A Brief Description of Purgatory

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes purgatory this way:

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. (Catechism, 1030)

Purgatory is a state of purification for those who have died without mortal sin but still need to be purified from venial sins.  The reason for this is that nothing unholy can stand before God (Rev. 21:27) and we need to be completely purified of sin before we can experience the Beatific Vision.

For more information on what the Catholic Church teaches about purgatory, click here.