H
Holland
Guest
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.
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Ghosty
Guest
Purgatory is a process of purifying you before you enter Heaven. Everyone goes through it unless they have what’s called a “plenary indulgence”, or complete “fixing” of their sins prior to death. Purgatory isn’t really a place, but a process, so there’s not really a going “to” Purgatory, but a going through it. A good way to think of it is the fire of God burning away our impurities as we approach Him, as nothing unholy can be in His presence.
Confession in and of itself does not remit this process, but I believe that the Annointing of the Sick comes with a plenary indulgence as well.
Peace and God bless!
Confession in and of itself does not remit this process, but I believe that the Annointing of the Sick comes with a plenary indulgence as well.
Peace and God bless!
M
Montie_Claunch
Guest
I would THINK so. Because Purgatory is about temporal punishment rather than eternal punishment which I THINK confession is supposed to clear up. While that means you might go to purgetory is dosn’t mean you can’t skip purgatory all together. It really depends on the state of you soul. again that is what I think and at this point I can’t say with any assurance that this is Church teachings.
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Holland
Guest
Confession in and of itself does not remit this .
So does that mean our sins aren’t really 100% forgiven?
So does that mean our sins aren’t really 100% forgiven?
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Holland
Guest
I grew up with Montie’s view of Purgatory and I have just been exposed as of late to Ghostly’s view of Purgatory. That is why I am confused. One view seems to say that no one can get there without going through Purgatory first. The other says if you do the right things before you die that you will go to Heaven. I am a little confused about Ghostly’s comment that “Confession in and of itself does not remit this process”. Does that mean that our sins are not 100% forgiven during Confession?
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Church_Militant
Guest
Have a look at this post and see if it helps any. Purgatory is scriptural and This One here at CA.
The best I’ve come up with is that everyone washes up before we go to dinner, right? If I do have to suffer a bit…how can it compare to the suffering that He endured for me?
Pax tecum,
M
mattrue
Guest
On relavant radio today Fr. John Corapi told a story about an 80 year old mobster who commited tons of crimes and sinnind alot. Fr. Corapi was called to his bedside before this man had died and they went through the sacrament of reconciliation as the mobster repented of all his sins. Father Corapi stated that this man went straight to heaven, no stoping, he went straight up. I hope this answers your question. Remember the Lord forgives all, no matter how bad no matter how much anyone has sinned, God’s grace is more powerfull than all the sin in the world.
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volzcpa
Guest
I have great respect for Fr. Corapi, but one of the requirements of the penitent in the sacrament of Penance is that satisfaction be made (Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused –[see below, CCC1459]). Although it may have been possible, it is hard to imagine, in the situation Fr. Corapi describes, that the penitent had the time before he died to make satisfaction for all of the sins he had committed.
Quote from CCC
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Holland
Guest
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?
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mercygate
Guest
No, no, no! I know that story; I just listened to the CD last week.
The mobster had never been baptized. He was baptized on his deathbed and Corapi uses the phrase: “Gets on the elevator and goes straight up!” This story was not about Confesson.
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mosher
Guest
Let’s redress:
The sacrament of Penance remitts the sin itself but does not remove the temporal punnishment. The penance given by the priest is to help remove that temporal punnishment but it is not absolute that it will remove all temporal punnismnet caused by sin.
In the case of the OP if the person faithfully receives the Eucharist before death then all temporal punnisment is remitted because the faithful reception of communion with no attachment to sin also has a plenary indulgence attached to it. However the difficulty is fulfilling the requirement of not having any attachment to sin. The important thing here is that a person that merits purgatory will enter heaven so it should not be considered necessarily a bad thing to hit purgatory before entrance into the Beatific Vision is granted.
The sacrament of Penance remitts the sin itself but does not remove the temporal punnishment. The penance given by the priest is to help remove that temporal punnishment but it is not absolute that it will remove all temporal punnismnet caused by sin.
In the case of the OP if the person faithfully receives the Eucharist before death then all temporal punnisment is remitted because the faithful reception of communion with no attachment to sin also has a plenary indulgence attached to it. However the difficulty is fulfilling the requirement of not having any attachment to sin. The important thing here is that a person that merits purgatory will enter heaven so it should not be considered necessarily a bad thing to hit purgatory before entrance into the Beatific Vision is granted.
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ProudArmyWife
Guest
This is what I’ve been told - a simplified version…
Having sins is like have nails drived into wood. Confession takes out the nails, but you still have a hole to fill. Purgatory would be the place to take out remaining nails, fill in any holes, and to smooth the board over so it looks new/perfect again.
Anyone else ever hear this version?
Having sins is like have nails drived into wood. Confession takes out the nails, but you still have a hole to fill. Purgatory would be the place to take out remaining nails, fill in any holes, and to smooth the board over so it looks new/perfect again.
Anyone else ever hear this version?
M
mosher
Guest
No, but I wouldbe careful because if you say removes other remaining nails then you have to make sure that you are not making all sins equal to eachother because if you die with one mortal sin then one cannot enter into heaven.
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Holland
Guest
I actually like the idea of Purgatory as opposed to Hell. I had a Nun in first grade who painted a vivid picture of Hell and I knew right then I did not want to go there. I think I am getting it now. Temporal punishment is sort of like sin residue. So if you go to Confession and receive the Eucharist right after Confession you do go to Heaven if you die right away???
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Ghosty
Guest
Receiving the Eucharist does not in itself remove the “residue of sin”, no. Don’t get confused between forgiveness and repair. You can be forgiven for breaking something, but that doesn’t fix what is broken. Likewise, sin breaks more than our connection with God, it damages our being, and that of those around us. To become more Holy, these impurities must be cleansed from us, and Scripture describes that as a “testing by fire” in both the Old and New Testament.
Holiness is not as simple as a “I’m good enough, so I get to Heaven.” Purgatory is the mercy of God, showing that He’s willing to work on the Saved even after they’re dead in order to make them as Holy as possible.
Another way to think about it that after you’ve been forgiven your sins, you’re not “good” again, just “at zero” and still with the need to repair the damage of sin. In life we perform good works to repair this damage in ourselves and others, and penances are certainly a part of that. Imagine if you were just the humble chump that you are when you leave the Confessional, however, when you get to see God. Would you really be able to appreciate the depth of God’s goodness? Purgatory is the way that experiencing God changes us, and makes a grow spiritually in an instant so we can truly behold the Glory of God. Like any growth spurt, it’s painful but worth it.
Similarily, and more akin to Scripture and the “fire” analogy, gold taken right out of the ground is still gold, but it’s not the prettiest thing and not suitable for making jewelry. This is like our souls when we have Confessed our sins, but not rebuilt ourselves with good and holy work. Through refining the gold, melting it down and draining out the bits of rock that are attached, the gold can be shaped into a beautiful shape, and it shines much brighter than ever before. That is Purgatory, the refining of the soul’s gold to prepare it for adorning Heaven.
Purgatory is not “Hell-light”, it’s a purely holy thing. Even when termed as “temporal punishment”, the idea is to make us more holy, not beat us up for bad stuff.
Peace and God bless!
Holiness is not as simple as a “I’m good enough, so I get to Heaven.” Purgatory is the mercy of God, showing that He’s willing to work on the Saved even after they’re dead in order to make them as Holy as possible.
Another way to think about it that after you’ve been forgiven your sins, you’re not “good” again, just “at zero” and still with the need to repair the damage of sin. In life we perform good works to repair this damage in ourselves and others, and penances are certainly a part of that. Imagine if you were just the humble chump that you are when you leave the Confessional, however, when you get to see God. Would you really be able to appreciate the depth of God’s goodness? Purgatory is the way that experiencing God changes us, and makes a grow spiritually in an instant so we can truly behold the Glory of God. Like any growth spurt, it’s painful but worth it.
Similarily, and more akin to Scripture and the “fire” analogy, gold taken right out of the ground is still gold, but it’s not the prettiest thing and not suitable for making jewelry. This is like our souls when we have Confessed our sins, but not rebuilt ourselves with good and holy work. Through refining the gold, melting it down and draining out the bits of rock that are attached, the gold can be shaped into a beautiful shape, and it shines much brighter than ever before. That is Purgatory, the refining of the soul’s gold to prepare it for adorning Heaven.
Purgatory is not “Hell-light”, it’s a purely holy thing. Even when termed as “temporal punishment”, the idea is to make us more holy, not beat us up for bad stuff.
Peace and God bless!
H
Holland
Guest
It seems to me if you were suffering and dying that it might not be that hard to receive the Eucharist with no attachment to sin.
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Ghosty
Guest
I pray to God that I hit Purgatory. Like a hot shower and fresh clothes before going to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb 
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Holland
Guest
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…I pray to God that I hit Purgatory. Like a hot shower and fresh clothes before going to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb
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Ghosty
Guest
I’m not saying that receiving the Eucharist faithfully won’t remit Purgation, but it requires complete detachment from sin, meaning sinful behavior AND the internal effects. It would mean that the Eucharist would be the final “instrument” of the indulgence, or Purgation in mortal life. All I’m saying is that just simply receiving the Eucharist does not in itself remove Purgation.
In fact, receiving the Eucharist is almost always a direct part of receiving a plenary indulgence. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s “either/or”, I think the “two different views” you are seeing are really different aspects of the same reality.
Peace and God bless!
In fact, receiving the Eucharist is almost always a direct part of receiving a plenary indulgence. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s “either/or”, I think the “two different views” you are seeing are really different aspects of the same reality.
Peace and God bless!
V
volzcpa
Guest
You may want to try Marcellino D’Ambrosio’s audio recording “Heaven, Hell & Purgatory”. He does a good job of sorting it all out. You can get it from his web site at dritaly.com.
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