and don’t give much thought about temporal atonement.

To add to what the two other posts have just said it is also permissable to add ones own penance to the penance that is given by the confessor. While you must do what the confessor requires provided it is a lawful penance you are always free to increase the penance if you believe that the penance is too light. However, if one struggles with scrupulosity sometimes a confessor will deliberatelly give a light penance so it is necessary to not allow scrupulosity take affect if we are adding to our given penance.

 

[Benadam]

Holland:

I’m a little confused about Purgatory. Lets say I am really ill and I call a priest to my bedside. If I confess my sins and receive the Eucharist do I go to Heaven or Purgatory when I die.

that you would ask for the Sacrament at your death would lend credence to your ability to accept the grace of perfect contrition. if you say yes to God at the hour of death you will surely be admitted to purgatory so that your sinfull nature will be purged.

 

[Holland]

Many Thanks to Everyone!

 

[volzcpa]

"

So what can you do to fulfill the temporal atonement demanded by God’s perfect justice? I always feel a little weird when the priest gives me a light penance when I know I have done something pretty bad. I think most people leave the confessional relieved and don’t give much thought about temporal atonement.

Here is a list of pentential practices from the USCCB website.