PURGATORY: MYTH OR REALITY?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes purgatory as a process of purification that allows individuals to attain the holiness required to experience the joy of heaven. This is for those who pass away in God’s grace and friendship but are not yet fully purified (CCC 1030). It emphasizes that this final purification for the elect is distinctly different from the punishment faced by the damned (CCC 1031). 

This purification is essential because, as the Scriptures indicate, nothing impure can enter God’s presence in heaven (Rev. 21:27). Even if we die with our mortal sins forgiven, we may still carry various impurities, such as venial sins and the temporal consequences of sins that have already been absolved.

What Occurs in Purgatory?  

Upon our passing, we experience what is known as individual or particular judgment. The Scriptures tell us that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). This means we are judged immediately and receive our reward, whether positive or negative. We instantly understand our ultimate fate. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, a general judgment will take place, as mentioned in the Bible, particularly in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” During this general judgment, all our sins will be made known to everyone (Luke 12:2–5).

St. Augustine mentioned in The City of God that “some endure temporary punishments in this life, others face them after death, and some experience both now and later; yet all will encounter these before the final and most severe judgment” (21:13). Therefore, it is during the time between the specific and general judgments that the soul is cleansed of the lingering effects of sin: “I assure you, you will not be released until you have settled every last penny” (Luke 12:59).

When a Catholic books for a memorial Mass for someone who has passed away—specifically for the benefit of a soul in purgatory—it is customary to provide the parish priest with a stipend. This practice is based on the belief that a worker deserves fair compensation (Luke 10:7) and that those who serve at the altar partake in its offerings (1 Cor. 9:13–14). The stipend goes directly to the parish priest, who is permitted to accept only one per day. While it’s important to note that the Church itself does not benefit from this money.

Many often claim that the Catholic Church "created" the idea of purgatory for financial gain, yet they struggle to pinpoint when this supposedly happened. Many professional critics of Catholicism, who earn their living by opposing "Romanism," tend to attribute this to Pope Gregory the Great, who served from A.D. 590 to 604.

However, this perspective overlooks the request made by Monica, the mother of Augustine, who, in the fourth century, asked her son to remember her soul during his Masses. This request would seem illogical if she believed her soul would not benefit from such prayers, which would only be true if she were in hell or already enjoying the full glory of heaven.

Attributing the doctrine to Gregory doesn't clarify the graffiti found in the catacombs, where early Christians documented their prayers for the deceased during the persecutions of the first three centuries. In fact, some of the earliest Christian texts outside the New Testament, such as the Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity (both from the second century), mention the practice of praying for the dead. These prayers would likely have been made only if Christians held a belief in purgatory, even if they didn't specifically call it that. For more insights, you can check out Catholic Answers’ tract The Roots of Purgatory, which includes quotes from these and other early Christian writings.