Bringing you the "Good News" of Jesus Christ and His Church While PROMOTING CATHOLIC Apologetic Support groups loyal to the Holy Father and Church's magisterium
Home About
AskACatholic.com		 What's New? Resources The Church Family Life Mass and
Adoration		 Ask A Catholic
Knowledge base
AskACatholic Disclaimer
Search the
AskACatholic Database
Donate and
Support our work
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
New Questions
Cool Catholic Videos
About Saints
Disciplines and Practices for distinct Church seasons
Purgatory and Indulgences
About the Holy Mass
About Mary
Searching and Confused
Contemplating becoming a Catholic or Coming home
Homosexual and Gender Issues
Life, Dating, and Family
No Salvation Outside the Church
Sacred Scripture
non-Catholic Cults
Justification and Salvation
The Pope and Papacy
The Sacraments
Relationships and Marriage situations
Specific people, organizations and events
back
Doctrine and Teachings
Specific Practices
Church Internals
Church History


Frank Cantu wrote:

Hi, guys —

  • For the record, I'd like to know if the good thief on the cross went to Heaven or Purgatory?

One priest said he went to Purgatory, the other priest said, since the thief suffered enough on the cross, he went to Heaven; he called it purgatorture.

It seems to me there is nothing but self-interpretation going on here.

Frank

  { For the record, I would like to know if the good thief on the cross went to Heaven or Purgatory? }

Eric replied:

Hi, Frank —

Scripture says he went immediately to Heaven.

Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise. (Luke 23:43)

Grammatically, it's ambiguous whether today modifies tell or modifies will be as there is no punctuation in the Greek and the word is between the two phrases, but Truly I tell you is one of Jesus' stock phrases and it's unlikely Jesus would change it and say Truly I tell you today.

The Church, by the way, hasn't officially commented on this but everyone generally acknowledges the first version I gave (that the thief went straight to Heaven).

Eric
Please report any and all typos or grammatical errors.
Suggestions for this web page and the web site can be sent to Mike Humphrey
© 2012 Panoramic Sites
The Early Church Fathers Church Fathers on the Primacy of Peter. The Early Church Fathers on the Catholic Church and the term Catholic. The Early Church Fathers on the importance of the Roman Catholic Church centered in Rome.