Venerable Fulton Sheen on Purgatory

Why is there a Purgatory? Venerable Fulton Sheen explained it is there for two reasons: so that the Love of God tempers the Justice of God, and the love of man tempers the injustice of man. So what is that mean? Let us look at the first reason. When we reach that moment to stand in front of God's Judgement Seat, will we be certain that we are pure and spotless enough, that our souls are not stained with any venial sin? Unless we are Martyrs or Saints, how many of us would bold enough to say that our white garment which we received in our Baptism is as white as snow that we may have Everlasting Life? Because God is all pure, so Justice demands that no unclean souls can enter Heaven and stand before the face of God but only the pure of heart, as in the Book of Revelation: '...there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie...' (Rev 21:27). If Purgatory does not exist, souls with any imperfections must be rejected mercilessly by God's infinite Justice, as well as those who have not paid their debts down to the last penny...Therefore, Purgatory exists because God's Love, because God forgives. He plunges them into this purifying place where they can wash their robes white again, into this cleansing flames where 'He can resurrect them like the phoenix of old from the ashes of their own sufferings', to enter into the City of Pure - Heaven. Second reason, the Venerable Archbishop said most of us are quite unconscious of the injustice and the ingratitude and the thanklessness of our lives until death touched our loved ones. Then we realised, and regret, and some may shed bitter tears for those unsaid words and undone deeds, but all seems too late. Maybe not. Because we believe there is Purgatory. And he encouraged us: "... for it enables hearts who are left behind to break the barriers of time and death, to convert unspoken words into prayers...unoffered flowers into alms, and undone acts of kindness into help for Eternal Life...enables us to atone for our ingratitude, because through our prayers, modifications and sacrifices, it makes it possible to bring joy and consolation to the ones we love. Love is stronger than death and hence there should be love for those who have gone before us."

(Source: Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, "Catholic Catechism - Lesson 45: Purgatory", recorded in 1965)