Protestantism, which emerged in 1517, has evolved over time but maintains four core pillars of funeral beliefs and practices: a visitation or wake, the funeral service, burial or cremation, and a reception. The idea of resurrection was not present in old Israel, but Persian influence led to its existence in the New Testament.
Cremation is one of the accepted Protestant death rituals, with less emphasis on rituals and a heavier focus on comfort and structure after loss. Most Protestant religions believe in an afterlife, and many funerals and memorial services include prayers for the soul of the deceased as well as for the comfort and support of the bereaved. Many Protestants also believe that on the day of judgment, the faithful will be resurrected to eternal life with God in Heaven, while those who do not believe in Jesus Christ will live eternally without God in Hell.
The Protestant funeral is usually held within three days of the death, with exceptions made due to special teachings. While Catholic funerals eulogized the deceased and interceded for them in their entry into eternal life, Protestants preached to the living, avoiding any suggestion of intercessions. Lutheran reformers affirmed the importance of the funeral ritual, but Protestants did not use specific rituals for funerals.
In contrast, Catholic funerals are more elaborate and ritualistic, with the 15th century Luther rejecting extreme unction and the ceremony around death. Protestant funerals focus on taking care of each other and looking after each other, with a visitation or wake where people can say their goodbyes. The burial or cremation process is typically carried out in a place of worship like a church or funeral home chapel.
📹 The Real Purpose of Funerals
Funerals are meant to help us cope with the loss of a loved one, but that is only one of many deeper purposes they serve. In this …
Do Protestants do cremation?
Protestant communities are demonstrating a growing inclination towards cremation as a funerary practice. This alternative to traditional burial can be conducted in a variety of ways, including interment, entombment in a mausoleum, or scattering of the cremains.
What is a typical Protestant funeral?
Protestant religions believe in an afterlife, which is why many funerals and memorial services include prayers for the deceased’s soul and the comfort of the bereaved. Commonalities include an opening statement by a minister or priest, prayers and hymns, hymnbooks, and shared Scripture from the Bible. Friends or family members offer remembrances, and the service usually ends with words from the minister or priest.
Appropriate attire for the funeral, including modest clothing, is important to show respect for the bereaved and deceased. Darker clothing is customary but not mandatory. An open or closed casket may be used, or cremation may have already occurred in advance. If a burial follows a church funeral service, it usually follows on the same day and is attended only by family members. Recording devices can be used with permission, but are generally discouraged in church funeral services. Food for the family is often offered before and after the funeral service.
Can Christians have altars?
Jesus offers his Body and Blood to the living and the dead, and then gives us his offered Body and Blood to be our food of eternal life. The Lord’s sacred table is the most sacred object in our churches, the great sign of Christ himself. It is the heart of the sacred place where God gathers his priests and people to worship in the Eucharistic way he has revealed and given to us in his Church.
Altars are not always essential for Mass, as they may not be possible during times of persecution. In difficult circumstances, small portable altars, such as consecrated stones or blessed cloth, can be used. However, for Christians, what matters is how they worship God wherever they may be, “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23).
Baptism gathers us by God at the altar, as we do not gather ourselves. Each of us is called to be a spiritual altar, offering sacrificial praise and prayer in our hearts. On the pilgrim way of Christian life, we are built as the living stones of the altar of the mystical temple, for that is the whole praying Church.
What do Protestants believe about death?
Protestant Christianity believes in life after death for all, with those who accept Jesus’ teachings living forever in Heaven, while those who do not will spend eternity in punishment. Protestant Christians find comfort in the midst of grief, as they believe their loved ones are immediately reunited with their faithful family and friends. The church provides sacraments, such as the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, which is performed when a person is in grave danger of dying.
The funeral service honors the life of the believer and comforts and encourages the bereaved, with traditional rituals including prayers, Scripture readings, music, eulogies, and a message of hope delivered by a clergy member.
Do Protestants get cremated?
After World War I, cremation became a popular choice in the Protestant Faith, with ashes often buried in the ground with an upright monument or in a mausoleum or columbarium. After the funeral service, the body is taken to the burial site, where a priest performs a few prayers and a committal, which is less extensive than in Catholic funerals. Workers install the upright monument after the burial, unless it’s already in place with a previously buried body.
Do Protestants have last rites?
The rite of passage serves to commemorate the transition to eternal life, frequently incorporating prayers, eulogies, remembrances, readings of biblical passages, and musical performances. The presentation of floral arrangements is an acceptable form of tribute and may be displayed. The pallbearers are responsible for transporting the casket to the gravesite.
Do Protestants have rituals?
Protestant denominations commonly practice baptism and communion, which are also known as the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist. These are collectively referred to as “sacraments” or “ordinances” in some denominations.
Are Christians allowed to do rituals?
Christians believe that sacraments, or religious rituals, not only celebrate Jesus’ salvation but also give grace. One traditional definition of a sacrament is “giving grace”. Access to content on Oxford Academic is typically provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. Members of an institution can access content through IP-based access, which is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically and cannot be accessed from an IP-authenticated account.
To access content remotely, users can choose to sign in through their institution using Shibboleth/Open Athens technology, which provides a single sign-on between their institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
Why don’t Protestants pray for the dead?
In the 15th century, Luther rejected the extreme unction sacrament, the last sacrament, as it involved anointing parts of the body before the solemn Eucharist. This change was based on the belief that Christ only advocated for baptism and the Lord’s supper for the living. The Reformation changed the attitude towards death, allowing death and burial to occur outside the Church, with the pastor not even having to attend. The Reformed Church was even more drastic, forbidding eulogizing the deceased and insisting on being buried secretly.
Calvin’s Discipline Ecclésiastique outlined that pastors should not pray or preach during burials and that bells should not be rung to prevent superstition. In the 17th century, pastor Charles Drelincourt banned mourning, deeming it too worldly.
What is the difference between Catholic and Protestant funerals?
Protestant funeral rites are simpler and less extravagant than Catholic funeral rites, with a focus on remembering the deceased and helping the deceased’s soul enter Heaven. A Christian funeral service is tailored to the person who has died and typically takes place at a church, crematorium, or cemetery. It includes prayers, a sermon, readings, hymns, music, or poems, and may include a eulogy from a friend or family member.
Before the funeral service, friends and family gather to exchange memories, read prayers, and sing hymns, which is considered a celebration of life. This ceremony usually occurs at the bereaved family’s home, a Christian church, or even at the funeral home.
Is last rites only Catholic?
Last Rites is a religious ritual performed by members of Roman Catholicism, followed by Eastern Orthodox Churches following the Byzantine Rite. The ritual begins with the Sacred Mysteries of Confession, where the individual confesses their sins and asks for forgiveness. The Pastor offers this forgiveness in the name of God. After Communion, the individual receives Holy Communion, followed by the “Office at the Parting of the Soul From the Body” prayer, which includes a blessing, the usual beginning, and the Lord’s Prayer from Psalm 50.
A hymn is performed, asking for forgiveness and mercy from God. The ritual concludes with three prayers recited by a priest. An alternative rite called “The Office at the Parting of the Soul From the Body When a Man Has Suffered for a Long Time” is also performed.
📹 Catholics vs Protestants – 18 Differences
This video was created by Nerd Robot. The animation, editing, research, and voice over were all done by the Nerd Robot team …
I needed this article… I lost my only sibling and brother. He was 29 years old when he suddenly passed. He would have been 32 this past Sunday. So he has been on my mind, more than usual. But the article helped me remember to always keep praying for him. Thank you Fr. Mike! I can’t explain how this touched me.
What a wonderful and encouraging article! My son was stillborn a couple weeks ago, and his funeral and mass were filled with so much hope because they weren’t about a “goodbye.” Even though it was heartbreaking, we couldn’t help but celebrate his little life and thank Jesus for His sacrifice, because His sacrifice is why we will see our son again.
Thank you for this article Fr. Mike 🙏🏼 When my son Andrew got his Angel Wings 5 years ago, I didn’t think twice about him going to heaven to rest in the loving arms of our Savior. I pray and talk to him everyday . I guess you are probably right . I don’t know if he went to heaven, but I will continue to pray for him and talk to him everyday .
Hi Father, Thank you so much for this article, I lost my mom on 3rd September. I miss her more and more the days pass on, I felt my life was really empty without her.. Today I really felt how to regain my faith towards Christ!! This article is really a testimony for me to be strong in life… thank you very much..Amen !!!!!
I lost my son 1 yr ago, 12 days before his 41st birthday. He turned to drugs after losing his young beautiful wife to a long cancer battle. He told me he didn’t want to live without her. He went into seclusion and numb his life to drugs. I am so devastated and can’t move on. I found your site and listened to your explanation of what death means, why do we visit the grave. Please pray for my son and his wife and family..🙏🏼 thank you father
I dont agree w all of this. My mother suffered alot here on earth and was a very dedicated Catholic Mother. She was dedicated to attending daily mass and saying the Rosary. Souls in purgatory are assured that they will attain Heaven and we must pray for them but it doesnt mean we cant take comfort in assuming that they are or soon will be w the Lord. Losing my Mother 2 weeks ago was devastating and our family found comfort in celebrating her life as well as the comfort we found in the chosen scripture readings at her Funeral Mass. Even our Lord when on earth had compassion for grieving families.
Father Mike, thank you for explaining this very important subject. I wonder if you could do a article on HOW to pray for the souls of our departed loved ones, or how to pray for the souls in purgatory. What should we say in our prayers? How do we pray for someone we love who seemed to have little or no faith, but showed love to us on earth? I know we should entrust them to God’s mercy. Is there anything else? And how can we help souls in purgatory get to heaven faster? Thank you.
FR. I have this curiosity to know. After the Death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we know the whole process we go through, after our death. I mean –death— purgatory— heaven but what used to happen before Jesus Christ’s era or in Old testament, where did the souls of People who died in the Great Flood go ? where did Jacob, Isaac, And common folks go ?
I’m Catholic, but I still believe that we must pray for salvation of those before they die. My hope after they die is that God reached them fully. We must accept Christ in our hearts as our personal savior. If we have no faith in what he did for us on the cross, nothing else will matter. I pray for those who don’t know Christ. Great article Father Mike!!!
I went to a funeral today for Janine, a church friend. We never met outside of seeing each other at Mass almost every week and chatting as Charlie, her husband pushed her chair to their special van. They would sit in on the aisle in the shorter front pew on the Gospel side, Janine in her chair and Charlie next to her in the pew. I sat a few rows back on the same side. She died Monday and today was her funeral. Since we have been allowed to go to Mass, we have to be directed to a pew and place in that pew for social distancing. I was directed to where Charlie would have sat next to Janine in her chair. And later in the day, I hopped on the computer and this article popped up, as they do after you watch a article. The Holy Spirit is amazing. What a consolation. Bless you Father Mike.
Father I have a huge question and I would really like you to answer it. My father in law passed away last year before our conversion. So my husband and his brothers (except one), decided to have a funeral but the body wasn’t present because he was going to be incinerated. Once they gave us my father-in-law ashes my husband’s family celebrated a funeral mass again, this time with his ashes present. The problem is that my brother in law, the one who didn’t agree since the beginning that they celebrated a funeral with the body present is extremely upset now. He doesn’t want to talk to my husband anymore. The truth is that before our conversion we didn’t find it as relevant or necessary. My question is if the first mass we celebrated without having the body present is not enough. And what can we do about it?
Father Mike I happened upon your website after searching for “Godparent died.” My only brother passed a year ago. He was our sons Godfather. Next year our son will be making his Confirmation. I’m lost & Im not sure what the steps are. Can I just tell you how refreshing it is to hear “we don’t know if our loved ones are in Heaven”… I’m struggling being the older sister with where he is. Was it scary? God has blessed me in more ways than I deserve & yet I only get so close to Him. He’s chasing me I believe that. Thank you for your article. I’ll be perusal more
Sorry if this is a silly question but I attend the Church of England and am curious of the catholic faith. Can I attend a Catholic Church without ringing first to ask permission? I’m sorry if this sounds dim but I do not know any Catholics to ask. My church is modernising itself and I feel it has lost traditions which I feel are important
Our father passed away on the Feast of the Assumption and he left after praying the rosary! He has prepared us so well and your words Fr Mike offer so much guidance and consolation too! Thanks so much! We will offer masses for dad (Archt Benjamin B Soriano), kindly pray for him too. Thanks so much! God bless us all! 🤗❤️🙏🏻
Father Mike we just loss our mother she was the sweetest mother she suffered all her life with heart problems and was always sick we know she has no more pain we loss are father 17yrs ago she was 87 we feel lucky we had her that long I have had masses said for her how can my silbling stay together with out fighting because we already are doing that I pray for peace every morning for our family can you offer any suggestions
At my only blood Aunty’s funeral. Her name was Tracy, she was the best and as genuinely cool. We shared the same quirky mind and grit in tough times. She taught me some important stuff in the infrequent times I have met her in my young life, but the fact that those things have made an impact on me are unquestionable. I love you aunty, and I thank God for forming you, loving you and putting you into our lives, and reminding us of our own deaths. Thank you.
Can you do a article soon on if babies and the severely disabled people like autism or these brain problems go to heaven, because in the bible it says every man is born with sin so my question is, are people who are severely disabled and innocent babies who die by accident or in the womb still go to heaven? If you have the chance to answer this I would be very grateful thank you, Father.
We had my Mother’s Funeral Monday. She was a devout Catholic. Many years ago she was concerned that none of her children were able to receive the eucharist. Sadly only two of her five children are practicing Catholics and received communion. I was one of the three that left the church. I know it upset mom that I left but she forgave me years ago.
The part where you said about how “we don’t know that” when someone says someone is in heaven now is so funny to me 🤣🤣 cuz this is messed up but like my grandpa died and I know from stories he was not a great person and was actually neglectful and abusive to his kids but my dad still loved him and my grandpa died and my dad said something about him being in heaven and I was like oh yeah sure yeah he probably is and my dad was like “I wasn’t asking I was saying he is for sure” and I was kinda like 😬😬😬 cuz I mean from all the stories Ive heard like I mean idkkkkkk man
Father Mike, I am not sure if you will see this however, can you explain how we cannot know if our loved one, who was a Christian, loved Jesus, was “saved by grace through faith in Christ” is not in Heaven or asleep in Christ until HE returns again? What about the thief on the cross, to whom Jesus said, “Today you will with Me in Paradise”? When do we actually hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant”? Is it not when we die, or is it only at the Judgement Seat at the final judgement? Thank you for your faithful service to our Lord and to your flock.
Worship Jesus, thank God for His mercy and strengthen our faith? While that is better than canonization, closure, and celebration of the life of the deceased, that ALSO misses the mark. Go to the Funeral to offer the Sacrifice of Christ to His Father FOR this person and to ASK for mercy for him or her.
A poor man dies never married never has children and wasn’t very good at making true lasting friendships, No one comes to his funeral service, The only person present is the Priest and Funerary staff. Would God say to the man looks like you didn’t have many friends? The question is does this reflect on the man’s image with God? Don’t forget the last rights are important.
Jesus gave Saint Gertrude a prayer and he told her every time it is said a 1,000 souls will be released from Purgatory. ” O’ Merciful LORD, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy Devine Son Jesus Christ in union with all the Masses said today for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for the sins of the world, for the sins of The Universal Church, for the sins of everyone in my family and in my household, Amen!”
Watching this debating if I should go see my grandmother get buried. I went when she was so close to passing and left a week before she passed. I just don’t want to regret NOT going but also flying out of the country a second time so soon is so very expensive. I truly hate that money is holding me back from being able to properly mourn my Abuelita.
I miss my dad He passed away 2019. I started praying for my dad I think hes Porgatory He was not a Catholic He was a Baptist He followed the Lord And when I was going through my dad’s stuff I found his Bible That his mom gave him And you can tell that he read The Bible the pages are falling apart And different passages He underlying . On my think his Bible is 80 years old . So I’m gonna make it a habit praying for my dad getting out of purgatory.
When my father’s young sister died in the 30’s from tuberculosis the Sisters at the time told my father he can now cease to pray for her and start to pray to her.I guess because she was likely with God being an innocent 17 year old. Now that my mom and dad have died I feel confident to ask my parents to intercede for me with Jesus . I know I can and do pray directly to Jesus, but mom and dad are with Jesus so why not take advantage of a good thing.
# Fr Mike. What is The Churches teaching re’ how we should behave when we enter a Church and also I have noticed a lot of clapping during the mass. For example last Sunday The Children did a Gospel presentation ( which was lovely) and received a round of applause after. Or the choir are applauded etc. I have said to my family that maybe we shouldn’t as we are there to praise God. But maybe I’m being a kill joy. God Bless you! P.S. you have to come to Ireland. 🤗
thank you father mike for your such great words, i’ve been dealing with the death of my grandparents to whom died only 18 days apart of each other.. this article helped me remember the power of our prayers and why it’s so important to continue to do so for our beloved departed God Bless also i love your articles! as a (Somewhat) younger person i feel like i can really connect to your content! keep up the fantastic work!
Please pray for me. Just days ago, my mother passed away. One of my brothers told me in person. He actually suggested our mother was in a better place. This brother had the worst relationship with her, had been decades since he has even talked to her. None of us had an easy time with her, but we all still want to love her. Though not raised Catholic, we knew she had been, and I’d been feeling called to this faith forso e time. Around 2 months ago, I began praying the Rosary and had been asking God to try to reach our mom’s heart again. Because I have not been able to visit her, I have no idea if she ever reopened her heart to God, but yesterday, after much prayer, I felt profound peace. I was worried about what I was going to say at the memorial. Our mom made it difficult to love her. Please pray that God’s presence is brought into her memorial. That when i share, my share brings God to the front, and I’m able to avoid making it about me.
The purpose is to pay for memories which you already have. Also to continue the horrible practice of celebrating after death instead of throughout life as we should. It’s all completely man made from any religion. Our memories are ours and not to be extorted for religion or money or any other reason. Christ and spirit is separate from any religion and we need to read for ourselves and interpret ourselves not at a church or Bible study. The whole idea of a funeral shouldn’t exist and our prayers and memories and worship should never be boxed in to an ideal or a service which is collectively agreed on l, let alone for anyone of faith to actively engage in these money centric practices. This is in no way the right way to praise God or celebrate or commemorate Jesus or the passed loved one. I have yet to see any reason which is not rooted in personal gratification or ritual based off man made celebration of life or death. Every single person should be able to grieve and praise as they see fir outside of any confines or guidelines or paid practices such as a funeral. Stop paying the church and religion and man made services such as funeral home to extort your feelings, love and faith.
A man I’m a returning Catholic . After confession Going to mass regularly . I’ve been taking holy communion . Jesus christ And it’s mercy forgiven me Are my sins Food confession . Some of the proditions say Why do you need a priest To confess your sins . They don’t realize in the Old Testament Moses was a priest and Jews Call me to him confessing their sins .
I don’t understand the Catholic belief in purgatory or in interceding. Are these biblical? If so, where in the Bible are they spoken of? Why does God need us to intercede? Is he not capable of bringing the spirit of one to heaven on his own, or of pleading for the soul of one who is not on their way to heaven?
Since attending quite a few funerals in my life time there was however a few i could not attend thus pissing off those friends or family members bashing me for not attending and causing me to feel horrible. So now i don’t attend any at all no matter who it is and im not having any for myself in the future either. I don’t like them and i refuse to go somewhere im uncomfortable with. Sorry but I’m going straight to the crematory and going in a coffee can with no service at all.
You should read about David. While his son was sick, he fasted and prayed that God would not take him. When God took him, David stopped fasting and praying for his child because his child was with God and David said, why should I go on fasting- he cannot return to me, but I can go to where he is. With God, not in purgatory. The Blood of Jesus makes us suitable for the Kingdom of Heaven and all who died believing on Him-those in the Old Testament who believed on the coming Messiah who Jesus freed from Paradise when He died, who are washed in His Blood, are now with Him. That is what I read in the Holy Bible. Also read the story Jesus told about the beggar and the rich man that died.
There are seven sAcraments. There are so mAny reasons for what sacraments are important and which are not. Why? Every Protestrant Church claims which sACRAMENTS, if not any,or 6 or 3 etc is confusing to me. I do not care if you were something else,but everyone out there in competition with one another on the subject gives me migrane headaches. I could never be a Jehova because they are fanatics as well as do not even believe in Christmas. I have had some wierd experiences while teaching at the Community College of Philadelphia with them,because many blacks belong to it from the college. But they have even tried to convert me gives me migrane headaches. I have some Hatian students,who made an issue about me teaching Spanish Christmas carols even.
I lost my daughter four years ago I pray for her every day but I my wife thinks she in heaven I tell her that she probably is in purgatory she just became a catholic am I doing more damage to my wife on this issue I try to make her understand that she there are step that you have to go through and she doesn’t understand this works should I just leave it alone or should I tell her the truth
2:00 “Don’t do that!” 😂 I kept saying that over and over in my head during a funeral I went to a few years ago. 1) Like you said, we don’t know if she is in heaven. Yet, everyone talking assumed that she was. 2) People are brainwashed by Hollywood and assume that you become an angel when you die, when in fact at best you become a saint in Heaven. Yet, everyone speaking was calling her an angel. And I am thinking, “That is not biblical.” It’s a sweet sentiment, but not Christian.
I have a real question and I hope it gets answered. I have noticed that Father Mike changes his facial hair a lot. Sometimes he has a beard. Sometimes he is clean shaven. Why are priests allowed to change their facial hair, but a nun isn’t allowed to wear makeup or even pluck her eyebrows because that’s considered “vanity”? I’m just curious about the double standard there.
fantastic article as usual. i have a question to ask. As a not married/ living in sin lapsed catholic, ( tho i take both my kids every sunday to mass ) is there no way i can recieve communion? obviously i need to go to confession and i watched the article on what it requires to be considered a practicing RC… i feel as tho it’s pointless because we have no plans to marry. thanks in advance joe
Funerals are just rituals and praying for the dead is not Biblical at all. The Bible is clear that it is appointed for man to die ONCE and then the judgment. (Either as a saved person covered with the Precious Blood of our Savior, Jesus..or condemned). Don’t mean to imply that funerals are a bad thing either as they are an opportunity for people to come together and honor the deceased and begin the grieving process together,… but funerals are absolutely not a necessity. There are many legitimate reasons for not having a funeral or even going to one so do not feel bad for doing either. If you truly want to love someone, do it while they are alive and make sure you are doing what you can to lead them to Christ.
But doesn’t the bible say when we die we sleep…until he comes for all of us?..Im confused…aaaand…My son ..we cremated him because the land that occupys cemeteries can always be sold ..and bodies or…bones will lost or other things..we were thinking because he was cremated..they would not do a mass for him..😭😭🙏
Yhere is a former Morman teacher who lived here who thought because I was a teacher I would be impressed with him. He asked me out and I just said I have someone. hey,this same man a few years later just married someone in her young 20s And he was my age. Yhey can have several wives too at the same time. Moslems hAve more in common then I would.
#AskFrMike how many people can a priest say Mass for at one time? does a person receive a different amount of grace depending on how many other people the Mass is being offered for at the same time? does each such person receive more grace if they are named individually versus if they only belong to a mentioned “group” such as “for all those who died in the bombing at the Ariana concert in London”?
At every funeral I’ve ever been to, the minister or priest has always talked about how the dead person is in a better place. And as a follower of Jesus and his words and the word of God, I know that is absolutely false. I know Catholics have a whole lot more going on than the typical Jesus follower or Protestant as you say. But the truth of the matter is, the Bible teaches that when you die it is though you are asleep until you’re Resurrected. Of course the Catholics will refer to the catechism., but the Bible argues that. In Genesis God said he created man from the dust of the Earth, and he breathed the Breath of Life into him to create a living soul. So that tells me, that the Breath of Life is the power that enables the body made from the Dust. We don’t have a body, a soul and a spirit. We have a body and a spirit or Breath of Life. Because Genesis said, we became a living soul wants the body and the Breath of Life working joined. And in death, the Bible tells us that the body is nothing and the spirit or Breath of Life goes back to be with God. What was that Breath of Life before it entered our body? Because we don’t have anything to create an explanation from I would have to say that it’s nothing more than the power that made that body exist. One without the other is nothing. Yeah sure, everybody wants to think their loved one is an angel living in heaven when they die looking down on the Earth as a guardian angel and all of that, but honestly there’s no writing to back that up.
JESUS SAID: 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Catholic here. I like the article. One correction is purgatory is not a place. It’s a process. Nothing impure can enter heaven. Some true faithful believers may still have imperfections and have inclination to sin at the moment of their death. When they come face to face with Christ they will be perfectly purified by “fire” in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. We call this process of final sanctification purgatory. With my human brain I would imagine that it hurts “like hell” literally