Roman Catholics Worldwide Praying in Cemeteries to Free Souls From 'Purgatory' November 1-8
By Heather Clark on November 5, 2018

As has been the custom for the past 50 years, Roman Catholics worldwide who pray at a cemetery between Nov. 1-8—and follow other requirements—are being offered a plenary indulgence to free their loved one from Purgatory and send their soul to Heaven. The practice has been said to be unbiblical for a number of reasons.

"Purgatory is a travesty on the justice of God and a disgraceful fabrication that robs Christ Jesus of His glory and honor," Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries in Plano, Texas told Christian News Network. "He alone satisfied divine justice, once and for all, by the perfect and finished sacrifice of Himself."

“The fatal deception of Purgatory blinds Catholics from the glorious gospel of grace," he said. "It is one of Satan's many lies that keep his captives from knowing and trusting the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. It is Christ alone who will present us ‘faultless before the presence of His glory’ (Jude 24)."

"We can wield unimaginable power for the souls in purgatory during the week of All Souls Day, from Nov. 1-8," wrote author Patti Armstrong in an article entitled "How to Help Free the Souls in Purgatory," published by the National Catholic Register on Nov. 2. "If we visit a cemetery and pray for a soul in purgatory, they a can be released by us; one on every one of those days."

Nov. 1 marked All Saints Day in the Roman Catholic Church, followed by All Souls Day, which began an octave in which adherents of the religion are offered—under certain requirements—a plenary, or complete, indulgence for a deceased loved one or friend. On all other days of the year, the indulgence is only partial.

While indulgences were especially common during the days of Reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546), who strongly rebuked the practice, the November offering is a more recent declaration, issued by the Vatican under the leadership of Paul VI on June 29, 1968.

"An indulgence, applicable only to the souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is partial on any day except from the 1st to the 8th of November; on those days it is plenary," the "Regulations on Indulgences" reads.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other Catholic writings, Roman Catholics believe that there are two types of sin: grave sins, or willful violations of the law of God that send one to Hell, and venial sins, those that are more minor and would not jeopardize a person's salvation.

Catholic teachings also state that while a person may be forgiven of the guilt of sin through Christ's sacrifice, a temporal punishment for that sin still remains. The person therefore must either do penance to purge themselves on Earth or be purged in a temporary suffering in the hereafter since Heaven can only accept that which is perfectly pure.

"The whole penitential system of the Church testifies that the voluntary assumption of penitential works has always been part of true repentance, and … God does not always remit the whole punishment due to sin together with the guilt. God requires satisfaction, and will punish sin, and this doctrine involves as its necessary consequence a belief that the sinner failing to do penance in this life may be punished in another world, and so not be cast off eternally from God," the Catholic Encyclopedia outlines.

The doctrine was stated to have been solidified during the Councils of Florence (1439) and Trent (1545-1563), and Catholics further point to the apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees 12, which states, "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."

Therefore, to assist those seeking to have their sins atoned for in this life, or to stand in the gap on behalf of the dead, the Catholic Catechism outlines that Roman Catholic leadership "by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus" offers indulgences as a means of intervention "in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins."

Each November since 1968, the Vatican has offered the living the stated opportunity to obtain plenary indulgences for the dead, so that they might be completely freed from Purgatory and go to Heaven.

One plenary indulgence per day can be obtained during the eight-day period, and to obtain the indulgence, one must visit the cemetery to pray for the departed, receive communion, go to confession, and pray for the pope, with the minimum being the recitation of the Our Father and the Hail Mary. Other rituals may also be employed.

"The more we do for them (the dead) the more powerful their intercession becomes for us, both in purgatory and before the throne of God," Susan Tassone, author of "The Way of the Cross for the Holy Souls in Purgatory," told the National Catholic Register in an article published on Nov. 2 entitled "Praying for the Dead: Catholic Liturgies and Practices."

IS IT BIBLICAL?

However, Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries told Christian News Network that he finds it lamentable that those who presented the concept of Purgatory to the world many years ago "had the audacity to declare that the suffering and death of God's perfect man and man's perfect substitute was not sufficient to satisfy divine justice for sin."

He said that when his own father passed away, friends even purchased mass cards so that prayers would be said for him following his death.

"When my own dear dad passed away as a devout Catholic of 79 years, I was amazed at the hundreds of mass cards purchased for him by well-meaning friends. We have heard of other Catholics who have willed their entire estates to their religion so that perpetual masses could be offered for them after they die," Gendron recalled. "It is no wonder that the Catholic religion has become the richest institution in the world. The buying and selling of God’s grace has been a very lucrative business for the Vatican."

He said that when the concept of purgatory is compared to Scripture, it does not add up.

"God's word leaves absolutely no possibility for sin to be purged away by anything other than the blood of Jesus Christ," Gendron declared. "The Apostle John penned these words with irrefutable clarity: 'The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin' and 'all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:7, 9). John did not say 'some' sins or 'most' sins, but all sins! This soundly rebukes the need for a sin-purging fire."

He outlined that those who put their faith in Christ are completely freed not just from the guilt of sin, but also the penalty of it.

"God's word also declares, 'All things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness' (Hebrews 9:22). When Jesus 'made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high' (Hebrews 1:3)," he noted. "Those who desire to have their sins purged need to trust a person, not a place. The blood of Christ is the only cleansing agent for sin! Those who come to the cross of Christ must come with empty hands of faith, bringing nothing but their sins."

Gendron, a former Roman Catholic for over 30 years who now encourages Catholics to think biblically, further pointed to Scripture's teaching that when believers leave their body, they are "present with the Lord," and therefore not in an in-between state.

"Every blood-bought believer is instantly present with their Redeemer at the moment of death. To be 'absent from the body' is to be 'at home with the Lord' (2 Corinthians 5:6–8)," he said. "Catholics who believe in Purgatory need to be asked: 'Who is in charge of releasing souls from the purging fire?' It cannot be God because of His promise to believers. 'Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more' (Hebrews 10:17). After conversion, God no longer counts sins against His children (2 Corinthians 5:19)."

He urged those who are involved in Roman Catholicism to compare tradition to Scripture.

"The apostle Paul warned people about this when he wrote, 'See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ' (Colossians 2:8)," Gendron noted. "Jesus strongly rebuked the Jewish religious leaders of His day for nullifying the word of God with their traditions. He said, 'They worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.'"

"We must test every man's teaching and traditions by examining them through the lens of Scripture, which is the supreme authority for faith (Acts 17:11)," he said. "God has revealed His truth through His written word, not the traditions of men. We must trust and obey the Sovereign Lord, for our destiny is in His hands, not in the hands of the Catholic clergy."

Photo Credit: Micael Widell

Enoch07:


For 2018?

acenazt:


Catholics can be funny she. Soon dem go pray make Devil change

PaChukwudi44:


biko to pray for any soul in purgatory you don't need to go to a cemetery to do so.Furthermore Nov 2 the feast of all souls is the day dedicated to praying for the souls in purgatory.Praying for the dead is biblical and well captured in the book of macabees.If your bible is not complete that is your business

Thank you

OLAADEGBU:


https://christiannews.net/2018/11/05/roman-catholics-worldwide-praying-in-cemeteries-to-free-souls-from-purgatory-november-1-8/?

OLAADEGBU:


This is why Martin Luther kicked against this pagan practise. It is not in the inspired word of God.

PaChukwudi44:


Thank God martin Luther is not God.BTW You know nothing about the inspired word of God

OLAADEGBU:


What makes the word of God inspired?

PaChukwudi44:


The inspired books are the very books that was written under the inspiration of God.Now only 73 of such books were canonized by the catholic church.The first christian bible had 73 books and not 66 nor 83.I your bible is different from the bible with 73 books then you will have to call it something else

OLAADEGBU:


What criteria did you use in determining what book is God-breathed?

PaChukwudi44:


bros I was not amognst the church fathers that decided the books of the bible

ochibuogwu5:
Purgatory is the name defined by Catholic Doctrine
However there is a realm where the souls of those who did not hear the gospel before their biological death exist including aborted babies
Thus
Romans 11:32 "For God hath *concluded them all in unbelief*, that he might *have mercy upon all*."

Romans 8:20 "For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God"

Moses died and was buried (Deuteronomy 34:4-6), Elijah was taken up by the chariots of fire into Heaven yet he had no access to Heaven yet, both of them came to talk to Jesus on mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-ff) that is a confirmation they were not in hell or heaven. Jude 1:9 confirms that devil came to struggle for the body of Moses with Michael the archangel after His death.

Lazarus died and was in the grave for 4-days before Jesus came to raise him from death that is a confirmation that he was not in Heaven or hell rather another realm of the dead.

Jesus said that sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven in this world or in the world to come therefore there is a sin that can be forgiven in the world after biological death

After Jesus death on the Cross, His Spirit went to *the spirit of disobedient dead persons before His death to proclaim the gospel to them* (1 Peter 3:18-ff)

After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the tombs of the righteous under the law were opened, they came out of their tombs and were seen entering the holy city (Matthew 27:50-56)

Jesus said that the servant who knows what the master wants and does not do it will receive *uncountable strokes*; these are those who hear the gospel and refuse to believe therefore the *uncountable strokes is uncountable punishment of eternal-damnation in hell-fire*

Jesus said the servant who does not know what their master expects and does not do what he expects will receive *a few strokes*; these are those who did not hear the gospel and lived in disobedience till their biological death thus their *few stroke is staying in the prison where Jesus will visit them with His gospel as He did for the imprisoned spirit in 1 Peter 3:18 through believers who are carrying his gospel in the world now* because Jesus gives equal opportunity to everybody since He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8 )
(Luke 12:47-48)
Psalm 16:10-11 the Scriptures calls this realm Hades/Sheol thus "You will not allow the body of your holy one to remain in Hades..."
Revelation 20:11-15 confirms that *Hades will vomit human souls from its belly unto the judgment presence of God for the last judgment* after which *Hades itself will be thrown into hell-fire* and *all those whose name are not written *in the lambs book of life*
Hence there is a realm called Hades, another realm is *the seas*, another realm *death* which will continue to exist till the *last judgment* and human souls will continue to exist in them until the last judgment when they will be vomitted out before the throne of God *for judgment according to their deeds and those whose name are written in the lambs book of life*
Their deeds will not be the bases of *final decision* but *those whose names are written in the lambs book of life*

So the existence of other realms for dead human souls apart from heaven or hell-fire is *not an unbiblical teaching* however *purgatory as a realm where dead persons who believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified who offered one perfect and eternal sacrifice once and for all to sin is not correct*

Such realm is for those who did not have access to the gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified while in this world in their mortal-body and our prayers for them as *Jesus-Carriers will do the same thing recorded in 1 Peter 3:18*

Any human being who hears the gospel and rejects it until biological death has gone to hell-fire and there is no prayer that can help him (John 3:18, 36). This is what John called a sin unto death, any brethren who finds another committing a sin unto death should not pray for him. Those who commit a sin not unto death are those who commit any type of sin but they are still biologically alive, you can pray for these category of human beings and share the gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified with them and restore them unto *eternal-Life* however *every sin is wickedness before God* lest anybody will presume let me commit the sin now and repent later before biological death because *you might die at that sinful engagement and not have the opportunity of repentance* (1 John 5:16-17)

Any human being who hears the gospel and believes until biological death is present with the Lord (John 3:16, John 4:25, 2 Corinthian 5:1-10, Romans 14:7-9)

May the souls of the dead rest in peace. Amen.

Great Grace Brethren!!!

IDRWFB:


Cc OLAADEGBU.


What's your take?

OLAADEGBU:


Are you saying that their prayers concerning purgatory cannot be answered?