In the Catholic church during this month of November, thoughts on purgatory often take center stage. We may hear phrases such as, the holy souls in purgatory, or we may be encouraged to pray for those in purgatory. I share some ideas from various saints, faithful Catholics and non-Catholics on this topic of purgatory.
The common belief in the Catholic Church about purgatory seems to me to be somewhat schizophrenic. At the funeral we say that our loved one is in heaven; the next day we are praying for their release from purgatory. My personal belief is that the sufferings we endure during our lifetime are part of our purgatory. And I see the process of dying as the final purging enabling us to release all attachments to this earthly life.
The common teaching within the Catholic Church is that Purgatory can hardly be avoided before our entrance into heaven. I’ve even heard people say that they hope they will at least get to purgatory. I am saddened when I hear that they feel they have little chance of going directly to heaven.
St. Therese Teaches about Purgatory
Here is what St. Therese, a Doctor of the Church, had to say about purgatory. While still only a novice, the saint commented about this with one of the sisters, Sr. Maria Philomena, who believed in the near impossibility of going to heaven without passing through purgatory:” You do not have enough trust. You have too much fear before the good God. I can assure you that He is grieved over this. You should not fear Purgatory because of the suffering there, but should instead ask that you not deserve to go there in order to please God, Who so reluctantly imposes this punishment. As soon as you try to please Him in everything and have an unshakable trust He purifies you every moment in His love and He lets no sin remain. And then you can be sure that you will not have to go to Purgatory.
She even said that we would offend God if we didn’t trust enough that we would get to heaven right after dying. When she found out that her novices talked occasionally that they would probably have to expect to be in Purgatory, she corrected them saying: “Oh! How you grieve me! You do a great injury to God in believing you’re going to Purgatory. When we love, we can’t go there.”
Now, this is a new doctrine, but only for those who don’t know God, who are not childlike, who don’t trust. It is so correct to see things this way. It is true that God will judge us at one point, but He is always and first our Father Who suffers when He has to punish His child and sees its suffering. The child should do His will just out of love, and not to avoid punishment. And this really means that God does not want Purgatory! He allows that His children suffer, but only as if He had to look away.
You may want to read more here: St Therese of Lisieux on Purgatory | Help The Holy Souls (wordpress.com)
Other Ideas about Purgatory
Other saints disagree with Therese. St. John of the Cross says, “Only a small number of souls achieve perfect love.” John’s conviction is based on the belief that perfect love is necessary to go straight to heaven. St. Teresa of Avila also agreed that only few will be able to avoid Purgatory. St. John Vianney not only believed that a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory but also that the suffering there is beyond our imagination.
It is easy to understand the reasoning that supports the need to be purified in Purgatory. Most good Christians doubt that they are saints. They also think that purgatory is a just punishment from God, and that they deserve to suffer for their sins.
Although most Protestants reject the notion of purgatory, a few, such as Anglo-Catholics are less sure. Anglo-Catholics are close to Roman Catholics and do not claim to know what happens in the afterlife. Therefore, they leave the door open to the possibility of purgatory where the soul must endure pain before reaching heaven. Mormonism, which some view as a radical form of Protestantism, believes in a spirit world that is similar to the idea of purgatory. Here, the spirit of an individual either enjoys paradise or enters a spirit prison as it waits for the final judgment.
Personal Opinion
My own conviction, at this point in my faith journey, is that purgatory is real. but it is not a place, and it happens throughout our human encounters with life on this earth. Purgatory is about purging, which can be seen as a letting go of anything that keeps us trapped in whatever imprisons us. Purging can be seen as purification so that we are transformed into new life. Purging is the continuing purification during our human journey which enables us for the final purging, the last purification, death. Then life is changed for eternity.
St. John of the Cross believed that only a few achieve perfect love and therefore enter heaven without the detour into purgatory. It’s not that I disagree that perfect love is the requirement for heaven; I disagree that anyone can achieve perfect love.
In 1 John 4:18 we read “There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” The only one who is perfect love is God as we read in 1 John 4:8, “God is love.” Rather than concentrating on achieving perfect love, let us look to God who is Love, and who, therefore casts out fear, our fear of punishment. At death, when we meet Love and are engulfed in Love, are we not, therefore, in heaven?
My Final Thought
When I hear the words, holy souls, my thoughts and prayers surround those experiencing their personal purgatories now. I pray for those struggling with pain in mind, body or spirit; for those crying through their grief and loss. I think of refugees and migrants, victims of violence, abuse and injustice. I remember the casualties of war. And I pray that all holy souls, including myself, may be transformed through all life’s purifications into perfect Love.
Great content! Keep up the good work!