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In the Christian religion it is believed that God first spoke to our first parents, Adam and Eve. When our first parents sinned, God promised them a Redeemer. Out of their descendants God selected certain individuals through whom He revealed Himself and His plan of salvation. He then selected Abraham to be the Father of His chosen people. It was from his lineage that a Redeemer was to come and save the world from its sins. Through the ages God continued to reveal Himself through the patriarchs and the prophets in preparation for the coming of the promised Redeemer: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The revelations delivered to the patriarchs and the prophets were therefore only partial revelations given to pave the way for Christ our Savior. It was through Christ that God’s full and final revelation was to come. In his letter to the Hebrews St. Paul said: “God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world” (Heb. 1:1-2). Christ is, therefore, the Light of the World and the bearer of God’s full revelation.
A personal website of Mr. Romeo Maria del Santo Niño, O.P.
January 25, 2024 Edition
PURGATORY
Meaning of Purgatory
Catholics believe that those who die in God's friendship (the state of grace) will go to Heaven where they will be happy with Him forever. Those who die in the state of unforgiven mortal sin will go to hell, where they will be punished and suffer God's loss forever. But Catholics also believe that, besides Heaven and hell, there is Purgatory. Now, what is Purgatory, and who goes there?
Those who die with an unforgiven mortal sin do not go to Purgatory; they go straight to hell to suffer eternal punishment due to their sins. But almost all who die with forgiven mortal sins and unforgiven venial sins still go to Purgatory first before they enter Heaven. The reason is that sins have consequences. When you break another man's window, he may forgive you for your wrongdoing, but you still need to repair his broken window. In the same manner, God may forgive you your mortal sins, but you still have to make restitution for the damages that your sins have caused, both spiritually and materially. The Sacrament of Reconciliation saves the soul and destines it to Heaven. But the sacrament only removes the guilt; it does not take away the consequences of sin. Purgatory is the place where saved souls go to make up for the consequences of their sins.
One of the consequences of sin is the temporary punishment required by justice. Those who die without having made in this life the necessary restitution owed to their offended neighbors are likely to suffer this temporary punishment after death. Purgatory is the place where saved souls suffer temporary punishments due to their sins. Their stay in Purgatory is temporary because their guilt from mortal sin was removed when they went to confession. Souls in Purgatory will, therefore, eventually enter Heaven, but only after they have fully atoned for their sins. "Amen, I say to thee," Christ said, "thou shalt not go out from thence (that is, from Purgatory) till thou repay the last farthing" (Matt 5:26).
An Angel Frees a Soul in Purgatory
A painting by Ludovico Carracci (1555-1619)
Image source link: commons.wikimedia.org
Another consequence of sin is the injury it does to a soul. Without realizing it, a person who sins also deforms and weakens his soul, making him less able to resist temptations. A person who indulges in a life of sin becomes resistant to God's grace, acquires vices, and is prone to fall into sin more easily. Now, Holy Scripture says that nothing defiled shall enter Heaven (Rev 21:27). Because God is so pure, union with Him necessitates the purification of souls of all evil tendencies and defects before they can be united to Him. Purgatory is the place where saved souls are "reformed" and "healed" of their imperfections, vices, undue attachments, unworthy desires, selfishness, and any other defect that hinders them from attaining perfect union with God. Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
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"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" (CCC, #1030).
Therefore, Purgatory is both a place of temporary punishment and a place of purgation or purification.
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Purgatory in Holy Scriptures
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The word "Purgatory" is not in the Bible. It was not invented until the 12th century A.D. Although the word was a later invention, the belief in a place of temporary punishment and purification after death, designated by the word "Purgatory," was not new. The doctrine is implicitly contained in the Holy Scriptures, and the early Christians believed it long before the 12th century A.D.
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Some things are not explicitly taught in the Bible but are in the Bible by indirect reference. God did not only give us eyes to read the Bible; He also gave us a mind to explore its rich meaning. The reality of Purgatory is one of those things that we discover only by indirect reference. For example, Christ said in Matthew 12:32, "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come." No mention of the word "Purgatory," right? But think: "the world to come" is the world after death, and our Savior's word implies that there are sins that can be pardoned after death! Now, if forgiveness of sins can take place in the world after death, then it is not happening in Heaven because the souls in Heaven are already in a state of grace. It cannot be in hell because the souls there are immutably fixed in evil, and there is no more salvation for them. As a result, the forgiveness of sins that occurs in the life after death, as spoken of by Christ our Savior, can only refer to souls that are neither in Heaven nor hell, i.e., in an intermediate state known as "Purgatory" by Catholics. This is why the early Christians prayed for their dead. Archaeologists found their prayers inscribed in the catacombs. St. Paul, too, prayed for the repose of the soul of his dead friend Onesiphorus (1 Tim 1:16–18).
The practice of praying for the dead dates back to Old Testament times. Judas Maccabeus offered twelve thousand drachmas of silver to atone for the sins of the dead (2 Macc 12:43–46), and in the book of Sirach 7:37, the Jews were admonished to extend their almsgiving on behalf of the dead. Now, all these prayers would have been worthless if the souls of the dead were in Heaven (where they are already enjoying God's love) or hell (where there is no more hope for salvation). So, there must be a Purgatory, where the souls of those who are not perfect enough to go straight to Heaven, or who are too wicked to burn forever in hell are sent. We pray for them, that God will have mercy on them and bring them to the joy of His everlasting love as soon as possible.
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Some Protestants reject the evidence from 2 Maccabees and Sirach because these books are not in their canon. However, the evidence here is not based on these books being inspired but simply on the fact that they are historical. The documents prove that praying for the dead was an ancient Jewish practice.
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Purgatory in Sacred Tradition
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The word "Purgatory" was not used until the 12th century A.D., although some English translations of the Latin texts use the term. To describe Purgatory, the Fathers often spoke of a "temporary punishment" or a "cleansing fire" to which souls are subjected after death. Here are a few examples:
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St. Cyprian of Carthage (A.D. 200-258), Letter 51 (To Antonianus), par 20: "And do not think, dearest brother, that either the courage of the brethren will be lessened, or that martyrdoms will fail for this cause, that repentance is relaxed to the lapsed, and that the hope of peace is offered to the penitent. The strength of the truly believing remains unshaken; and with those who fear and love God with their whole heart, their integrity continues steady and strong. For to adulterers even a time of repentance is granted by us, and peace is given. Yet virginity is not therefore deficient in the Church, nor does the glorious design of continence languish through the sins of others. The Church, crowned with so many virgins, flourishes; and chastity and modesty preserve the tenor of their glory. Nor is the vigor of continence broken down because repentance and pardon are facilitated to the adulterer. It is one thing to stand for pardon, another thing to attain to glory: it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out thence until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing at once to receive the wages of faith and courage. It is one thing, tortured by long suffering for sins, to be cleansed and long purged by fire; another to have purged all sins by suffering. It is one thing, in fine, to be in suspense till the sentence of God at the day of judgment; another to be at once crowned by the Lord."
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St. Cyril of Jerusalem (A.D. 315-386), Catechetical Lecture 23, par. 9: "Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth."
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St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354-430), City of God, Book 21, Ch. 13: "But temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But of those who suffer temporary punishments after death, all are not doomed to those everlasting pains which are to follow that judgment; for to some, as we have already said, what is not remitted in this world is remitted in the next, that is, they are not punished with the eternal punishment of the world to come."
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The Suffering of the Souls in Purgatory According to St. Catherine of Genoa
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St. Catherine of Genoa (1447–1510) was a Catholic saint and mystic who wrote a book on Purgatory. She and her husband had no children, but they both worked in a hospital in Genoa, where she was noted for her charity among the sick and the poor. Her book, The Treatise on Purgatory, is short and could be read in one sitting, but it has been a source of inspiration to other saints, such as St. Robert Bellarmine and St. Francis de Sales, both Doctors of the Church.
St. Catherine of Genoa was also one of the saints in whose case the miracle of the incorrupt body was observed. Her body lies in SS. Annunziata di Portoria Church in Genoa. Click here for a short video.
St. Catherine of Genoa
A painting by Giovanni Agostino Ratti (1699-1755)
Image source link: commons.wikimedia.org
According to St. Catherine, there is a big difference between the souls in Purgatory and the souls in hell. They both suffer, but the souls in hell suffer the terrible pain of loss or the pain of having lost God forever. So they are angry and desperate. It is easy to imagine them forever hating God on account of their jealousy of those who are in Heaven. However, the souls in Purgatory are neither desperate nor hostile toward God. They suffer the pain of not seeing God because they are yearning for Him, whom their hearts desire. They are longing for God and can't wait to be with Him. Not being in Heaven is the source of their suffering. But the more they suffer, the more they repent of the sins they have committed. Their desire to be with God also makes them realize the worthlessness of this world and enables them to abandon their selfishness and worldly desires. Thus, they are slowly purified and now want nothing else but God. Purgatory, then, is more than a place of punishment; it is a place where God bathes imperfect souls with His tender mercy, making them worthy to enjoy His company in Heaven. See St. Catherine of Genoa, The Treatise on Purgatory.
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Praying for the Souls in Purgatory
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The practice of praying for the poor souls in Purgatory is an ancient practice related to the Church doctrine known as "the Communion of Saints." Since the souls in Purgatory are suffering a temporary punishment, one way to help them would be to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on their behalf. This is an ancient practice that goes back to the earliest days of the Church. St. Augustine writes that on his mother's deathbed, she said to him, "Lay this body anywhere, let not the care for it trouble you at all. This only I ask, that you will remember me at the Lord's altar, wherever you be." Confessions, Book IX, Ch. 11, No. 27.
Another way to help the poor souls in Purgatory would be to gain indulgences and beg God to apply those indulgences on their behalf. An indulgence is nothing else but the remission of the temporal punishment due to forgiven sins. The intercessory prayer by which we ask God to apply indulgences gained by us to the poor souls in Purgatory is known as suffrage. The indulgence can be partial or plenary, as it cancels only part or all of the punishment due to sin. As a minister of our redemption, the Church has the authority to disburse the treasury of graces won by Christ and the saints. The various indulgences granted by the Church and the regulations for gaining and applying them to the faithful are contained in the "Manual of Indulgences (1999)" in both the "Grants" and "Norms" sections.
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Indulgences may be gained by any baptized person who is in communion with the Catholic Church, is in a state of grace, and has completed the prescribed works required for each indulgence granted (Norms 17.1).
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How to Gain a Partial Indulgence for the Souls in Purgatory
An easy way to gain partial indulgence for the souls in Purgatory is to recite this simple prayer:
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"Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace." (Grant #29.2.2, p. 83)
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The partial indulgence may be gained more than once a day, every day (Norms 18.1). And, if the prayer is performed with at least inward contrition, there is an equal remission of temporal punishment gained, in addition to that granted to the prayer itself, through the intervention of the Church (Norms 4). Therefore, it is a good habit to include the above prayer in one's daily prayers, and even to repeat the prayer occasionally throughout the day.
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How to Gain a Plenary Indulgence for the Souls in Purgatory
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The souls in Purgatory are no longer able to gain an indulgence, both plenary and partial, for themselves, which is why they need our help. Unlike the poor souls in Purgatory, we can gain indulgences for ourselves, but we can also ask God to use the indulgences we gain for the souls in Purgatory.
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The first way is to read the Holy Scripture as spiritual reading for at least a half-hour (Grant #30.1, p. 83). The plenary indulgence attached to the reading of the Holy Scripture is one that you gain for yourself, but you can offer it for the poor souls in purgatory by way of suffrage (Norms 3). You may not offer it for another living member of the Church on earth. You can gain a plenary indulgence every day by reading the Holy Scripture for at least a half-hour every day, but not more than once a day (Norms 18.1). The reading can be done anywhere, anytime during the course of the day, but it must be done with the intention of gaining the indulgence (Norms 17.2). The three other conditions, which apply to the gaining of all plenary indulgences, must also be satisfied (Norms 20.1). These are:
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Sacramental confession, which may be done several days before receiving Holy Communion (Norms 20.3).
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Holy Communion (with or without Mass) needs to be received each day that you want to gain the indulgence.
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Prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father—one Our Father and one Hail Mary are sufficient (Norms 20.5).
If you are reading the Holy Scripture daily, then the sacramental confession may be done once a month, or as often as necessary to keep yourself in the state of grace. The Gift of the Indulgence, #5, says that the confession may be made 20 days before or after an indulgenced work is done. There is also a requirement that one be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin (Norms 20.1).
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The second way to gain a plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory is to visit a cemetery between November 1 and November 8, inclusively, and to pray even mentally for the faithful departed (Grant, #29). A plenary indulgence is gained each day that a visit is made to the cemetery between the indicated dates; on other dates, the indulgence is only partial. In either case, there must be an intention to gain the indulgence (Norms 17.2). Unlike the indulgence attached to the reading of the Holy Scripture, the indulgence gained by a visit to the cemetery applies only to the souls in Purgatory. The three conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence, including the requirement to be free from all attachment to sin, must also be satisfied (Norms 20.1).
Couple on Graveyard
Image source link: publicdomainvectors.org
Although the reading of the Holy Scripture is described above as the "first way" that allows you to gain a plenary indulgence every day, it is not the only way to gain a plenary indulgence daily. The advantage of reading the Holy Scripture daily is that it can be done anywhere, anytime. But there are other ways. For example,​
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Visit the Blessed Sacrament for adoration for at least a half-hour (Grant #7.1.1).
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Pray five decades of the Rosary (with the meditation of the mysteries) continuously in church, in a group, or in a family setting (Grant #17.1.1).
Just keep in mind that only one plenary indulgence may be gained per day (Norms 18.1) and that the three conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence, including the requirement to be free from all attachment to sin, must also be satisfied (Norms 20.1). Every one of these indulgenced works may be applied to the suffering souls in purgatory by way of suffrage.
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Consider how many friends from the Church Suffering you can make by obtaining partial and plenary indulgences for them. They need our prayers because, although they can pray, they cannot gain these indulgences themselves—and they desperately need them. Remember the old saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed."
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When you are gaining a plenary indulgence every day, then it is good practice to apply a plenary indulgence for yourself once a month, then apply the plenary indulgence you gain for the rest of the month to the souls in Purgatory by way of suffrage, since you don't need the plenary indulgence every day. But since, on account of human frailty, we commit venial sins frequently, we must also include in our morning prayers the general intention of gaining partial indulgences for ourselves. This is in view of minimizing the temporal punishments due to our sins and ensuring that we enter Heaven soon after death. There are partial indulgences attached to many acts of piety, such as wearing a properly blessed crucifix or scapular (Grant #14.2) or praying the Angelus (Grant # 17.2.2), etc. See the Enchiridion for a complete list.
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The intention to apply a partial or plenary indulgence for oneself is not inconsistent with the Act of Consecration that many Catholics make. Here is one example of an Act of Consecration to Mary:
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I choose thee this day, O Mary, in the presence of the whole court of Heaven, as my Mother and Queen. I give and consecrate to you, as your slave, my body and my soul, my interior and exterior possessions, including the merits of my past, present, and future good actions, allowing you the full right to dispose of me and of all that belongs to me, without any exception whatsoever, according to your good pleasure for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity. Amen.
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Saying this prayer does not mean that one is already giving up the opportunity to earn partial or plenary indulgence for oneself. It means that we are giving Mother Mary the right to apply even those indulgences that we have earned for ourselves to others according to her good pleasure and for the greater glory of God.
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Q & A
1. What does "attachment to sin" actually mean?
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RESPONSE: The Apostolic Penitentiary did not define the term "attachment to sin," but the condition might apply to habitual sinners, such as those in the habit of committing sins of impurity, habitual gamblers or drunkards, etc. Although they may have made a valid confession and received Holy Communion, habitual sinners may still be attached to sin. The Apostolic Penitentiary requires that those who wish to gain a plenary indulgence be free of all attachments to sin, including venial sins. This means that we should try to break all habitual sins, even those that are venial, such as the habit of saying bad words, habitually cursing, habitually being late for Mass, and habitually watching movies that we know are near occasions of sin for us, etc. All bad habits and tendencies toward sin must be absent from our hearts if we want to gain a plenary indulgence.
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Although the requirement to be free of all attachments to sin might seem prohibitive, God is understanding and merciful, and He might extend His generosity to those who are honestly struggling to get rid of their bad habits. Although they may not have freed themselves completely of their bad habit, there is reason to believe that in their present condition, only their bodies are attached to sin, but not their wills, since they are struggling to be free of it. For this reason, habitual sinners who wish to receive a plenary indulgence should still strive to earn it and leave the matter of actually gaining the indulgence to God's mercy and generosity.