Reducing your time in purgatory - Ingulgences

[Joes57]

I have read in some of the books on purgatory that many people who I would consider “pretty good people” are spending many years in purgatory. Also that some of the sufferings are almost “hell like”. I have heard that plenary inulgences, Divine Mercy Sunday etc. can greatly reduce or perhaps eliminate our time in purg. Any thoughts?

 

[thistle]

I have read in some of the books on purgatory that many people who I would consider “pretty good people” are spending many years in purgatory. Also that some of the sufferings are almost “hell like”. I have heard that plenary inulgences, Divine Mercy Sunday etc. can greatly reduce or perhaps eliminate our time in purg. Any thoughts?

Frankly, when I die and if I find myself in Puragtory I will be happy because it does not matter how long I am there I know I am saved.
The suffering in Puragtory is NOT almost Hell like (see Church teaching on this below):

CCC 1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

 

[Kei]

Yes plenary indulgences help. I am not entirely knowledgeable on the subject. I imagine it is better to aim for Heaven and use the plenary indulgences for others in purgatory. Maybe by the time you’re in there, they’ll be in heaven praying for you!

 

[Vico]

I have read in some of the books on purgatory that many people who I would consider “pretty good people” are spending many years in purgatory. Also that some of the sufferings are almost “hell like”. I have heard that plenary inulgences, Divine Mercy Sunday etc. can greatly reduce or perhaps eliminate our time in purg. Any thoughts?

The attachments to sin have to be eliminated, if any remains from insufficient penance done before the particular judgement. Not just plenary indulgences but partial indulgences provide help, and the partial indulgence is given to the penitent in addition to what benefit is in the indulgenced act itself.

 

[simonjosiah1]

If you remember what our lady told Francisco at Fatima,

You will go to heaven, but first you will have to say many more rosaries.

I think the rosary is the key, personally.

 

[Axsenex]

I don’t really care about the length of time.

 

[mythbuster1]

Those in Purgatory rejoice that they are certain of attaining the Beatific Vision eventually, and that all their sufferings will be past. In contrast, the damned despair, knowing that their lot will never improve.

 

[ahs]

Sure, lots of people will have to be “purged” of their attachments to the world. I would guess that the vast majority of those saved will go through this purging which we call “Purgatory”. As thistle points out, the Church teaches that this suffering is entirely different, but really we don’t know what it’s like, its severity, etc.
And it probably doesn’t matter so much since we know that those in Purgatory are ultimately saved.
YES! We can offer certain acts in our lifetimes as a penance for those suffering souls in Purgatory, or even towards our own. The Church teaches that certain acts of piety, performed with complete detachment from sin, can remit some or all of the “time” we would otherwise spend in Purgatory. That is where you hear of such things as “partial indulgence” and “plenary indulgence”. There is a list of pious acts in this regard, performed after receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion, and praying for the intentions of the Pope, and being free from all attachment to sin (in the case of plenary indulgences).
And even if you aren’t certain about whether you are detached from all sin, your pious acts will still earn at least some partial indulgence.

The Enchiridion of Indulgences - Prayers - Catholic Online

 

[Genesis315]

The purgtorial process may have a similar pain to the pains of Hell (since both are caused by sin), yet it is entirely different because of the hope and increasing charity those in purgatory have. Unlike the pains of Hell, it is also continually lessening as one becomes more and more pure. As St. Catherine of Genoa explains in her treatise on Purgatory, the souls are so united with the will of God and see the purpose of those pains in that will and how they are bringing the soul closer to God, that the pains actually bring them joy.

Pope Benedict XVI summed this up in the encyclical Spe Salvi:

But it is a blessed pain, in which the holy power of his love sears through us like a flame, enabling us to become totally ourselves and thus totally of God.

 

[Aulef]

For those who don’t mind much about the time in purgatory, I have a quick story I heard.

A long time ago there was a Pope who reigned under the name Innocent III. After he died, he ended up in purgatory for three sins he had commited. Our Lady saved him from hell, but he would have to stay centuries in the purgatory for them.

The day he died, he showed up to Saint Lutgarda, in today’s Netherlands, and asked for her to pray for him, because his time in purgatory would diminish. For him to ask this, I would say purgatory must be very bad to be at.

Actually, when we pray the rosary, in one of the misteries we pray for the relief of souls that are in purgatory, including this Pope, in case he still is there.

Remember, here on earth, we can barely endure back sores for a few years. Now imagine the expiation pain of purgatory lasting centuries, or even until the Final Judgement!

Finally, just remember that any offense to God is terrible, even the venial ones. He does not deserve them…