I would like to know the Church's official stance on the existence/nonexistence of Purgatory. The priest in my parish talks a lot about Purgatory. In speaking with fellow-Catholics today at my place of employment (a Catholic Social Service Agency), I was informed that the Church no longer believes in Purgatory. Is this so? When did it change?

-- Mary J. Savage (msavage@cillnet.com), November 02, 1998

Answers

The Catechism makes it VERY plain that the Church does believe in Purgatory. It devotes three paragraphs to the subject and it reads (to me) very much as I remember being taught about it fifty years ago.

If you do not have copy, there are a few web sites that contain the entire Catechism. Try www.cin.org/users/james/ebooks/master/master2.htm#contents. I think you may find it there.

-- LC (lois@anywhere.com), November 02, 1998.

It didn't change, and it will never change.

Unless we have recently removed some of the Scriptures, they were still there last time I looked.

See The Catechism of The Catholic Church, #1030-1032

Br. Rich S.F.O.

-- Br. Rich S.F.O. (REPSFO@Prodigy.net), November 02, 1998.

In a recent thread the concept of the necessity to endure temporal punishment for sins forgiven, whether in this world or the next (Purgatory) were mentioned. A comment was made to the effect that nowhere in the ““revised”” Bible, non-Catholic Christians use, could any references to the above be found. As 2 Mac. 12:43-46 does not hold any water with some of our distinguished visitors, as they have deprived themselves of the full knowledge of wisdom and truth; the following scriptural references from the King James Version of the Bible might be helpful in shedding some light: 2 Sam. 12:13-14; Matt. 3:11-12; Matt. 5:25-26; Matt. 12:32; Matt. 18:23-25; Luke 12:47-48; Luke 12:58-59; John 20:21-23 together with Matt. 18:18; 1 Cor. 3:15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil. 2:10; Col. 1:24; Heb. 12:5; Heb. 12:14; Heb 12:23; 1 Pet. 3:19; Rev.5:2-3; Rev. 21:27. Due to the risk of losing some readers to boredom, I chose not to paste the actual scriptural passages here. I also did not want to use up an inordinate amount of space on those who would not read them under any circumstances. Each reference listed relates in one way or another, to the concept of purifying one’’s self in this world, and/or the next, in order to satisfy Our Saviour’’s need for sanctification. I would ask all of you to indulge me one small privilege! For the record, I am placing this post in all threads with the word ““Purgartory”” in their title. I hope this does not confuse anyone when reading recent responses to the forum. St. James and Mary, Our Blessed Mother, help us to accept whatever our Maker will appoint at the supreme moment of our final breath, and as always, pray for us! Ed

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), February 25, 2001.

Links for the above verses:
2 Sam. 12:13-14; ... Matt. 3:11-12; ... Matt. 5:25-26; ... Matt. 12:32; ... Matt. 18:23-25; ... Luke 12:47-48; ... Luke 12:58-59; ... John 20:21-23 together with Matt. 18:18; ... 1 Cor. 3:15; ... 2 Cor. 5:10; ... P hil. 2:10; ... C ol. 1:24; ... H eb. 12:5; ... Heb. 12:14; ... Heb 12:23; ... 1 Pet. 3:19; ... Rev.5:2-3; ... Rev. 21:27.

St. James, pray for us. St. Judas Maccabeus, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), February 25, 2001.

Is Judas Maccabeus named a saint? I thought only Catholics were canonized. NOt that I don't think he's holy, and I admire him a lot, it's just that I never thought the Old Testament heroes were canonized. I never heard of St. Moses or St. Elijah. Of course, these titles are for us here. I'm sure the people in Heaven couldn't care less.

-Hannah

Pray for us, Sweet Mother. Pray for us, St. James. Pray for us, brave leader of the Maccabees.

-- Hannah (archiegoodwin_and_nerowolfe@hotmail.com), February 25, 2001.

Jmj

Hannah, it is permissible to use the title, "Saint" (i.e., "holy person"), to refer to certains persons other than those who have gone through the a formal canonization process. The most obvious examples are the good angels and faithful apostles/disciples who knew Jesus face-to-face. Added to these are the holy people of the Old Testament, whom the Church has always presumed to have accepted Jesus as their Savior when he went to preach to them in "Sheol" between the crucifixion and resurrection. Many of these people were even given feast days by the Church. Here, for example, is what the (old) Catholic Encyclopedia has to say about the prophet Daniel:
"The Roman martyrology [list of recognized saints] assigns Daniel's feast as a holy prophet to 21 July ..."

Sts. Daniel and James, pray for us.
God bless you.
John


-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), February 25, 2001.

Sure, that makes sense. Like St. Michael the archangel, i guess. Thanks John,

Hannah

-- Hannah (archiegoodwin_and_nerowolfe@hotmail.com), February 25, 2001.

In a Catholic book with the list of Saints and their respective feastdays I found the following:

St. Aaron = Jul 1, St. Abraham = Oct 9 St. Eliha = Febr 27 St. Daniel = Jul 21 St. Eliseus = Jun 14

These are just a few samples of OT saints. I think that many of these Saints, without going through the process of canonization, just by the way Jesus and the NT refer to them and the special relationship they had with God must be put in the Saints' catalogue.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), February 26, 2001.