Great Conversation (Catholicism)
The Great Conversation is a reference to a phenomenon which many Catholic apologists believe happens in purgatory. These apologists hold that people arriving in purgatory will naturally converse with each other in an effort to determine where they are and how they got there. The impression given is that of a large social gathering in which every participant has much the same questions on his or her mind following death and entrance into purgatory.
Catholic tradition
According to mainstream Catholic teachings, purgatory is the process of purification in which the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven. One common metaphor describes it as a place where the souls of all Christians go directly after death, and where each remains until he or she is prepared to enter heaven. In this context, "The Great Conversation" is a phenomenon that will naturally occur in purgatory as a result of the deeply social aspects attributed to all of humankind: the people in purgatory will talk to each other. C.S. Lewis once wrote that heaven knows only two languages: silence and music, a notion which allocates additional importance to this last conversation. .
In a 1982 Christian novel entitled Between Heaven and Hell, author Peter Kreeft sheds some light on the notion of "The Great Conversation" by creating a fictional dialog in purgatory between three historical figures, namely that of John F. Kennedy, C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley. All three men had died on November 22, 1963, which was the basis for the novel.
Purgatory as a Holding Tank
Mainstream Catholic theology maintains that certain human actions can affect the purification process of the soul in purgatory. Under this theology, good works are held to reduce the degree of purification required, which every person's soul must undergo after death in order to stand in God's holy presence. On the other hand, venial sin will increase the degree of purification required in purgatory. Furthermore, mortal sins like [...] and [...], if unrepented, lead a person's soul to be eternally [...] with no option for purgatorial purification. Whatever acts are perpetrated during life, "The Great Conversation" is the manner in which one should be able to reflect upon the nature of his actions while he was alive. "The Great Conversation" is therefore presented as an opportunity to consult the collective advice of others when personally deciphering the quality of human morality on earth. Thus, it becomes necessary to emphasize the importance of prayer for all those who have departed, especially since they are engaging in "The Great Conversation" while undergoing their final purification.