The faithful Christians who have died and gone before us must still atone for their sins. The time they spend in Purgatory cleanses their soul so that they can enter Heaven free from all stain of sin. The Baltimore Catechism defines Purgatory as a state in which those who suffer for a time are guilty of venial sins or without satisfying the punishment due to their sins.
In section 1030 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we read: All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
Since few people achieve perfection in this life but, rather, go to the grave still scarred with traces of sinfulness, some period of purification seems necessary before a soul comes face-to-face with God. The prayers of the living can speed the process of purification.
Praying for the dead, especially for those we have known, is a requirement of Christian charity. Our own prayers and sacrifices can be offered up to relieve their suffering. As our prayers rise up to Heaven, mercy pours on the souls in Purgatory in torrents of grace, forgiveness, freedom and glory.
“We need to be greedy for graces for the souls in purgatory,” said Susan Tassone, author of several books to help release the holy souls in purgatory. “When the soul leaves the body, the time for merit is up. The soul is helpless. That’s why they need our prayers — the Rosary, Adoration, the Way of the Cross and, most of all, the Mass. The Masses we have offered for the souls in purgatory are the best gift we can give to our beloved dead. That’s because the Mass is the highest form of worship, the highest form of prayer.”
St. Padre Pio said: “I have made a pact with the Lord; when my soul has been purified in the flames of purgatory and deemed worthy to be admitted to the presence of God, I will take my place at the gate of paradise, but I shall not enter until I have seen the last of my spiritual children enter.”
St. John of the Cross wrote when asked if souls can avoid purgatory: “Divine providence always provides in every life the purification that is needed to allow us to go straight to heaven when we die.” What St. John of the Cross means is that God in His mercy allows trials, suffering, sicknesses and hardships to fall upon us during life so that we can go straight to heaven when we die. Why then do we not go straight to heaven? Simply because when such hardships and sufferings come upon us we rebel. We do not want to carry our cross after Jesus. [From a homily by Fr. Tommy Lane, Ireland]