Pastoral Answers

with

Monsignor M. Francis Mannion

Purgatory in Scripture

Question:  Where is the refrence to purgatory in the Old Testament?  And is purgatory mentioned explicityly in other places in the Bible?

Name Withheld, Saginaw, Michigan

Answer:  The passage in the Old Testament most referred to as foreshadowing the Christian belief in purgatory is found in the Second Book of Maccabees (12:43-46): "Judas then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiratory sacrifice.  In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death.  But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.  Thus he made atonement for the dead that they mights be freed from their sin."

The Catholic belief in purgatory is not mentioned explicitly in the Bible.  Rather, it derives from three fundamental biblical beliefs.  First, people often die in imperfection.  Second, dying in imperfection does not separate us from God forever-which would be hell.  Third, Christ reaches out to us in death and seeks to form us in His image, the end point of which is eternal life in heaven.  This process of divine redemption after death is what the process of purgatory is all about.

Bereavement

Question:  Our parish recently began training special minsters of bereavement.  I thought we were all supposed to take care of those who are mourning.  Where in the Church documents is the idea of specially trained ministers of bereavement mentioned?

Name and address withheld

Answer:  The fundamental instuitions of your question are solid.  The notion of specially trainined ministers of bereavement is not found in official Church documents.  The General Introduction to the Order of Christian Funerals has a very expressive section on the notion of Christian consolation, addressed to all Christians:  "When a member of Christ's body dies, the faithful are called to a ministry of consolation to those who have suffered the loss of one whom they love."  Accordintly, "the Church calls each member of Christ's body-priest, deacon, layperson-to participate in the ministry of consolation: to care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn." (No.8)

It adds: "The responsibility for the ministry of consolations rests with the believing community, which heeds the words and example of the Lord Jesus: 'Blessed are they who mourn; they shall be consoled.' (mt. 5:4)  Each Christian shares in this minsitry according to the various gifts and offices in the Church." (no.9)

Most of all, "the community's principal involvement in the ministry of consolation is expressed in its active participation in the celebration of the funeral rites." (no. 11)

The ministry of bereavement and consolation belongs to the whole parish community.  All are called to reach out to the bereaved according to their various gifts and talents.  The notion of a superior of exclusive group of bereavement ministers goes against the Church's understanding of the ministry of the laity.

That said, it seems perfectly reasonable that a pastor should be able to call upon a group of people with special abilities in this area, a group of trained laity who assist-not replace-the whole parish community in the various tasks associated with death and funerals.

Monsignor M. Francis Mannion is a priest and theologian of the Diocese of Salt Lake City.  Send your questions and comments to mfmannion@osv.com or Pastoral Answers, Our Sunday Visitor, 200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, IN, 42750.  Letters must be signed, but anonymity may be requested.

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