Ask the Priest Questions

Ask Your Question Now!
• Have a question about your faith? About Jesus Christ or the Bible?
• Are you questioning something about the Catholic Church or its teachings?
• Looking for an answer to a tough question?
Ask us! We'll work to get you an answer from one of our parish priests. From time to time, we will select certain questions we receive and post them (question and answer) below in order to help others that might have the same question. All posted questions and answers will remain anonymous.
Please mail your questions to:  askthepriest@stmarychurchnj.org
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A Recently Asked Question:
I’m confused about the concept of Limbo and Purgatory. Specifically, if my death enters my soul into eternity, and it needs cleansing before entering heaven in Purgatory, for a specific “time” period, how is that measured?

Answer:

Purgatory is not a place in the physical sense. Remember we have died so now our existence is spiritual. It is a state of existence where we do not yet know the experience of the presence of God in its fullness. We journey spiritually through a period of purification during which we are readied for Heaven. We have no knowledge of its being for a certain amount of time. When you think of as time is not a concern in eternity nor is it measurable like we measure minutes hours and days. This is the state through which God has planned for those with imperfections on their soul to be able to move towards heaven. It is a great solace to me in my spiritual life and a state of existence which is full of hope as it has in the end the promise of Heaven. That is why I have no worry regarding time there as that won't be a concern. 

As for Limbo very recently we heard from Pope Benedict an assurance for all of us that unbaptized infants who traditionally were candidates for the state of Limbo enter into heaven. In the tradition of the Church Limbo was the state of existence for those unbaptized infants. You can find documents on this transition of teaching in the web site of the Vatican.

MJW