Question corner Q: What scriptural basis is there for praying for the dead, for their repose, or for praying to the dead, for their intercessions? And in a related way, what scriptural basis is there for the Catholic practice of “relics,” such as saving a person’s bone fragments? My Protestant friends say these practices are […]
Jenna Marie Cooper: Indulgences help us, those in purgatory
Question corner Q: Please explain what an indulgence is and how it can reduce or eliminate the time a soul must spend in purgatory. A: Indulgences are perhaps one of the more misunderstood parts of Catholic practice. But indulgences are deeply rooted in several key Catholic theological concepts, such as the nature of purgatory, the […]
Jenna Marie Cooper: Purgatory readies us for heaven
Question corner Q: When I was evangelical, we said a “saved” person went immediately to heaven at death. In a recent homily our priest said most Christians, including himself, will likely go to purgatory at death. How can Jesus’ shed blood pay for a person’s sins, but the person doesn’t go to heaven at death? […]
