Punishment, Temporal and Eternal

 BASIC R.C.BELIEF

BASIC R.C. BELIEF

Roman Catholicism teaches that when we sin we steal from God. If we were to steal from a man we would not only ask his forgiveness but also pay him back, so when we tell God we're sorry we are forgiven the eternal punishment, but we still have to pay God back. This is called the temporal punishment. The eternal punishment, absolved in Confession, is Hell. The temporal punishment may be satisfied by good works, almsgiving, saying indulgenced prayers and bearing our Cross. Temporal punishment not fully paid on earth is completed in purgatory. (EXTERNALS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, Msgr. Sullivan, p. 376)

Dr. Ludwig Ott, in FUNDAMENTALS OF CATHOLIC DOGMA, page 441, states, "By an indulgence (indulgentia) is understood the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment of sin remaining after the forgiveness of the guilt of sin. This remission is valid in the sight of God, and it is granted by the Church out of Her treasury of satisfaction.

From PENANCE AND THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK, Catholic Enquiry Centre, London. p. 109. "The stain of sin is washed away in the sacrament of Penance and the life of Christ is fully restored. But the sinner must continue to make amends for his sins. The remnants and effects of sin still remain after it has been forgiven and the penitent must strive gradually to remove them by prayer, good works and acts of penance."

POST VATICAN II

From EXPRESSIONS OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH, Kevin Johnson, Imp: Charles Grahmann, Bishop of Dallas, p. 92. "Sin, even after forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, merits punishment on Earth or in Purgatory. Temporal punishment, punishment that lasts only a time, is one of the ways that the sinner makes his adjustment to God. The Church has the power to remit a person from this punishment (check, for instance, Mt 16:17-19) with an indulgence, provided, again, that the person is in the state of grace, has the intention of gaining the indulgence, and performs the required acts.