Catholic Dictionary
Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.
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CATHARSIS
Purging or purification, especially of the emotions or conscience. The emotions can be purified by a strong affective experience in which a person identifies himself with someone else's generally tragic experience. The conscience can be purified by a sincere admission of guilt and begging God's mercy for whatever wrong had been done. (Etym. Greek katharsis, purgative.)
