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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Can the average person avoid purgatory?	Anne	Monday, February 20, 2017
Question: Dear Brother Ignatius, I am wondering why it is said that most go to purgatory when there are so many ways of avoiding it. For example, the anointing of the sick can remit all or most of the punishment due, and then there's the Apostolic Pardon. Cannot these people ask for that? And of course there are many prayers for getting different indulgences during our lifetime. If they have an opportunity to have a priest administer the anointing and and get the apostolic pardon, then why would purgatory be a problem?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Anne: Yes, the ordinary person can avoid purgatory. The Saints were ordinary people. Most people probably go to purgatory because they do not live lives that are prayerful and holy. Most people are attached to their venial sins and lazy about their prayers. Beyond that I think that most people do not know about the Apostolic Blessing and thus do not know to ask for it, which is a tragedy. The Apostolic Pardon will allow a person to go to heaven directly because it is a Plenary Indulgence. The Blessing can be applied by the Church to someone even if no priest is available, but such a pardon does have conditions. The Handbook on Indulgences states: 28. The Moment of Death (In articulo mortis) To the faithful in danger of death, who cannot be assisted by a priest to bring them the sacraments and impart the Apostolic Blessing with its plenary indulgence (see can. 468, 2 of Code of Canon Law), Holy Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime. The use of a crucifix or a cross to gain this indulgence is praiseworthy. The condition: provided they have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime supplies in such cases for the three usual conditions required for the gaining of a plenary indulgence. The plenary indulgence at the point of death can be acquired by the faithful, even if they have already obtained another plenary indulgence on the same day. If a person has been a prayerful Christian during their lifetime, and are in a state of Grace when they die, the Church grants them the Plenary Indulgence even if there is no priest available to perform the Anointing of the Sick and impart the Apostolic Blessing. Since this is the case, one would think that most people could avoid purgatory. It is a matter of how a person lives their life. Catholics need to know that they can ask any priest for the Apostolic Blessing when they are dying, and if no priest is available, may still have the blessing if they are lived a life of prayer. This is a wonderful treasure of the Church that is largely forgotten. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Can the average person avoid purgatory?

Anne

Monday, February 20, 2017

Question:

Dear Brother Ignatius, I am wondering why it is said that most go to purgatory when there are so many ways of avoiding it. For example, the anointing of the sick can remit all or most of the punishment due, and then there's the Apostolic Pardon. Cannot these people ask for that? And of course there are many prayers for getting different indulgences during our lifetime. If they have an opportunity to have a priest administer the anointing and and get the apostolic pardon, then why would purgatory be a problem?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Anne:

Yes, the ordinary person can avoid purgatory. The Saints were ordinary people. Most people probably go to purgatory because they do not live lives that are prayerful and holy. Most people are attached to their venial sins and lazy about their prayers. Beyond that I think that most people do not know about the Apostolic Blessing and thus do not know to ask for it, which is a tragedy.

The Apostolic Pardon will allow a person to go to heaven directly because it is a Plenary Indulgence. The Blessing can be applied by the Church to someone even if no priest is available, but such a pardon does have conditions. The Handbook on Indulgences states:

28. The Moment of Death (In articulo mortis)

To the faithful in danger of death, who cannot be assisted by a priest to bring them the sacraments and impart the Apostolic Blessing with its plenary indulgence (see can. 468, 2 of Code of Canon Law), Holy Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime. The use of a crucifix or a cross to gain this indulgence is praiseworthy.

The condition: provided they have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime supplies in such cases for the three usual conditions required for the gaining of a plenary indulgence.

The plenary indulgence at the point of death can be acquired by the faithful, even if they have already obtained another plenary indulgence on the same day.

If a person has been a prayerful Christian during their lifetime, and are in a state of Grace when they die, the Church grants them the Plenary Indulgence even if there is no priest available to perform the Anointing of the Sick and impart the Apostolic Blessing.

Since this is the case, one would think that most people could avoid purgatory. It is a matter of how a person lives their life.

Catholics need to know that they can ask any priest for the Apostolic Blessing when they are dying, and if no priest is available, may still have the blessing if they are lived a life of prayer.

This is a wonderful treasure of the Church that is largely forgotten.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum