Purgatory: Who Believes It Anyway?

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
[quote name='Deb' post='1538141' date='May 22 2008, 08:46 PM']I think I would need some super scrubbing.[/quote]
oh Lord, me too!

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1538163' date='May 22 2008, 09:08 PM']I don't know. Years and years and years ago I read something where someone said "When you get a ringing in your ear, a soul in purgatory needs your prayers" and would you believe I developed a fixation with it after that? It's like obsessive compulsive...when my ears ring, I *have* to pray for the souls in purgatory.[/quote]very interesting. anything in particular you say?

[dominicansoul]

The souls in purgatory are also powerful intercessors...

[kujo]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1538240' date='May 23 2008, 12:56 AM']The souls in purgatory are also powerful intercessors...[/quote]

Word.

[mortify]

[img]http://www.black-sabbath.com/gallery_2/d/9350-2/pic28489.jpg[/img]

[Veridicus]

I hope someday I make it to purgatory...or I get a plenary indulgence the day that I die...that would be okay too. If I don't get that plenary indulgence, I hope Our Lady pours out her sweet prayers for me like drops of water amidst the purgation.

[kujo]

[quote name='Veridicus' post='1538302' date='May 23 2008, 01:30 AM']I hope someday I make it to purgatory...or I get a plenary indulgence the day that I die...that would be okay too. If I don't get that plenary indulgence, I hope Our Lady pours out her sweet prayers for me like drops of water amidst the purgation.[/quote]

Is it kosher to pray for purgatory? I mean, I hope I get there because that means I'm getting to heaven...eventually.

[CatherineM]

One of the first things Pope Benedict came out with after his election was indulgences for those living with mental illnesses, and especially those who take care of them. My husband has schizophrenia, so I'm kind of happy about that last one, although I think he takes care of me more than the other way around.

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1538163' date='May 22 2008, 11:08 PM']I don't know. Years and years and years ago I read something where someone said "When you get a ringing in your ear, a soul in purgatory needs your prayers" and would you believe I developed a fixation with it after that? It's like obsessive compulsive...when my ears ring, I *have* to pray for the souls in purgatory.[/quote]

Wow that works! You got me hooked already!

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Veridicus' post='1538185' date='May 23 2008, 04:30 AM']that's why I didn't put a check in either of those choices...[/quote]
Same here. I thought purgatory was outside of time, as well, though it makes sense that some would need more cleansing than others.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

My understanding of purgatory is that it is outside of time, so it's not possible to measure how long a soul might spend there.

I was reluctant to tick most of the boxes. I don't know how many people go to purgatory or how many people go straight to Heaven. I don't think we can know.

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1538240' date='May 23 2008, 06:56 AM']The souls in purgatory are also powerful intercessors...[/quote]

Really? I thought that the souls in Purgatory [i]couldn't[/i] intercede for anyone, which is why they rely so much on our prayers for them.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1538452' date='May 23 2008, 04:04 AM']Really? I thought that the souls in Purgatory [i]couldn't[/i] intercede for anyone, which is why they rely so much on our prayers for them.[/quote]
+J.M.J.+
they can pray for others but not for themselves; is what i've always been taught.

[StColette]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1538522' date='May 23 2008, 10:12 AM']+J.M.J.+
they can pray for others but not for themselves; is what i've always been taught.[/quote]

You're correct Red . The souls in purgatory, the Church Suffering, can intercede for the souls on earth, the Church Militant, but they can not pray for themselves. The Church Triumphant, the souls in Heaven, can pray for the Church Militant and Church Suffering. And the Church Militant can and should pray for the Church Suffering and can ask intercession from the Church Triumphant.

[Veridicus]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' post='1538421' date='May 23 2008, 02:05 AM']Same here. I thought purgatory was outside of time, as well, though it makes sense that some would need more cleansing than others.[/quote]

My understanding is that purgatory is [i]not [/i]'outside of time.' Heaven is eternal and outside of our undestanding of space and time, such that all eternity pans out as a singlular experience. There is no tomorrow or yesterday in heaven.

Don't forget that purgatory is 'not' heaven nor is it contained within heaven. They are two separate realms as far as I know and one of the major differences (besides the presence of God...) is time.

Purgatory on the other hand does have time, which is why our purgation can be efficacious. Purifying fire would only make sense in a temporal way. To take a modern example, working out at the gym is only efficacious because we exist in time and if we work hard over a long period of time, it pays off. I know somewhere else on the phorum there was a thread about purgatory where this temporal aspect was specifically mentioned. If only I knew where...

[Galloglasses]

My veiw is that there is a purgetory and most of the saved go there. God will not tolerate sin before Him so it is likely that those who are too pure to go to Hell yet not clean enough to get into Heaven must be 'Purged'. I also veiw that even non-Christians can get into Heaven. (on the basis on how Godly there lives were and wether or not they have heard of the Gospel and accepted it or not. If a pure person who isn't Christian and never heard of Christ dies, would he or she go to Hell becuase the evangelists never got to him/her?), This arguement also goes to Athiests, say, in North Korea were Religion is forcibly banned, a person who was Athiest simply because all Religion around him/her was destroyed and it was impossible for them to hear the Gospel, they can't really go to Hell for that can they? Unless of course they were evil buggers, then there's no hope for them. However, I maintain that ones who have heard the Gospel and of Christ, but have turned down or turned away from the message condemn themselves. Regardless of their goodness and religious affiliation or none. Ultimately, apart from a pure life, the one thing that saves them is Baptism and the Gospel.