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Ex-Catholic Member (no login)
Posted Sep 26, 2003 9:28 AM
THE DOGMA OF purgatory is distinctly a Catholic doctrine.
Though it had recieved severe denouncements from the past, Catholic authorities as of late, have yet to
waver their insistence that such an intermediary state between heaven and hell exists. There are good
reasons to question the authenticity os such a religious doctrine held by a church that claims universality
and divine authority.
Scantly defined
The word "purgatory" is derived from the Latin purgare ("to make clean", to purify"), and
is taken to means as:
"...The state, place, or condition in the next world, which will continue until the last judgement,
where the souls of those who die in the state of grace, but not yet free from all imperfection,
make expiation for unforgiven venial sins or for the temporal punishment due to venial and mortal
sins that have already been forgiven and, by so doing, are purified before they enter heaven"
( New Catholic Encyclopedia , vol. 11,p. 034)
Catholic doctrine states that when a person dies, his soul is immediately brought to God's judgement.
One who dies holy goes to heaven;if he dies mortal sin, he is sent at once to hell;and if he dies in
state of grace but has not fully atoned for his venial sins, he is sent to purgatory
( My Catholic Faith: A Manual of Religion, p.157)
Consequently, as such a realm is believed to exist, Catholics are taught that prayers, good works,
indulgences, and the Mass done by them on earth can help the souls in purgatory to be freed and admitted
to heaven:
" Mr.J[ackson] . That's so, Father. But you spoke of a common custom of praying for the dead. Do
you mean that we can assist those in Purgatory by prayer?
" Father S[mith] . Yes; by prayers, good works, indulgences and especially by the Church's devinely
instituted sacrifice, called the Mass." ( Father Smith Instructs Jackson, p.107)
More or less, such explanations state the basic parameters of the belief on purgatory.
Simple as they may seem, nevertheless, these doctrinal definitinos are quite limited.
As to why purgatory came to be part of Catholic faith, Church authorities point to the
pronouncements made by the Councils on the purported existence of purgatory and the
importance os the practices ostensibly involved, but also go on to admit that;
"Further than this the definitions of the Church do not go, but the tradition of the
Fathers and the Schoolmen must be consultedto explain the teachings os the councils,
and to make clear the belief and the practices of the faithful."
( The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.12,p.575)
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