Purgatory is not an essential doctrine, but an optional one, just like limbo?

In the following posts, I will be attempting to share some sort of a Q & A series taken from Karl Keating's book "What Catholics Really Believe" which I thought was pretty appropriate for this blog's originally intended purpose, and that is to educate and inform Lukewarm Christians, in particular Catholics, about common misconceptions of our Catholic faith and teachings and thereby find ourselves living the faith merely in mediocrity or none at all. Sometimes I may add or edit a few to make some more points or extra emphasis.

#31 Purgatory is not an essential doctrine, but an optional one, just like limbo?

Double mistake: 1. Putting purgatory and limbo at the same doctrinal level. 2. Saying purgatory is an optional doctrine.

Pope Gregory the Great Saving the Souls of Purgatory by Sebastiano Ricci oil painting

Purgatory is a defined dogma of the Catholic faith. Meaning, as a Catholic you MUST believe in it.

Limbo has a different status. It arises from theological speculation, not revelation. If you find the speculation convincing, you may believe in limbo but if you find it unconvincing, that's fine too, you have the option not to believe in it. Probably it is fair to say, today, fewer theologians writing in favor of limbo than there were 50 years ago. When they refer to limbo, they mean the limbo of infants, where unbaptized infants are said to go, as distinguished from the limbo of the Fathers, where good people who died before Jesus' resurrection were waiting for heaven to be opened to them. Since the limbo of the Fathers is specifically mentioned in 1st Peter 3:19, Catholics must believe it.

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Anyone can receive Communion at Mass?

In the following posts, I will be attempting to share some sort of a Q & A series taken from Karl Keating's book "What Catholics Really Believe" which I thought was pretty appropriate for this blog's originally intended purpose, and that is to educate and inform Lukewarm Christians, in particular Catholics, about common misconceptions of our Catholic faith and teachings and thereby find ourselves living the faith merely in mediocrity or none at all. Sometimes I may add or edit a few to make some more points or added emphasis.

#16 Anyone who wants to can receive Communion at Mass?

Incorrect. In order to be disposed properly to receive Communion, communicants should not be conscious of grave sin, have fasted for an hour, and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors. Persons conscious of grave sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church through the sacrament of Penance (confession). A frequent reception of the sacrament of penance is encouraged for all. In other words, you must be in the state of grace to receive Communion. If you are not, you commit sacrilege (which is irreverence toward what is sacred). Sacrilege is a sin (1 Cor. 11:27).

"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord." - 1 Cor. 11:27

What is grave sin? Grave sin is the same as a serious sin or mortal sin. We call such sin mortal because it mortally wounds the soul. These include any serious infractions of the "7 deadlies" (pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, sloth). The most popular sins in our culture are those which disqualify one from receiving Communion: abortion, contraception, adultery, fornication. Mortal sin is any sin which fulfills 3 conditions: 1.) It involves a serious matter. 2.) You give your full consent to it. 3.) You are fully aware.

As for Non-Catholics attending Mass, Catholics believe that the Eucharist is an action of the celebrating community signifying a oneness in faith, life and worship of the community. Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us (e.g. Protestants) would imply a oneness which does not yet exist and for which we must all pray. We Catholics welcome them to the celebration of the Eucharist who are not fully united with us, but again, it is a consequence of the sad divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend to them a general invitation to receive Communion (just like the aforementioned Catholics who are aware of mortal sin, haven't gone to confession, cannot receive Communion as well).

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Thank you.

Find Karl Keating's book at Amazon

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