April 19, 2012 – Catechism 1471-1479
Purgatory and indulgences are two very misunderstood concepts in the Catholic Church.  When it comes to Purgatory, I have found it helpful to ask yourself two questions.  If you died this very instant, are you so perfect that you should enter Heaven, because we know that nothing imperfect can enter.  If the answer is no, what would happen to you if you died right now?  If there are only 2 choices, then you would be going to hell.  Catholics believe that there is Purgatory for those that have lived their lives for Christ, but are still not in a perfect state to enter Heaven.  Purgatory offers that purification so that we can enter Heaven. 
Next, ask yourself, if you were in a car accident and damaged the car that you hit.  You get out of the car and genuinely apologize for the accident.  The other person genuinely forgives you, understanding that it was an accident and knows you are genuinely sorry.  Is that the end of what happens?  Absolutely not.  You are still going to have to pay for or fix the damage that you caused.  Sin damages our relationship with God and with others, and even though we can receive forgiveness from God and others, that damages needs to be paid for or restored.  That is another purification that Purgatory takes care of.  There, we will pay for or restore those damages our sin caused that we could not or did not restore before we died.  What would happen if you never paid to fix that car?  The apology and forgiveness could have been genuine, but that matter will be out there and the situation unresolved until it is finished.  Just like that, sin and our attachment to sin must be settled and resolved before we can enter Heaven. 
Indulgences are a way in which, through certain acts of prayer, sacrifice, or pilgrimage, we can pay for and restore that damage here on Earth before we die.  Not only can we do that for ourselves, but we can do this for those that are in Purgatory and bring them sooner into the Beauty of Heaven.  Yes, there were times when these were abused by people and caused a great deal of pain in the Church, but they have never left the teaching of the Church and are a beautiful and powerful experience when done as prescribed by the Church. 
One of my favorite visuals of this is in Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment”.  In one of the scenes you see a soul in Purgatory being pulled into Heaven.  The “rope” that they are using is a Rosary.  The idea is that you can say a Rosary for someone in Purgatory and help bring them into Heaven.  The picture I attach probably won’t be big enough to see it.