In the eyes of a Roman Catholic, what do you think purgatory is like and how many people go there?

Question

I say that about 75% of us go there, and it is like studying God, and purification of sins.
Others say it's just like hell without the devil, and we must stay there for thousands of years.

Please, this is a serious question.
I'm curious only of ROMAN CATHOLIC thoughts.

Answer 1

The question of purgatory is more serious than the present answers on this thread suggest. It has to do with God's love and the purpose of human existence. The other thing to realise is that although it is not mentioned in the Bible, it is a reasoned deduction from the basic principles of Christianity, and therefore is a concept worth thinking about.

The reasoning works like this -
You assert as basic principles certain beliefs about Christianity -

1) God created mankind as an act of love. His intention for us is that we should be united with him 'in Jesus'. The incarnation unites man and God in Jesus, and we, as mankind, are called to share the same god-human unity.

2) God is wholly good and total holiness. There can be no sin or evil in him.

3) It follows that to be united with God in Christ we must become free of sin and perfectly holy, like God himself. Human life is given to us so that (with the help of the Holy Spirit) we can grow towards this God-like state.

4) All people fall into sin in their lives, and despite being forgiven by God (through sacramental confession and forgiveness), we remain in an unholy state in the sense that we continue to have a tendancy toward sin, and constantly fall short of the saint-like quality that God hopes we shall achieve.

5) The reformation of character that is required to become truly God-like is only rarely achieved (by Saints), Most of us die in a state where we are insufficiently reformed to take our place 'in Christ'.

6) This being the case there are two possibilities for those who truly are on this path - a) You fail b) You have a second chance. In case (a) you go to hell, along with those who have actually rejected God and turned away from him completely. In case (b) you continue to grow towards complete holiness and God-likeness in 'purgatory'.

You can see that case (b) is an assertion of the mercy and love of God. God is seen as as being so overflowing with love that he will not accept a condition where one of his creatures is separated from him. But at the same time this paints a picture of a God who does not compromise his complete moral goodness and holiness. It is a way of bridging that gap. If you delete purgatory how can you resolve these otherwise incompatible attributes of God ?

It also presents a very high interpretation of our calling as Christians. We are expected not simply to be 'good', but to become totally united with the utter holiness of God.

Answer 2

Hell is not merely a firey lake wit nonbelievers shoveling dirt on rotting dead. It's an icy place designed for separating God from sin. Separation is the key word. There is not enough endurance in a place like that. God is returning some day to rule.

If there can be 7 Heavens, then I guess there can be 7 hells. Purgatory might be 2 or 3. Then, again, Purgatory is a man made idea.

Answer 3

Sorry to burst your bubble but... it's one of the many inventions of the RC Church that is NOT FOUND anywhere in the Bible and is a false doctrine.

Even the Pope has already disavowed its existence and, only recently [?], the Pope also issued some statement that "Hell is a state of mind..." Check it out for yourself.

But my take on WHY Purgatory was incorporated into Church teachings among others was/is so that the laity or the faithful will ALWAYS continue to OFFER MASSES --with the usual FEE or STIPEND each time, of course-- in memory of their dearly departed. That's at least twice yearly --on their death anniversaries and their birthdays-- from every Catholic family, on an endless basis through the generations!

Maybe it's just me, but that's my own conclusion. I am an ex-Catholic and, in fact, an ex-seminarian, too.

Peace be with you.

* * * * * * *

P.S. If you need to atone for all your sins... DO IT NOW! Here, --while you are still alive-- on Earth, that is.

Answer 4

Are you perfect now? Most people would say no.

Will you be perfect in heaven? Most people believe yes.

Purgatory (or purgation) is the process of God's love changing our imperfect selves into perfect beings.

Depending on the amount of change needed by different people this can be an easy or slightly harder process.

Everyone in purgatory is on their way to heaven.

I don't think Mother Teresa of Calcutta had a very hard time of it.

For more information see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1030: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art12.htm#1030

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Actually the Pope knows there is no such thing as Purgatory, so no one can go there. It was thought up to cover the equally wrong doctrines of being born guilty of sin and infant baptism.
Tony 719 391-2199

Answer 6

There is no such place. It's not mentioned in the Bible anywhere. It was made up by the Roman Catholic. Try to figure out where you will spend eternity.

Answer 7

Purgatory will be the loud awesome place that has everyone.............Heaven will be the place of a few old people spanking each other for having sinned against a tablecloth.

Answer 8

how about no stopping off point like a rest area. god will judge us by the blood of jesus. we are condemned to hell or we are granted a seat in heaven. but i don,t think there is a limbo anywhere in the bible.

Answer 9

Purgatory, like limbo, does not exist. It is a non-biblical teaching.

Answer 10

"Others say it's just like hell"

that's what I read too. except that there's hope to see God.