Particular Judgment Versus Final Judgment

The particular judgment is what happens at a person’s death. God judges the person, who either enters into eternal life (purgatory and heaven) or hell.

The final judgment occurs at the end of time when all the dead are resurrected. The righteous inherit the new world and the wicked are condemned to hell.

The first is “private” and occurs immediately after death. The second is “public” and occurs on the Last Day at the resurrection. The judgment does not change, just the manner in which it is revealed.