Topic: Purgatory Still Taught?
Question:
I want to double check my thinking with you regarding purgatory. It's existence seems to have been watered down greatly in the past 50 years. Is the RCC's teaching on purgatory a matter of dogma (fides ecclesiastica)? From all of my reading and study, I think the answer is "yes".
Answer:
Definitely. Purgatory is a defined article of faith. Anyone who rejects it cannot be called Catholic.
"It is likewise defined, that, if those truly penitent have departed in the love of God, before they have made satisfaction by worthy fruits of penance for sins of commission and omission, the souls of these are cleansed after death by purgatorial punishments..." (Laetentur coeli, Council of Florence, 1439 A.D., D 693)
Question:
...."but I further think that the understanding of purgatory as a place or process, involvement of fire and duration of stay are all matters of conjecture and not defined dogmatically. Your thoughts please. Thanks."
Answer:
Yes, this is also true. For instance, the official declarations of the Councils speak only of "purifying punishments" not of "purifying fire" (Cf. Ott, p.485). However, I would caution AGAINST taking away the analogy of fire since it is used by St. Paul who refers to Purgatory in 1 Cor 3:15. Fire is being used for a reason: to communicate the essence of what happens in purgatory and the punishment inflicted. Just because it is not necessarily a physical fire, does not mean it is not a spiritual one or that a "dirty soul" does not "hurt" when it is being purified of sin.
John Pacheco
The Catholic Legate
February 15, 2003