What is Purgatory?

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Aeden

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I just recently heard that Purgatory as a “place” isn’t a part of Church doctrine so what exactly is Purgatory? It’s described as a cleansing, but I’ve always also heard of it as a location, like something between Heaven and Hell where you are purified.
 
Aeden said:
I just recently heard that Purgatory as a “place” isn’t a part of Church doctrine so what exactly is Purgatory? It’s described as a cleansing, but I’ve always also heard of it as a location, like something between Heaven and Hell where you are purified.
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As finite beings we don’t relate to non-physical states because we can’t- we have no experience of them, nothing to relate them to. For our purposes the truly significant thing about purgatory is that it involves a process of *purification *after this life. Other than that unless we get a physical addresses for heaven, hell, or purgatory 🙂 we really can’t know a lot about them-or even if the idea of location makes any sense at all. But for now we might use the term ‘place’ to suit our purposes as best as it can.
 
fhansen said:
As finite beings we don’t relate to non-physical states because we can’t- we have no experience of them, nothing to relate them to. For our purposes the truly significant thing about purgatory is that it involves a process of *purification *after this life. Other than that unless we get a physical addresses for heaven, hell, or purgatory 🙂 we really can’t know a lot about them-or even if the idea of location makes any sense at all. But for now we might use the term ‘place’ to suit our purposes as best as it can.
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The main intersection in heaven is “Glory Street” and “Hallellujah Boulevard” With some of the things some people have done in this life, they’d better HOPE there is a purgatory!:rolleyes:
 
St. Faustina

20

[The Next night] I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in Purgatory. The souls call her “The Star of the Sea.” She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering.* which said, My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls.*
 
Hi Aeden

Purgatory is not a place, since it is “occupied” only by spirits, namely souls. The name says it : it is a state of purification before accessing the beatific vision – seing God “face to face”.

At this time, hell is not a place, since it is not occupied by bodies. I would say the same of heaven, but Jesus and Mary do have their bodies, don’t they? So they have to occupy some place or other.

After the universal resurrection, heaven and hell will be places. The Apocalypse speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. I have a theory that in this new earth, the elect will enjoy a new life wlthout death and suffering, whereas, on this same new earth, the damned will continue to suffer and to work at the sweat of their brow for all eternity. But we don’t know anything for sure; it’s all speculation.

What do you think?

Verbum
 
Aeden said:
I just recently heard that Purgatory as a “place” isn’t a part of Church doctrine so what exactly is Purgatory? It’s described as a cleansing, but I’ve always also heard of it as a location, like something between Heaven and Hell where you are purified.
Click to expand...
Purgatory is not defined as a place or location. It is somewhat nebulous because as humans we can’t rightly understand what it is like to exist outside of the physical universe. What we can say is exactly what the Catechism tells us:

[[/INDENT]1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect](http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm)
That is, that purgatory is the purification of the elect (a process)
 
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