1020 The Christian who unites his own death to that of Jesus views it as a step towards him and an entrance into everlasting life. When the Church for the last time speaks Christ’s words of pardon and absolution over the dying Christian, seals him for the last time with a strengthening anointing, and gives him Christ in viaticum as nourishment for the journey, she speaks with gentle assurance: (1523-1525, 2677, 336) Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you. Go forth, faithful Christian! May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God in Zion, with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the angels and saints.... May you return to [your Creator] who formed you from the dust of the earth. May holy Mary, the angels, and all the saints come to meet you as you go forth from this life.... May you see your Redeemer face to face.... 591 I. The Particular Judgment 1021 Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ.592 The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in his second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul—a destiny which can be different for some and for others.593 (679) 1022 Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven—through a purification594 or immediately,595—or immediate and everlasting damnation.596 (393, 1470) At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.597 II. Heaven 1023 Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they “see him as he is,” face to face:598 (954) By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints... and other faithful who died after receiving Christ’s holy Baptism (provided they were not in need of purification when they died,... or, if they then did need or will need some purification, when they have been purified after death,... ) already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment—and this since the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into heaven—have been, are and will be in heaven, in the heavenly Kingdom and celestial paradise with Christ, joined to the company of the holy angels. Since the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the divine essence with an intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature.599 1024 This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity—this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed—is called “heaven.” Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness. (260, 326, 2794, 1718) 1025 To live in heaven is “to be with Christ.” The elect live “in Christ,”600 but they retain, or rather find, their true identity, their own name.601 (1011) For life is to be with Christ; where Christ is, there is life, there is the kingdom.602 1026 By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has “opened” heaven to us. The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ. (793) 1027 This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father’s house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.”603 (959, 1720) 1028 Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man’s immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. The Church calls this contemplation of God in his heavenly glory “the beatific vision”: (1722, 163) How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God,... to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God’s friends.604 1029 In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God’s will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him “they shall reign for ever and ever.”605 (956, 668) III. The Final Purification, or 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
Which means that the gospel of Rome (EOs tend to differ on this) teaches that souls are finally saved by becoming actually, practically, good enough - first via baptism and then (usually) thru suffering purifying torments in purgatory.
Which is salvation by works except with more grace provided, that by the grace of God souls become good enough to be with God. Which is contradicted by multitudes of Scriptures, while actually being a contradiction in Rome's own theology.
For while the newly baptized is said to be rendered good enough to be good due to being washed from sins and infused with holiness, this is not perfection of character, which required condition is is what purgatory is provided for in RC theology.
"...we will go to Purgatory first, and then to Heaven after we are purged of all selfishness and bad habits and character faults." (Peter Kreeft, Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer, p. 224 )
In addition is the premise that imperfect souls must suffer postmortem "purifying torments" potentially for eons for sins that God did not exact satisfaction for in earth.
The justification for all this is based on texts which teach that Christians are to be perfect, and that holiness is required to see God, and some which warn of postmortem judgment and suffering.
However, while Christians are to seek to be practically what they are positionally, and that which seeking and characteristic holiness, in relation to light and grace given, is evidence of salvation, (Heb. 6:9,10) yet souls are not justified as enabling them to be with God because they actually, practically have attained perfection of character, but because God purifies hearts by faith, and counts them as just, holy, righteous on Christ's account.
But which faith, if it is faith, will be evidenced by fruit, by obedience to its Object, the Lord Jesus, in accordance with His revealed word and will. This obedience, manifested in holiness and works, justifies one as being saved, and fit to be rewarded under grace, though the saved soul owes everything to God, without whose drawing, enabling, and motivation he could not and would not have sought and turned and believed on the Lord Christ, not followed Him. Whose "wage" is really eternal damnation apart from justifying faith.
In Scripture, Peter taught that God purified hearts by faith before baptism, (Acts 10:43, 47; 15:7-9) as well as promising souls forgiveness and the Spirit if they would repent and believe (which infants, whom the Spirit never manifests as being baptized, cannot and need not do), since baptism both requires and expresses faith.
Thus to confess the Lord Jesus in baptism in identification with Christ, signifies faith in Him, and thus the promise that whosoever believes and confesses/calls upon/is baptized shall be saved, (Rm. 10:9-13; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38) as such requires and confesses faith, which is counted for righteousness. (Rm. 4:1-7)
For what Scripture teaches is that souls come to Christ as damned and destitute sinners, but by faith in Christ they are declared righteous.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:3-5)
Contrary to Catholicism, Abraham was not declared just due to becoming holy thru regeneration, by because his faith was counted as, imputed for righteousness.
And since believers are forgiven on account of Christ, on His merit, and all true believers presently are “accepted in the Beloved,” and made to sit together with Christ in the heavenly, (Eph. 1:6;2:6) then whenever and wherever NT Scriptures clearly speak about the next spiritual place of man after death then it is always with the Lord. Lk. 23:43 [cf. 2Cor. 12:4; Rv. 2:7]; Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [“we”]; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17) Note in the latter case all believers were assured that if the Lord returned, which they expected in their lifetime, so would they “ever be with the Lord.” (1Thes. 4:17) though they were still undergoing growth in grace, as was Paul. (Phil. 3;2)
And the only suffering is that of losing of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ, which awaits the Lord's coming, and this loss does not enable going to Heaven, but one is saved despite building material being burnt up. (1Co. 3:8ff).