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I think many Catholics would be surprised to learn that there really is no consensus within their religion about Purgatory. Things such as where it is, what it is, what really happens there, how long a person remains there, how someone leaves and various other details remain unknown. It's one thing to say you believe in Purgatory because your church says it exists but another entirely to realize much about it has remained up in the air with no detailed official pronouncements to back it up. The most that is said is from the Catechism and, other than a general statement, it leaves it up to the individual to guess. This is all that is said about Purgatory:

1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.606 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:607 (954, 1472)

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.608

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture:

“Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”609 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.610 The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead: (958, 1371, 1479)

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.611

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm#

There are further teachings about "indulgences", which is the doctrine that the "Treasury of Merit" - all the good works of "Saints" are stored up and ready to be credited to the account of those in Purgatory to hasten their time there (this was one of the main abuses of the Catholic church that prompted Luthers 95 Theses):

In this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in saving their brothers in the unity of the Mystical Body.

Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church

1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity.90 (981)

1479 Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted. (1032)

We are not *imperfectly purified*.

We have the righteousness of Christ credited to our account. We are as pure as we need to be.

Those who are born again, born of the Spirit, have a NEW nature, one that does not sin. When the body of flesh dies, all that is left is the perfected in Christ new nature.

We don’t take the flesh with us so there’s no need for cleansing from it.

You are free to believe whatever you choose.