Let me complete this sentence from what I've heard from Catholics:
I knew he had come to save us and I sure hoped that I would be saved from Purgatory. My understanding being that they do not go directly to be with the Lord, but go to purgatory to deal with their sins and to be called out of purgatory into Heaven by the Catholic Church. It is that last step that one is declared a Saint.
And just like it was stated there is only a hope and no assurance.
As for me I believe Christ's words "who ever believes in me has eternal life" (Gospel of John 6:47).
Now which would you like, assurance of Eternal Life or no assurance of Heaven? That it depends on human men on this earth or that it is the free gift for those who believe?
No, that is inaccurate. The Church teaches that upon death men either go to hell or they are saved and go to heaven because the sanctifying grace is in them. Those who are saved, yet are incapable of entering heaven directly (There shall not enter into it any thing defiled, Apoc. 21:27) pass through purgatory, indeed, but that condition is temporary and those in purgatory are saved already.
**I knew he had come to save us and I sure hoped that I would be saved from Purgatory. My understanding being that they do not go directly to be with the Lord, but go to purgatory to deal with their sins and to be called out of purgatory into Heaven by the Catholic Church. It is that last step that one is declared a Saint.**
A couple of things are mixed up here.
No one is called out of Purgatory and sent to heaven by the Catholic Church. Each person’s individual life history defines their length of time to stay in Purgatory and be purged of all sin by making reparations that they did not do on earth.
The process of being declared a saint is a four step process: being pronounced a person of goodness (Servant of God), venerable (approved for study into the matter of sainthood), blessed (beatified), saint (canonized).
http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu221.htm