What Do Catholics Believe Will Happen To Them When They Die?
At the point of death, Catholics believe their soul separates from their earthly body. They face an immediate judgement by God who decides whether the person enters Heaven, goes to Purgatory or is damned to Hell. The Church accepts that most souls will go to Purgatory. This, in theological terms, is when the soul undergoes a period of purification from the sins committed on earth in preparation to enter into God's heavenly kingdom that is ultimately paradise. Those who are in complete denial of their maker, refusing to ask forgiveness for their sins, will be condemned to hell.
The concept of Purgatory is the reason why Catholics pray for people who have died, so that their souls and all the souls of the "faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace". Catholics particularly pray for their deceased loved ones on November 2nd, All Souls Day, and also throughout the month of November which is dedicated to the departed.
answered 2 years ago
The bible actually states that only 144,000 go to heaven they are the anointed ones.
Everyone else will live in paradise upon earth.
Hell is the grave where we all go until we are resurrected after Armageddon, this is when God will judge us.
If we die at Armageddon we will not be resurrected.
answered 2 years ago
The bible doesn't state that only 144,000 go to heaven. It mentions that there are 144,000 of the children of all the tribes of Israel, but there is nothing that even hints that they are the only ones in heaven. If you study the apocalyptic style of writing you would understand that the 144,000 annointed ones are symbolic of the perfection of heaven and the creator of heaven. If you read the Acts of the Apostles you will see that > 250,000 were saved in the short time after Christ death. The kingdom is already here!
I was raised Roman Catholic myself and from what I have read here-Marsy's answer is closest to what we believe (or rather-what I was taught). We believe in Heaven, purgatory (where we go to "pay for our sins") and Hell. I am NOT sure where we go after our physical deaths BUT I personally believe that THIS
EARTH is "purgatory"! Just my personal opinion. Overall, I'd
say Marsy had has the most accurate answer of what Catholics
believe happens to us when we die.
answered 1 year ago
I'm in agreement with Marcy -given half my family are Catholic in Faith. I can't however understand where this idea of Purgatory came from. I also cannot find any examples in Holy Scripture where anyone prays for a deceased person. I never could understand in various Faiths (including my own) why we have to change things. What was wrong with the way the Apostles and Disciples did things?
answered 1 year ago
Ask questions on any topic, get great answers from real people for FREE. Blurtit has hundreds of thousand of members so your sure to get the answer your looking for.