Immediately after death the eternal destiny of each separated soul is decided by the just judgment of God.

Souls—

• leaving their bodies in a state of grace, but in need of purification are cleansed in Purgatory,
• whereas souls that are perfectly pure are at once admitted to the beatific vision of the Godhead, and
• those who depart in actual unrepented mortal sin are at once consigned to eternal punishment, the quality of which corresponds to their sin.

Prompt Fulfillment of Sentence. The particular judgment shall be instantaneous; in the moment of death the separated soul is internally illuminated as to its own guilt or innocence and of its own initiation takes its course either to hell, or to purgatory, or to heaven. It shall occur at the place of death.