The Catholic Church And Purgatory.

The Catholic Church teaches that there is a ‘state’ after death called the purgatory. Where can this be found in the bible?

First of all, the Catholic Church teaches that there is a ‘state’ after death where the soul is cleansed from sin. The Catechism of he Catholic Church (1031 – 1032) teaches that ‘

All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.606 The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”609 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends alms giving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.

The Catholic Church’s teaching on purgatory is supported – as are all the teachings of the Church – by Sacred Scripture.  The first passage we will look at that supports purgatory is taken from 2 Maccabees.   Now if your bible does not have this book then your bible is not a Catholic Bible.  Please see my earlier post on Catholic Bible vs Protestants Bible. Now this passage from 2 Maccabees 12: 41 – 45 tells us:

All then blessed the ways of the Lord, the upright judge who brings hidden things to light, and gave themselves to prayer, begging that the sin committed might be completely forgiven. Next, the valiant Judas urged the soldiers to keep themselves free from all sin, having seen with their own eyes the effects of the sin of those who had fallen; after this he took a collection from them individually, amounting to nearly two thousand drachmas, and sent it to Jerusalem to have a sacrifice for sin offered, an action altogether fine and noble, prompted by his belief in the resurrection.

For had he not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead, whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a pious end, the thought was holy and devout. Hence, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin.

“Hence, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin.”  That sounds like what the Catholic Church does at Her Masses doesn’t it?  More so, during the month of November when special Masses are offered up for the souls in purgatory.

The second passage that supports the Catholic Church’s teaching on purgatory is taken from Matthew 12:32, and it says,

And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next.

The King James version says:

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Now whether this read from a Catholic Bible of a Protestant’s version, it says the same thing. The second part of the statement made by Jesus says that anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the next. This world refers to here and now.  But what is the “next” or the “world to come” referring to?  Well it cannot be hell since there can be no forgiveness in hell.  Neither can it be in heaven, since forgiveness is not needed in heaven.  So where is this “world to come”?  If you think about it seriously and honestly, you will agree that it has to be that place, that state of purification of the soul called purgatory.