Praying for them

[Amateis]

Hey everyone,

I was talking with my mom last night, she’s starting to go to confession more .Four years ago my little brother Nicholaus died of Hydrocephylis, “water on the brain,” anyways, when he died he was only eight months old. I had the honor of being his Godfather at his baptism, and before he died he I’m pretty sure that he recieved the Annointing of the Sick, there was a priest on hand, so…I’ve never had a doubt in my mind that he’s in Heaven. The only sin he could even commit was Original. Then last year my mom had a miscarriage. I’m not sure how far along she was, it’s not my place to ask. The point is that for her penance, the priest to her to offer up her prays FOR them. This has kinda confused us both. I believe that they would both be in Heaven due to neither of them ever even had the chance to sin. So why would she pray “for” them?

In Christ
CM Amateis

 

[Apologia100]

Amateis:

Hey everyone,

I was talking with my mom last night, she’s starting to go to confession more .Four years ago my little brother Nicholaus died of Hydrocephylis, “water on the brain,” anyways, when he died he was only eight months old. I had the honor of being his Godfather at his baptism, and before he died he I’m pretty sure that he recieved the Annointing of the Sick, there was a priest on hand, so…I’ve never had a doubt in my mind that he’s in Heaven. The only sin he could even commit was Original. Then last year my mom had a miscarriage. I’m not sure how far along she was, it’s not my place to ask. The point is that for her penance, the priest to her to offer up her prays FOR them. This has kinda confused us both. I believe that they would both be in Heaven due to neither of them ever even had the chance to sin. So why would she pray “for” them?

In Christ
CM Amateis

First, you don’t commit Original Sin, Adam did that for us. We are just born with that stain on our souls. If Nicholaus was both baptised and received an Annointing, his soul is cleansed of this stain, and since he could not have committed a mortal sin because of his age, then the Church teaches that he is in Heaven with the Lord. There seem to exist no impediments for his to experience the beatific vision immediately, he has done nothing for him to be purged from!!! Thank God for His grace and mercy!!! Regarding the soul of the child that was miscarried, we just have to rely on the infinate mercy of God that He would not condemn a soul that didn’t have a chance to be baptised, and would rely on the intention of you mother that she would have had him/her baptised if she carried the baby to term.

 

[Didi]

We are called to pray for all souls because only God knows who is in heaven; we can certainly think that these innocent babies will be in heaven, but they may, for some reason unknown to us, have to spend some purification time in purgatory.

The priest may also be thinking that, because we feel so helpless when our children die, we can at least pray for them. It’s something we can do to still “mother” them and care for them even when they are not on earth. AND, she can ask her babies to pray for her and for all of your family! You can do so as well. They are still part of your family, just not here physically.