In homilies at funerals, priests often refer to the deceased person as already being in heaven. What happened to purgatory? I know the priest is probably saying this to bring comfort to the family.
The Catholic Church still believes in purgatory as a time of cleansing for those who need it. Deceased people are not ready for heaven until they have no objection to the persons sitting across from them or next to them at the eternal banquet or where they sit at the eternal banquet!
Purgatory is the cleansing process that they may still need. Without it, they could easily enter into arguments that have no place there.
