The Catholic Church teaches that immediately after death, our soul separates from our earthly body and we stand before God for judgement.
We then enter heaven, purgatory, or hell.
Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness. Those who are free from all sin enter heaven immediately.
Purgatory is a place of purification, for those who die in a state of grace and friendship with God but who are not yet fully purified. Those in Purgatory are assured a place in heaven after their purification. We pray for those in Purgatory, that they may soon be with God in heaven.
Hell is for those who have willingly chosen to reject God and his love. If we persist in a state of serious sin, we damn ourselves to hell.
At the end of time, our Lord will come again to judge the living and the dead. All souls will be rejoined with their bodies, and those in Purgatory will be joined to the blessed in heaven. The Last Judgement will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death.
The Catholic Church teaches that humanity will face two judgements:
Individual judgement / particular judgement
Last judgement
Individual judgement / particular judgement
The Church teaches that individual judgement, also called particular judgement, happens at the moment when we die. We will be judged on how we have lived our life. Souls will then go to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory depending on their actions while living. More on this in the following sections below.
Last judgement
The Church teaches that final judgement will come at the end of time, when all of humanity will be raised from the dead and body and soul will be reunited. All will be judged by Christ who will have returned in all his glory. The teaching on last judgement is reflected in the Gospels in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
Can you show me how we are being judged and what we are being judged of after we die (in individual judgement)?
Following are records of testimony and/or accounts from Saints and mystic of the Church:
1. Gloria Polo's testimony
Refer to this section how Gloria Polo was judged in afterlife according to her Book of Life.
2. Saint Bridget of Sweden
Jesus showed Saint Bridget how a soul is judged in detail!
What is Purgatory? What happens in Purgatory?
Purgatory is a place of soul purification. Jesus Christ has already forgiven the sins of those souls in purgatory. That’s why they are destined to go to heaven after purgatory.
However, these souls are not yet in a shape ready for heaven. Those in heaven must be perfect and sin no more. These souls in purgatory are being transformed into a state for heaven.
Purgatory is real. Let's watch following videos to understand more:
1. Maria Simma's encounters with souls of the dead
Maria Simma describes exactly what happens to the souls in purgatory, what they experience, and how purgatory is divided. She shares not only that purgatory is real, but also how much suffering those poor souls in purgatory experience.
2. Friar Danielle Natale
Friar Daniele Natale, a friend and spiritual son of Padre Pio, who experienced something truly unique. Declared dead, he returned to life to share his vision of Purgatory, the suffering he endured, and the powerful message he left us. He also shared that 3 hours in purgatory felt like 300 years.
3. St. Frances of Rome
St. Frances of Rome was granted such a vision on the different levels of purgatory. The lowest level is like a vast burning sea, where the persons undergo various sufferings related to the sins they committed on earth. The middle level is less rigorous, but still unpleasant. The highest level of Purgatory is populated by those who are closest to being released. These persons suffer mainly the pain of loss: that of yearning for God and of not yet truly possessing Him.
4. From the manuscript of Sister M. de L.C., written from 1874-1890
A nun from France who had died on February 22, 1871 at the age of 36 began appearing to Sister M. de L.C. in November 1873 (2-1/2 years later).
The manuscript contains following excerpts:
"I can tell you about the different degrees of Purgatory because I have passed through them. In the great Purgatory there are several stages. In the lowest and most painful, it is like a temporary hell, and here there are the sinners who have committed terrible crimes during life and whose death surprised them in that state. It was almost a miracle that they were saved, and often by the prayers of holy parents or other pious persons. Sometimes they did not even have time to confess their sins and the world thought them lost, but God, whose mercy is infinite, gave them at the moment of death the contrition necessary for their salvation on account of one or more good actions which they performed during life. For such souls, Purgatory is terrible. It is a real hell with this difference, that in hell they curse God, whereas we bless Him and thank Him for having saved us.
Next to these come the souls, who though they did not commit great crimes like the others, were indifferent to God. They did not fulfill their Easter duties and were also converted at the point of death. Many were unable to receive Holy Communion. They are in Purgatory for the long years of indifference. They suffer unheard of pains and are abandoned either without prayers or if they are said for them, they are not allowed to profit by them. There are in this stage of Purgatory religious of both sexes, who were tepid, neglectful of their duties, indifferent towards Jesus, also priests who did not exercise their sacred ministry with the reverence due to the Sovereign Majesty and who did not instill the love of God sufficiently into the souls confided to their care. I was in this stage of Purgatory.
In the second Purgatory are the souls of those who died with venial sins not fully expiated before death, or with mortal sins that have been forgiven but for which they have not made entire satisfaction to the Divine Justice. In this part of Purgatory, there are also different degrees according to the merits of each soul.
Thus the Purgatory of the consecrated souls or of those who have received more abundant graces, is longer and far more painful than that of ordinary people of the world.
Lastly, there is the Purgatory of desire which is called the Threshold. Very few escape this. To avoid it altogether, one must ardently desire Heaven and the vision of God. That is rare, rarer than people think, because even pious people are afraid of God and have not, therefore, a sufficiently strong desire of going to Heaven. This Purgatory has its very painful martyrdom like the others. The deprivation of the sight of our loving Jesus adds to the intense suffering."
5. A nun in Belgium saved her father from purgatory
An account of how a nun saved her father (who was a devoted Catholic) from purgatory.
Can we avoid Purgatory? What do we need to do to avoid Purgatory?
Following information from Saints of the Church:
1. St. Thérèse of Lisieux - Doctor of the Church for the third millennium
St Therese of Lisieux is a great saint who had a simple way to avoid purgatory. It is very powerful. The following is just one quote of hers:
"You do not have enough trust. You have too much fear before the good God. I can assure you that He is grieved over this. You should not fear Purgatory because of the suffering there, but should instead ask that you not deserve to go there in order to please God, Who so reluctantly imposes this punishment. As soon as you try to please Him in everything and have an unshakable trust He purifies you every moment in His love and He lets no sin remain. And then you can be sure that you will not have to go to Purgatory."
She even said that we would offend God if we didn’t trust enough that we would get to heaven right after dying. When she found out that her novices talked occasionally that they would probably have to expect to be in Purgatory, she corrected them saying: “Oh! How you grieve me! You do a great injury to God in believing you’re going to Purgatory. When we love, we can’t go there.” (https://archives.carmeldelisieux.fr/correspondance/de-soeur-marie-de-leucharistie-a-mr-guerin-8-juillet-1897/)
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun from the 1700s, experienced extraordinary visions in which Jesus showed her His Sacred Heart and spoke of His infinite love for each of us. In this video, you will hear the very words Jesus spoke and discover how we can all be saved through devotion to the Sacred Heart.
3. St. Faustina Kowalska
At a time when some Catholics had an image of God as such a strict judge that they might be tempted to despair about the possibility of being forgiven, Jesus chose to emphasize his mercy and forgiveness for sins acknowledged and confessed. He once told Saint Faustina:
"In the Old Covenant I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My People. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force Me to do so; My hand is reluctant to take hold of the sword of justice. Before the Day of Justice I am sending the Day of Mercy." (Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, 1588)
"Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion." (Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, 1146)
"I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: 'Jesus, I trust in You'." (Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, 327)
The Blessed Virgin Mary promised seven graces to those who honor her daily by saying seven Hail Mary's and meditating on her tears and dolors (sorrows) and propagate this devotion. The devotion was passed on by St. Bridget of Sweden.
"I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy."
Does Holy Bible have any mention of purgatory?
Following are several verses in the Bible that touch on purgatory:
"But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15)
"Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny" (Matthew 5: 26)
"In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison" (1 Peter 3:19)
We would like to dedicate this site to the incredible story and testimony
of Gloria Polo for her near-death experience and her miraculous recovery,
including what she has shared with us - how she was judged after life
according to her Book of Life - and moreover, how Jesus' grace and mercy
interceded for her in her final moment.
Credit for testimony of Gloria Polo goes to GloriaPolo.net
