On Purgatory & Being Preachy

(Episode 13)

+ Question 1

My friend is a former Catholic, and the topic of Purgatory being made up by the Catholic church and not being in the Bible came up during some bantering over text. I know that there are some verses that allude to purgatory and praying for the dead, but how else can I explain the Catholic stance that there is a purgatory?

+ Question 2

I'm a practicing Catholic, but it's been a winding road, including an abortion, a devastating break up after 6 years of living with the man I thought was the love of my life, and some other bad choices. I've accepted God's love and mercy, and He and I are doing fine, but I wouldn't wish the suffering it took to get here on anyone. I have two nieces I love very much, and I can tell they're starting to head down the same bad road I did. Whenever I try to stop them, though, they think I'm being "judgey" and "preachy." My past is not a secret to them, so I want to hold myself up as an example of what NOT to do, but I don't want to alienate them. How do I get them to see that I know what I'm talking about, because I lived it, without them feeling like I'm coming down on them like a ton of judgmental bricks?