What's the true belief of the Catholic church about hell?

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souldiver

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I thought it’s something like separation from God and not literal fire. But the Catholic Encyclopedia seems to say something different.
 
The Church does not have a definitive teaching on whether the fires of hell are metaphorical or literal. The Catholic Encyclopedia article you cite prefers the idea of a literal fire but is careful to note (emphasis added):
However, we must not forget two things: from Catharinus (d. 1553) to our times there have never been wanting theologians who interpret the Scriptural term fire metaphorically, as denoting an incorporeal fire; and secondly, thus far **the Church has not censured their opinion. **
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Recommended reading: Archdiocese of Washington’s What does Jesus Mean by the Fire of Hell?
 
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