The Truth about Purgatory

By Francis Vangeli

This book gives the background on the theory of Purgatory and an explanation of it. It also includes explanations of the common misconceptions and myths associated with Purgatory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Francis Vangeli
• Release date: Aug 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9780578087665

Francis Vangeli

Mr. Vangeli was born and raised in southeastern Pennsylvania. After graduating high school he joined the Nave and did "see the world". After he left the Navy he became a commercial pilot/flight instructor and then joined the FAA as a Flight Service Specialist. When he retired he started to write.He earned a BS in Education with a Mathematics teaching Area and later a Masters in Theology.A book of short stories titled "Incidents" is in preparation for publishing.

Book preview

The Truth About PURGATORY

by Francis J. Vangeli

.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Francis J. Vangeli

ISBN 978-0-578-08766-5

License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

+ + +

This work is dedicated to all those souls suffering in Purgatory, especially those most abandoned.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual

light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.

Amen

+ + + + +

Table of Contents

Introduction

Forward

Preconditions

Purgatory

Teaching of the Early Fathers

Teaching of the Church Councils

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Other Writers and Mystics

God's Mercy

Summary

Appendix A: Glossary

Appendix B: Reference Quotes

Appendix C: Bibliography

Appendix D: St. Thomas Aquinas

Appendix E: References used in the CCC

Appendix F: More Quotes

Appendix G: Indulgences

Appendix H: Myths and Misconceptions

Appendix I: Questionnaire

End Notes

+ + + + +

~ Introduction ~

The black plague that devastated Europe killed many more priests and religious in proportion to the population as a whole since they were the ones who were willing to care for the infected people. Too many times those chosen to replace them had little or no education in the teachings of the Church. By the sixteenth century many of the laity and too many of the religious and priests had little knowledge of the Faith and were easily led astray by Luther and other revolutionists.

Since the revolt led by Martin Luther there have been many who believe that once saved, always saved. All those saved would have no need for a purgatory.

In 1907 Pope Pius X wrote Pascendi Dominici Gregis in which he enumerated the false doctrines of what he termed modernism. Modernism is a compendium of various heresies that have plagued the Church since the first Pentecost. It has gained new emphasis and strength in the wake of Vatican Council II. Dissenters have sown the seeds of modernism throughout the Church. One of the most alarming ideas is the lack of a sense of sin. Many have embraced the Merciful and Loving Christ to the exclusion of the Just Christ. This has led to a denial of the need for purgatory. It also leads to the idea that if there is a hell it doesn’t matter because everyone will be saved.

Modernism has infiltrated many of the academic pursuits of the Church. Students in Catholic institutions from grade school to college as well as those in CCD and RCIA classes have been led astray by teachers who have been inculcated by their teachers trained under modernism. All these have little or no true knowledge of purgatory

The loose group of people who are categorized as new age have no true conception of God and therefore no belief in purgatory or hell. Although they believe everyone has a soul some believe in reincarnation until one becomes divine.

I pray that this booklet will be able to enlighten those in real need of the truth about purgatory.

Note: I have included quotes from mystics from their own writings and as used in other books. These visions are not doctrine and do not have to be believed except for the fact that Purgatory does exist.

+ + + + +

~ Forward ~

A belief in Purgatory presupposes a belief in God, man having a soul and that soul is immortal. Not just any god, but God the Creator who loves and cares for mankind

God created men to be happy with Him throughout eternity.[1] Adam and Eve relinquished the inheritance of Heaven but God in His mercy provided redress for their sin and established the means for men to obtain the Heavenly goal.

As men populated the earth the knowledge that was inherent in Adam and Eve became diluted and confused. Many men have not even believed in God. Others replaced the belief in God with the belief in false gods and idols.

An eternity with God presupposes an immortality that has not always been believed as an attribute of men. Those that did believe in God didn’t believe or understand the implications of immortality. They believed that the rewards of serving God would be earthly riches and happiness.

The immortality of the soul was gradually revealed by God to the Israelites. Jesus Christ revealed the truth about heaven and hell and purgatory. Throughout the intervening years the Holy Spirit has guided the Magisterium of the Catholic Church to a fuller understanding of those teachings.

Many people believe in the concept of purgatory. When parents punish their children, when governments put criminals in prison they are exacting a temporal punishment for wrongdoing - sin, if you will. They just don’t accept that Justice demands the same from God.

Before discussing Purgatory itself we must first establish that there is an "afterlife. That is that people have an immortal soul that will exist after the body dies. In the discussion on Purgatory we will examine the reason for it, the Biblical texts that refer to it, the writing of some of the Church Fathers, and excerpts from two of the Councils of the Church.

There is also selections from the writings of other authors and mystics. Since there are many misconceptions and myths there is a section that refutes them. Finally for those want more there are selections from St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica.

Many readers may not have easy access to the various references used. Instead of just referring to a specific document, the actual text will be used or quoted in the Appendix.

+ + + + +

PRECONDITIONS

Before one can discuss the existence of Purgatory one must understand that there is an afterlife. Not only that there is life after death, but that there are two vastly different existences. One is an existence of eternal happiness. One is an existence of eternal damnation.

After Life. God made man in His image and likeness. That is to say, He made them with intellect and free will. He also gave them preternatural gifts. His intention was that man would spend eternity with Him after they had proved themselves. Adam and Eve failed the initial test and were banished from Eden. However, unlike the fallen angels, God promised that He would send a Redeemer who would expiate their sin(s). Now death and sickness and tribulation became a part of their lives.

To the woman He also said: I will multiply thy sorrow, and thy conditions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee. and to Adam He said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of your life. (Gen 3:16-17)

There is no way of knowing how much knowledge of heaven and hell Adam and Eve retained after their sin. Their descendants, especially those from Cain, lost much of the knowledge of God. Morality deteriorated to such an extent that God caused a flood which killed everyone except Noah and his family who remained true to God.[2]

It didn’t take long for sin to enter the world again. After the first harvest Ham sinned. Noah cursed Canaan, Ham’s son to be the servant of Shem and Japheth. Japheth’s descendants became the gentiles, those who inhabited the lands to the west. Ham’s descendants became the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Jebusites, and the Philistines who all became the enemies of the Israelites. They occupied the fertile crescent and Egypt. It was Ham’s descendants who decided to build the tower to heaven (the Tower of Babel) which resulted in God’s confound[ing] their tongue, that they may not understand one another's speech." (Gen 11:7b). Sodom and Gomorrah were also founded by Ham’s descendants. Shem’s descendants occupied the Arabian peninsula. Abraham, the father of the Israelites, came from the line of Shem.

Everyone that was born since Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden has been cursed with the results