The Souls in Purgatory are the souls of those who died in the state of grace (i.e. as God's friends), but who are not yet cleansed enough from sin to enter Heaven. When we are sorry for our sins and confess them, God joyfully forgives us. However, each sin wounds our soul, and the damage remains even after it is forgiven. Souls who neglect to repair this spiritual damage, by doing penance, are not ready for Heaven when they die, even if they don't deserve to go to hell. So God in His mercy allows them to spend time suffering in Purgatory, in atonement for their sins before entering Heaven. The Souls in Purgatory are part of the Communion of Saints (they are sometimes referred to as "The Church Suffering"), and we have the obligation as Catholics to pray for their speedy release from Purgatory.
So Purgatory is a state of purification, where the soul can be cleansed of all the sins and damage from sin which hinder it from reaching Heaven. The fact that Purgatory exists is a proof of God's overwhelming mercy. Souls who die without having taken care to properly prepare their souls for Heaven, would actually prefer to suffer in Purgatory rather than have to enter the presence of God and stand among the glorious saints and angels, stained with even the slightest speck of sin!
The word "Purgatory", from Latin, "purgare", means to make clean, to purify.
Purgatory is a beautiful and very practical doctrine taught by the Catholic Church, and believed also by millions of Chinese and Africans... and millions of old religion cultures in Europe, America, Australia, and India.
The Catholic Church teaches that Purgatory is the place or state for the purification of those just souls who depart in venial sin or who are still subject to temporal punishment for sin... defined as a dogma in the Council of Florence (Mansi, t. XXXI, col. 1031), and in the decree of the Council of Trent (Sess. XXV).
If in your church there is not the believe in "Purgatory", your church can not pray for your loved ones deceased, because if they are saved, there is no need to pray for them, and if they are condemned to Hell, the prayers do nothing... even in the funerals you can't pray for your loved ones... it is a church "without power", it is not the Church of Christ where there is "power" to pray for the dead and it is a holy and pious thing to do says the Bible. (2Macc.12:46).
At the Reformation the celebration of All Souls' Day was abolished in the Church of England, though it has been renewed in certain churches in connection with the "Catholic revival." Among continental Protestants its tradition has been more tenaciously maintained. Even Luther's influence was not sufficient to abolish its celebration in Saxony during his lifetime; and, though its Ecclesiastical sanction lapsed before long even in the Lutheran Church, its memory survives strongly in popular custom. Just as it is the custom of French people, of all ranks and creeds, to decorate the graves of their dead on the jour des morts, so in Germany the people stream to the graveyards once a year with offerings of flowers.
Doctrine of the Bible:
1- Some sins, like the one against the Holy Spirit, can not be forgiven neither on earth nor after death, but some sins can be forgiven and the person purified, either in this age or in the age to come (Matt.12:32)... this is the basis of the doctrine of Purgatory, "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come."
2- The "Baptism on behalf of the death" of 1Cor.15:29 is similar to the "Baptism of the Crucifixion" of Mr.10:38-38... here, in 1Cor., it is an expiation sacrifice to help the death... you can't offer an expiation sacrifice for someone who is in Heaven or in Hell... is got to be a Purgatory!.
3- "It is a holy and pious thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sins" (2Macc.12:46).
4- A further argument is supplied by St. Paul in 1Cor.3:11-15: "For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble: Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire."
"The fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon [upon Christ], he shall receive a reward; if any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss [by the fire of purgatory], but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." (1st Corinthians 3:13-15).
St. Augustine speaks of the pain which purgatorial fire causes as more severe than anything a man can suffer in this life in Ps. 37 n. 3 (P. L., col. 397).... but, of course, there is the "security" of Heaven!... a cause of permanent hope in Purgatory...
The only comfort of the people in Purgatory is the security to go Heaven by the Blood of Jesus... sooner or later... but to Heaven!, praised be Jesus!.
St. Gregory the Great speaks of those who after this life "will expiate their faults by purgatorial flames," and he adds "'that the pain be more intolerable than any one can suffer in this life" (Ps. 3 poenit., n. 1).
Following in the footsteps of Gregory, St. Thomas teaches (IV, dist. xxi, q. i, a.1) that besides the separation of the soul from the sight of God, there is the other punishment from fire.
How this fire affects the souls of the departed the Doctors do not know, and in such matters it is well to heed the warning of the Council of Trent when it commands the bishops "to exclude from their preaching difficult and subtle questions which tend not to edification', and from the discussion of which there is no increase either in piety or devotion" (Sess. XXV, "De Purgatorio").
Help to the Souls in Purgatory:
The Catholic faith teaches with the Bible that "It is a holy and pious thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sins" (2Macc.12:46).
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest celebration in Heaven, and the best offering for the souls of Purgatory... their glorious hope to be helped out of Purgatory as soon as possible.
Virgin Mary told St. Simon Stock in London that he who dies with the Scapular will go from Purgatory to Heaven the Saturday after his or her death.... a delicacy of a Mother!. The Rosary is an excellent prayer to help the souls of Purgatory. There is the security of Heaven in Purgatory!
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