Catechism of the Catholic
Church, Section 1031
The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final
purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the
punishment of the damned.
The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on
Purgatory
especially at the Councils of
Florence and Trent. The
tradition
of the Church, by reference to certain
texts of Scripture,
speaks of a cleansing fire. [Cf. 1 Cor
3:15; 1 Pet 1:7.] As for
certain lesser faults, we must believe
that, before the Final
Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that
whoever utters blasphemy against the
Holy Spirit will be
pardoned neither in this age nor in the
age to come. From
this sentence we understand that certain
offenses can be
forgiven in this age, but certain others
in the age to come.