Do catholics still believe in purgatory?

Answer 1

yes
scripture dictates the testing by fire at our judgement as well as the sins that are not forgiven until the next life. that's all purgatory is about and since scripture doesn't change..... purgatory is just to word for the concept dictated by scripture.

Answer 2

I think Catholics are still supposed to believe in Purgatory. I'd like to point out that Purgatory is not to be confused with Limbo. Purgatory is a place where one is punished for one's sins, after death, for some finite length of time but not eternally as in Hell. Limbo is where innocent but unbaptized souls were supposed to go after death. A comfortable place but not Heaven and lacking the presence of God. I believe the Roman Catholic Church recently dropped the whole notion of Limbo, but it continues to deem Purgatory operational.

Answer 3

Most definitely. It's very Scriptural.

You see, the Bible says that we are all sinners who must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and it also says that nothing unclean can enter heaven. So, somewhere between ending our sinful life on earth and entering heaven, we must be judged and purged of any residual attachment to sin. That's what purgatory is.

I find that most Protestants believe in this concept as well; they simply do not call it Purgatory and have no definition for it.

Answer 4

I guess they do.

Purgatory – is a concept derived by man to explain the process for God changing imperfection to perfection. The church continues to believe in this idea and it is unfortunate, to think to gain anything by impatiently attempting to circumvent the established and divine plan by short cuts, personal inventions, or other devices for improving on the way of perfection, to perfection, and for eternal perfection.

God does not transform our animal nature into a perfected spirit by some mysterious act of creative magic. When the Creators desire to produce perfect beings, they do so by direct and original creation, but they never undertake to convert animal-origin and material creatures into beings of perfection in a single step.

Not until arriving onto the shores of the Mansion worlds do we attain the threshold of the spirit world, but in doing so, we are still far from being perfect. We go through several changes spiritually towards perfection before we are ever capable in approaching God physically. This doesn’t happen instantly, but over time. What magic could death, the natural dissolution of the material body; hold that such a simple step should instantly transform the mortal and material mind into an immortal and perfected spirit? Such beliefs are but superstitions.

Answer 5

Yes.

The concept of purgation is hinted at in the Bible. Here are a few of places:

"But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire." 1 Cor 3:15

"So that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Pet 1:7

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. Wisdom 3:1-6

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 on earth into perfect beings in heaven. Depending on the amount of change needed by different people, this can be an easy or slightly harder process. Everyone in purgatory is on his or her way to heaven. I do not think Mother Teresa of Calcutta had a very hard time of it.

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

i've been told yes and no by various catholics in the know. i think the confusion of thinking no is due to the fact that it was called limbo years ago and was an awful place. i think after vatican 2 it was changed to purgatory and was explained in nicer terms. either way it's not a place i want to go. send me straight to heaven.

Answer 7

Purgatory is simply the place where already saved souls are cleansed of the temporal effects of sin before they are allowed to see the holy face of Almighty God.

Revelation 21:27 tells us that "...nothing unclean will enter [Heaven]."

Answer 8

Yes

Answer 9

it pays the bills right

Answer 10

absolutely...it's a dogma (unchangable truth).