Praying for the Dead and Doctrine of Purgatory

Praying For The Dead and the Doctrine of Purgatory.

Praying for the dead is undoubtedly a profession of  belief in the purification of souls after death. Since the souls in heaven or in Hell do not need prayers, there must exist a state or condition, whereby a soul after death stands in need of prayers and God’s mercy.

The Protestant’s objection to the doctrine of Purgatory stems from a total denial of the above mentioned state or condition of a soul. As a result, they do not pray for the souls of the dead,  regarding it as pagan.

From the scriptures we read in:

2Maccabees12:46; “It is therefore a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosened from their sins.”

In 2Tim. 1:16 -18, St. Paul prayed for a dead friend Onesiphorus.

The early Christians baptized themselves on behalf of the dead(see 1 cor. 15:29-30), a practice which was never condemned by the apostles.

Christ confirmed the existence of this state in Matt.12:32, where He said, “the sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this world or IN THE NEXT.” Thereby attesting to the truth that souls after death may stand in need of grace or purification. Interpreting it otherwise will only lead  to making blasphemous claims which is unbecoming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Purgatory is the condition of souls which, at the moment of death, are in the state of grace, but which have not completely expiated their faults, nor attained the degree of purity necessary to enjoy the vision of God; for it is  written, “nothing unclean shall enter it”(Rev. 21:27).

St. John explains that there are sins that are not mortal (in 1 John 5: 16 – 17) i.e the  non-damnable (Venial) sins. Hence, when souls who die in state of God’s grace bear these venial sins, they must be purified; they “will not be released until they have paid the last penny”(Matt. 5:26).

Truly, there exist a place or state of purification of soul after death for “Christ preached to the SPIRITS IN PRISON” (1 Peter 3: 18 – 20). If these spirits where in heaven or in hell, they wouldn’t need the gospel, would they? Referring to these souls St. Peter wrote, “this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead.”(1 Peter 4:6)

St. Paul taught about several ways a soul  might gain heaven, at the end of this life’s work. 1.)By direct entrance and 2.)by purification.

1 cor . 3:14 -15; “If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

The lack of faith and ignorance of Catholics has made the dogma of purgatory not only the most forgotten by Catholics, but also one of the most attacked doctrines of the Catholic Church by the Protestants. “Our notions on the subject of purgatory are too vague, our faith too feeble.”(Fr. F.X. Schouppe S.J.)

Protestant Objections

1.) It is appointed unto man to die and after death is judgement. Therefore the doctrine of purgatory is false.

Ans. The holy souls in purgatory are ALREADY judged, in fact they are heavenly candidates who will never go to hell. The doctrine of purgatory is true.

2.)The Book of Maccabees and other Deuterocanonicals are Catholic fabrications.

Really? what evidence do you have, to prove the authenticity of the other 66 books. For all the books in the Bible including the 66 books, were compiled by the Catholic Church.

3.) The word “Purgatory” is not in the Bible.

Is the word “Rapture” in the bible?  What about the word “Trinity”, or words such as “Christmas” and “Easter” which are feasts also celebrated by Protestants. Are we to gloss over their “Prosperity Gospels”, “Holy-Ghost-Fire” prayers and Insane Babblings(Speaking in tongues) which are either wholly unbiblical or distorted in meaning.

Christ NEVER wrote a book, He NEVER instructed his disciples to write a book neither did He command us to believe ONLY in the Bible. As such it is quite reasonable to hold both the Bible and the Oral Traditions as the source of truth.

St. Paul wrote in 2Thess. 2:15, “Stand firm and hold the traditions taught by us either BY WORD OF MOUTH or BY LETTER.”

Requiem ætérnam dóna éis Domine: et lux perpétual lúceat éis.