Can souls be saved by prayer?

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mrsjennymulhall

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Dear Apologetics Team,

I hope my question isn’t blasphemous but this has been on my mind and grieves me deeply.

If a friend or family member dies suddenly, without being reconciled to the Church and in a state of sin (living with a member of the same sex) can that person be helped by prayer?

I know that nobody can conceive of the depth of God’s mercy and I would never dream of speaking for God, but if so; what prayers? I wish to have masses said and I know that the rosary is a panacea for this world but hope that you might advise me further.

Bless you for your time and wisdom.

Jenny x
 
God is outside of time.

He sees all that is for us past present and future as present.

One may still pray for the persons salvation-that they had and responded to the needed grace before or even in their last moment here.

Let us pray and entrust the person to the Good Shepherd.
 
“Many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray for them and make sacrifices for them” …Our Lady of Fatima
 
I was told a story about Padre Pio one time by a friend when I had a similar concern for someone who died (I’m pretty sure this was Padre Pio, wiser folk than I can correct me if I’m misremembering).

As I recall, a new widow went to Padre Pio and was really concerned about the salvation of her husband’s soul. He had recently died and was an atheist. He told her something along the lines of “Remember when you asked to put a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the back yard and he said yes? That was enough.”

Point being, we don’t know people’s level of moral culpability, We can hope in God’s infinite mercy.

But to get back to your point, all I can think of in terms of apologetics is 2 Maccabees 12:44-45 which tells us to pray for the dead.
 
Didn’t Mary tell us at Fatima to pray for souls in purgatory so that they could be saved? That’s enough evidence for me. That’s why we say the Fatima prayer after each decade of the Rosary, as well.
 
Maybe someone can help me out with regards to this passage in the Bible.

Hebrews 9:27 (NRSVCE)

27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment,

Doesn’t seem to leave much room where a person could help them out by praying? Just curious…
 
SJacob7 said:
Maybe someone can help me out with regards to this passage in the Bible.

Hebrews 9:27 (NRSVCE)

27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment,

**Doesn’t seem to leave much room where a person could help them out by praying? **Just curious…
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The time for Mercy is now. After we die comes the judgement.
If the person dies in the state of grace, then their ultimate destiny is either Heaven or Purgatory. After a person dies, we don’t know the state of their soul, only God knows. So prayers are for the dead who are possibly in Purgatory. The saved in Heaven do not need prayers, the damned in Hell cannot profit from our prayers, but the souls in Purgatory can profit from our prayers and sacrifices so that their time in Purgatory is shortened. These souls in Purgatory are destined for Heaven, but the stains of sin have to be burned away before they can enter Heaven.
 
NextElement said:
Didn’t Mary tell us at Fatima to pray for souls in purgatory so that they could be saved? That’s enough evidence for me. That’s why we say the Fatima prayer after each decade of the Rosary, as well.
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‘’

Such was regarding those on earth…not purgatory. Those in purgatory are heading to heaven …with no change of course possible…
 
SJacob7 said:
Maybe someone can help me out with regards to this passage in the Bible.

Hebrews 9:27 (NRSVCE)

27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment,

Doesn’t seem to leave much room where a person could help them out by praying? Just curious…
Click to expand...
See my first post.

The prayers help them while they still live here on earth.
 
We should pray for souls in purgatory so they go sooner to heaven.:
 
The person I am concerned for died suddenly and I’m sure hadn’t been to Mass in years. He was living with an older man, who loved and cared for him as he had really terrible Bipolar and his doctors struggled to control it. He attempted suicide many times and, while the cause of death is unclear, there have been toxicology tests.

I knew this man almost 20 years ago; he is my son’s father. I haven’t seen him since then. My son, who suffered from depression last year, contacted him out of the blue and, having met him, didn’t continue contact.

I feel this man’s life was thwarted by illness, bad company and fear. I remember the person I knew, before he became ill (he didn’t have a diagnosis then, but in retrospect, his behaviour was typical of Bipolar). I feel so bad for my son, who has guilt for the broken contact, and for the man who died. I want to pray for his salvation but I read here that, unless he is in Purgatory; all is lost. Is that right?

I don’t want to show my poor catechesis but, don’t all souls go to purgatory until Judgement Day? Might this man be in Hell now? Is there nothing that I can do to help him now that he has died?

I’m sorry to go on about this but the funeral is tomorrow and my son is bound to ask me these things.
 
mrsjennymulhall said:
The person I am concerned for died suddenly and I’m sure hadn’t been to Mass in years. He was living with an older man, who loved and cared for him as he had really terrible Bipolar and his doctors struggled to control it. He attempted suicide many times and, while the cause of death is unclear, there have been toxicology tests.

I knew this man almost 20 years ago; he is my son’s father. I haven’t seen him since then. My son, who suffered from depression last year, contacted him out of the blue and, having met him, didn’t continue contact.

I feel this man’s life was thwarted by illness, bad company and fear. I remember the person I knew, before he became ill (he didn’t have a diagnosis then, but in retrospect, his behaviour was typical of Bipolar). I feel so bad for my son, who has guilt for the broken contact, and for the man who died. I want to pray for his salvation but I read here that, unless he is in Purgatory; all is lost. Is that right?

I don’t want to show my poor catechesis but, don’t all souls go to purgatory until Judgement Day? Might this man be in Hell now? Is there nothing that I can do to help him now that he has died?

I’m sorry to go on about this but the funeral is tomorrow and my son is bound to ask me these things.
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The base line is only God knows the state of our soul at death and the circumstances surrounding that state. His judgement is perfect. No one knows for sure if a soul is in purgatory, heaven or hell, God does not give us, the living, this information. This is why we pray for the soul of the deceased. God is merciful and He knows when there are things in a person’s life that are beyond their control and do not warrant hell, then in his mercy they are sent to purgatory. Remember God is all knowing and perfect in all that he does and knows, including his justice. As a note when a person dies in a state of grace his destination is Heaven, usual by way of Purgatory. Souls do not automatically go to Purgatory to await final judgement. At our death, we know our final destination. This is the Particular judgement, the coming before God after our last breath. Pray for his soul because you do not know that he is not in Purgatory. If he is in Purgatory your prayers will help him.
 
lakotak said:
The base line is only God knows the state of our soul at death and the circumstances surrounding that state. His judgement is perfect. No one knows for sure if a soul is in purgatory, heaven or hell, God does not give us, the living, this information. This is why we pray for the soul of the deceased. God is merciful and He knows when there are things in a person’s life that are beyond their control and do not warrant hell, then in his mercy they are sent to purgatory. Remember God is all knowing and perfect in all that he does and knows, including his justice. As a note when a person dies in a state of grace his destination is Heaven, usual by way of Purgatory. Souls do not automatically go to Purgatory to await final judgement. At our death, we know our final destination. This is the Particular judgement, the coming before God after our last breath. Pray for his soul because you do not know that he is not in Purgatory. If he is in Purgatory your prayers will help him.
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Thank you. x
 
mrsjennymulhall said:
Dear Apologetics Team,

I hope my question isn’t blasphemous but this has been on my mind and grieves me deeply.

If a friend or family member dies suddenly, without being reconciled to the Church and in a state of sin (living with a member of the same sex) can that person be helped by prayer?

I know that nobody can conceive of the depth of God’s mercy and I would never dream of speaking for God, but if so; what prayers? I wish to have masses said and I know that the rosary is a panacea for this world but hope that you might advise me further.

Bless you for your time and wisdom.

Jenny x
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I’m sorry to hear of all the suffering that your family has been put thru. And especially all the anxiety over the way he died. But in addition to what others have said, I would like to offer one more way that is often overlooked or isn’t considered.

At the exact moment of death cannot be known, only the apparent moment of death. When the heart stops beating is the customary way of measuring the moment of death, but this isn’t always the case. Many have come back after the heart stops beating. So when is the exact moment of death?

We don’t really know exactly. We only know it is when the soul leaves the body. And the soul leaves the body when the body is corrupt enough so that it is no longer a fit place for the soul to be. It means that enough corruption has taken place in the organs and tissues of the body. So then there might be some time left after apparent death, when his soul has not yet left the body, for the person to make things right with God.

Now especially when the dying person has had illnesses affecting their decision making, and interferring with their emotions and thinking, we have more hope since their ability to sin has been twisted and therefore bears less guilt. So even tho the person may seem like a long way from God, God gives weight to his inability to make normal and healthy decisions and would diminish his wrongs.

And added to this is that Jesus offered his own life on the altar of the cross for each and every one of us. If there is any possiblity for Jesus to help us, it would be at this moment of death.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.

“Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.” Hymn of the Good Thief.
 
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