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All who die in God's grace and friendship - including, of course, Christians in full communion with the Church - 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.
This state of final purification is present both in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.
Gen. 50:10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8 - here are some examples of ritual prayer and penitent mourning for the dead for specific periods of time. The Jewish understanding of these practices was that the prayers freed the souls from their painful state of purification.
Zech. 9:11 - God, through the blood of His covenant, will set those free from the waterless pit.
Zech. 13:8-9 - Some shall perish, and some shall be left alive, put into the fire, and refined like silver and tested like gold. The ones that perish go to hell, and there is no need for refinement in heaven.
2 Macc. 12:43-45 - the prayers for the dead help free them from sin and help them to the reward of heaven. Those in heaven have no sin, and those in hell can no longer be freed from sin.
Wis. 3:5-6 - the dead are disciplined and tested by fire to receive their heavenly reward.
Mt. 12:32 - Jesus 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." Jesus thus clearly provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase "in the next" (from the Greek "en to mellonti") generally refers to the afterlife (see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is no forgiveness in hell.
Lk 12:47-48 - when the Master comes, some will receive light or heavy beatings but will live. This state is not heaven or hell, because in heaven there are no beatings, and in hell we will no longer live with the Master.
2 Tim. 1:16-18 - Onesiphorus is dead but Paul asks for mercy on him "on that day." There is no need for mercy in heaven, and there is no mercy given in hell.
Heb. 12:23 - the spirits of just men who died in godliness are "made" perfect. But those in heaven are already perfect, and those in hell can no longer be made perfect.
1 Cor. 3:10-15 - works are judged after death and tested by fire. Some works are lost, but the person is still saved.
Jude 1:23 - the people who are saved are being snatched out of the fire. People are already saved if they are in heaven, and there is no possibility of salvation if they are in hell.
Rev. 21:4 - God shall wipe away their tears, and there will be no mourning or pain. But there is no morning or pain in heaven, and God will not wipe away their tears in hell.
Rev. 21:27 - nothing unclean shall enter heaven. The word "unclean" comes from the Greek word "koinon" which refers to a spiritual corruption.
Chiurch Father Clement of Alexandria, AD 202 - Accordingly the believer, through great discipline, divesting himself of the passions, passes to the mansion which is better than the former one, viz., to the greatest torment, taking with him the characteristic of repentance from the sins he has committed after baptism...the punishments cease in the course of the completion of the expiation and purification of each one.
Chiurch Father Tertullian, AD 210 - All souls, therefore; are shut up within Hades: do you admit this? It is true, whether you say yes or no: moreover, there are already experienced there punishments and consolations. Moreover, the soul executes not all its operations with the ministration of the flesh; for the judgment of God pursues even simple cogitations and the merest volitions. Therefore, even for this cause it is most fitting that the soul, without at all waiting for the flesh, should be punished for what it has done without the partnership of the flesh. In short, no one will hesitate to believe that the soul undergoes in Hades some compensatory discipline.
Augustine, AD 421 - For our part, we recognize that even in this life some punishments are purgatorial [...] temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then.
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Catholic Answer
The answer above is excellent, but the short answer is no. We really don't know, but anyone who is going to heaven and is not perfect when they die is going to purgatory. Scripture tells us that the vast majority of people actually go to hell (Matthew 7:13-14), so the few Catholics who are actually giving their lives to the Lord and die in a state of grace, of them, most of them would probably go through purgatory, only the saints go straight to heaven, of which we have a fair number in the last century or so.
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What describes the difference between Protestant and Catholic beliefs?
Catholics give spiritual authority to the pope.In Catholicism salvation is available through either faith or works.In Protestantism salvation is available only through faith.Catholicism also believes in Purgatory (a place where any remaining unforgiven sins can be removed before you can get to Heaven), Protestantism rejects the idea of Purgatory (instead believing salvation forgives all sins and permits direct entry to Heaven at death for all Christians).
What do Catholics believe needs to be done during Purgatory?
Catholics believe that souls in purgatory are purified of their sinful attachments before entering heaven. They are cleansed of all venial (less serious sins which did not rate them in hell) as "There shall not enter into it any thing defiled, or that worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they that are written in the book of life of the Lamb." Apocalypse (Revelation) 21:27.
Who is a saint to Catholics?
To officially have the title of saint one must be recognized as saint through the canonization process. However, the Communion of Saints includes all named and unnamed saints in Heaven, the souls in Purgatory and those alive who are in a state of grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Use purgatory in a sentence?
I can't imagine going through purgatory after death. -OR- Purgatory is where people from a certain religion go through after death where they can clean themselfs from their sins or impurities, there they decide wether to go to hevan or hell. <---- That's kind of the religious definition but it still is a sentence.
Where do Catholics disagree with sound biblical teachings?
Catholics do not disagree with any Biblical teachings. However, Protestants do, especially in such critical areas as Eucharist, Reconciliation, salvation by faith and good works, the role of the pope, Purgatory, etc. All of these are Biblical in origin but rejected by Protestants. Martin Luther even went so far as to throw out a number of books in the Old Testament because he did not agree with the theology they taught, including Purgatory. He even considered throwing out the Epistle of St. James because it contradicted his teaching that salvation was through faith alone. Instead, he chose to ignore it.
How is All Saints celebrated?
This depends on what country you are in, for instance in France it is a national holiday, but not so much in other countries; practicing 'Catholics will go to church on that day it falls on November 1st.
Are practicing Catholics required to attend the first half of Mass?
According to the Catholic Church, attending the first half of Mass, known as the Liturgy of the Word, is highly encouraged. However, it is not specifically required, and individuals have the freedom to choose whether or not to attend this portion of the Mass. Nonetheless, actively participating in the entire Mass is considered a more complete and fruitful experience for practicing Catholics.
Are there places where Islamic religion is banned?
Yes, in Vatican State. However, all religions except Catholicism are prohibited from practicing there. The only churches are Catholic. Non-Catholics are welcome to visit, however.
Where do Catholics get the idea that their soul first goes to purgatory and then people on earth pray for them to go to heavend?
First of all, not everyone goes to purgatory before going to heaven. Some people die and go straight to heaven. Others are not completely free from sinful attachments. Because of their attachment to sin, they are not yet ready for heaven because as the Bible tells us, "nothing unclean can enter heaven." So they go to purgatory where they are purified. Second of all, the prayers of people on earth are not necessary for someone to go from purgatory to heaven. It is God who purifies the souls, and He doesn't need anyone's help. However, He allows us to participate with Him by praying for those in purgatory because as the Bible tells us, it is good to pray for one another. We pray for those in purgatory not because it is necessary for them to go to heaven, but because it is a charitable thing that God allows us to do for each other.
Who are the recipients of the holy communion?
In the Catholic Church only baptized Catholics who have made their first Communion and are in the state of grace may receive Communion. In the code of canon law, provisions are made for cases of emergency and necessity for members of other Christian religions to receive the Eucharist from a Catholic minister, but to do so, the recipient would have to believe in the sacrament and its theology and thus implicitly refers mainly to members of the Orthodox Church.
How do you honor souls in Purgatory?
The souls in Purgatory are honored when we pray for their speedy entrance into heaven, particularly on the Feast of All Souls Day (Nov. 2).
Are there Catholics in Africa?
Yes, Catholics are all over the world.
