EWTN Catholic Q&A |
purgatory Question from PJ on 11-12-2012: |
Fr. Eckert, You mention purgatory is for EITHER unpaid temporal
punishment due to sin OR a cleansing of desire or habit
to sin. It is understandable that indulgences may be
used to remit temporal punishment....but how is it that a
plenary indulgence can possibly cleanse someone of their
desire or habit (i.e. attachment) to sin. Please clarify
how someone else's merits can make this happen. |
Answer by Fr. John Echert on 11-20-2012: |
In order to gain a plenary (full) indulgence, a person must be free from all attachment to
sin. Less than that and the indulgence is partial. And subsequent to obtaining a plenary
indulgence, if someone has an attachment to sin and dies, then the indulgence would
not satisfy or atone for that subsequent attachment. Thanks, PJ Father Echert www.ewtn.com |