What Happens in Purgatory? | Tim Staples | Catholic Answers Live

Purgatory is a state of purification before heaven. But what exactly goes on there? We can't know every detail about it in this life, but the Bible does give us clues.

Tim Staples is a Senior Apologist here at Catholic Answers, but he was not always Catholic. Tim was raised a Southern Baptist. Although he fell away from the faith of his childhood, Tim came back to faith in Christ during his late teen years through the witness of Christian televangelists. Soon after, Tim joined the Marine Corps.

During his four-year tour, he became involved in ministry with various Assemblies of God communities. Immediately after his tour of duty, Tim enrolled in Jimmy Swaggart Bible College and became a youth minister in an Assembly of God community. During his final year in the Marines, however, Tim met a Marine who really knew his faith and challenged Tim to study Catholicism from Catholic and historical sources. That encounter sparked a two-year search for the truth. Tim was determined to prove Catholicism wrong, but he ended up studying his way to the last place he thought he would ever end up: the Catholic Church!

He converted to Catholicism in 1988 and spent the following six years in formation for the priesthood, earning a degree in philosophy from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania. He then studied theology on a graduate level at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for two years. Realizing that his calling was not to the priesthood, Tim left the seminary in 1994 and has been working in Catholic apologetics and evangelization ever since.

What Happens in Purgatory?

[wreloise]

As I continue to listen and study…I desire for the Holy Spirit to establish my believing. Thank you for sharing the ‘mystical’ of God’s Word

[BibleLovingLutheran]

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43 ESV

[robertgillis]

We need to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Saint Gertrude Prayer is very important for The Holy Souls in Purgatory. Jesus told Saint Gertrude that every time the prayer is prayed a 1, 000 souls would be released from Purgatory.

[GovtWatchdog]

My guess would be that since the greatest torment in Hell is the eternally separation of God, perhaps the greatest suffering in Purgatory as that we are temporarily without the presence of God, which is something we have never experienced while living on Earth.

[FlyDrake]

Nothing unclean enters the gates of heaven.

[Regular_Pigeon]

how many babies were let out of "limbo"?

[frankperrella]

Yes that's Correct Purgatory God Say's in Corinthians nothing unclean Enters into heaven & Macabees & many Saints have spoken about it😇🛐🗝️🗝️📖💯 Catholic Jesus Mary and Saint Joseph Pray for Us Christ Save us & Saint Anthony of Padua Pray for Us 🙏⛪🛐

[marysisak]

A priest gave me some interesting insight. He said to have a sinful thought is not a sin but once you begin to delight in it you are entering the realm of sin. For example, I maybe angry with someone but when I begin to focus on that or consider how I might get even, then I am sinning.

[BibleLovingLutheran]

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:19‭-‬21 ESV

[flameofthewest]

Maybe what we consider purgatory is what we are living now in this earthly life, with its challenges and choices to become closer to God. Many other faiths also have this understanding in thier theory of reincarnation. Just my thoughts.

[lindaruss]

It’s a bit confusing, isn’t it? I understood “temporal punishment” to be FOR damages that I’ve brought to others through my sins, and even the damage to my own soul. I don’t see it as a healing place to end addiction or “evil” tendencies. Can you comment please?

[BibleLovingLutheran]

It seems like the RCC gives more credit to Dante, the one that made famous the concept of purgatory in the 14th century, which I find odd since they put faith in early fathers. Jacques Le Goff dates the term purgatorium to around 1170. Paul is definitely of a different opinion.

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Philippians 1:23‭-‬24 ESV

Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18 ESV

And what of Jesus?

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:19‭-‬21 ESV

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43 ESV

[cindiloowhoo]

Psalm 103:11-14

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.”

This sounds pretty straight forward to me.

Who is in charge of The Purgatory Schedule ?

It Is Finished ~~~

Went thru RCIA
.2 concepts, Purgatory and eternal hellfire - my brain doesn’t wrap around that…. What substance is burning?

It could very well be said we are experiencing purgatory/hell right now….

[rody]

Incoming comments: "The works were tested, not the man!"

[jonathansoko]

What happens inside purgatory? WE DONT KNOW. And anyone who claims to have a detailed explanation for you, is lying. Thats like asking whats for dinner in the kingdom, then someone having a laundry list

[rickzabala]

Continued purification in purgatory but how does one work on it? What can one do while in purgatory, I think was/ is the real question❓Out side prayers might help. Does one think over their lives and admit to their sins like The Man on the Cross next to Jesus? Would a person be provided therapy and rehabilitation like on a jail on earth? What realy happens? I know there is no clear answer, just purified some how is what is being answered.

[englishrose]

Does saying the Divine Mercy for someone who is dying save then from.going to hell? and then they pay for .their mortal sin in purgarory

[awbd]

I dont get why the definition of what temporal punishment is has changed from the catechism of trent to what the new catechism now says it is.

[nathanphillips]

1 cor 3:15 reasoning for this to be referring to purgatory??

[jcsmith]

Lol, easy quick question. Where was Lazarus at when he was dead? Because when people ask Jesus were Lazarus was jesus's first response was he was asleep. And of course when Lazarus came back he never spoke of being anywhere. So right there Jesus backed up Ecclesiastes in the Bible when he said it is though you're asleep in death. Nowhere in the Bible does it promote when you die you're setting somewhere waiting. Where does that teaching come from? Because I truly don't think the God that I believe in would charge you money or possessions to get out of a place after you die like the Catholics promote.