Jessica Ptomey skipped around denominations growing up, and each of them seemed to have a slightly different take on what happens to lifelong Christians who die without being completely sinless. So when she discovered the Catholic theology of Purgatory, not only was it very different than she’d been led to believe, but it answered a lot of troubling questions for her. It also unlocked the door to a greater understanding of the wider Catholic theology of suffering, and helped her develop a stronger connection with the sufferings of Jesus.
Jessica is the author of Home in the Church: Living an Embodied Catholic Faith.