Transference of one's merit

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Is it possible to dedicate the merit of one’s lifelong practice to someone else? Is transference of one’s merit possible to the needs of that other person?
Especially when that other person is at the point of death?
 
Steady_Eddy said:
Is it possible to dedicate the merit of one’s lifelong practice to someone else? Is transference of one’s merit possible to the needs of that other person?
Especially when that other person is at the point of death?
Click to expand...
I would assume not.

Take indulgences, for example. You can gain indulgences for yourself and for the dead but not for any other living person.
 
No.

The merit you earn from your prayers and sacrifices is efficacious only to you.

You can certainly pray for additional graces to be bestowed upon another but the merit you earn comes from the infinite deposit which Christ bestowed on the church via the Redemption and all are equally eligible to earn a share of that merit.

But it cannot be earned and given to another.
 
But you can dedicate your efforts for the purpose of saving another’s soul and even ask to suffer for that person. Many Saints have done this for others.

In the end, its the decision of God as to whether or not your requests are granted.
 
I believe in the daily offering we say, “Jesus, I offer you my through the immaculate heart of Mary, my prayers, my works, my joys, and my sufferings, for the reparation of my sins, for the intetions of my associates, and for the intentions of the Holy Father.”

This prayer implies to me that while we may not be able to transfer our merit, we can certainly offer up our suffering and prayers for another individual.
 
Words and Prayers of St. Isaac the Syrian

Let yourself be persecuted, but do not persecute others.
Be crucified, but do not crucify others.
Be slandered, but do not slander others.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep: such is the sign of purity.
Suffer with the sick.
Be afflicted with sinners.
Exult with those who repent.
Be the friend of all, but in your spirit remain alone.
Be a partaker of the sufferings of all, but keep your body distant from all.
Rebuke no one, revile no one, not even those who live very wickedly.
Spread your cloak over those who fall into sin, each and every one, and shield them.
And if you cannot take the fault on yourself and accept punishment in their place,
do not destroy their character.

peace
 
Steady_Eddy said:
Is it possible to dedicate the merit of one’s lifelong practice to someone else? Is transference of one’s merit possible to the needs of that other person?
Especially when that other person is at the point of death?
Click to expand...
A destinction is traditionally made between merit de condigno where the reward is due out of strict justice, and merit de congruo where the reward is not due out of strict justice but results from a “certain graciousnes in the light of God’s liberality.” (Tanquerey, II, 174) One can merit de congruo (but not de condigno) for others. “For others the just one can congruously merit all graces, even the first actual grace.” (Tanquerey, II, 181) “The justified man can merit de congruo for others that which he can merit for himself, and in additioin, the first actual grace.” (Ott, 269)

The Catholic Encyclopedia article on merit also discusses this also.

Ad. Tanquerey, A Manual of Dogmatic Theology, 2 vols., 1959.
Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, 1955.
 
Hello Everyone,

I’m feeling great today 🙂 My mother is still dying of course, but an incredible thing occurred yesterday. Both my sister Elizabeth and I were praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary at either side of her bed. The right side of my mother’s face was resting on the pillow, which meant she was facing towards my side of the bed. My left hand was resting gently on my mother’s forehead and crown, my right hand held a Rosary ring. As we prayed audibly I looked at her face and noticed though her eyes were partially opened they looked dull and lifeless. But suddenly I detected some movement of her pupils as she fixed her gaze upon my face and then her eyes lit up, and she broke into a massive, broad grin. I was still reciting the Rosary with my sister Elizabeth and didn’t want to stop, but she (my sister) couldn’t see what was going on from her side of the bed. So I stopped for a few moments and said “Look, she’s smiling” my sister then stood up, leaned over and she too was delighted with what she saw. My mother then tried desperately hard to speak, but she couldn’t utter any words at all. Nevertheless, she continued smiling for a little while and all the stress and strain I detected previously had vanished completely from her face, and I’m absolutely sure she was thanking all of us for rallying around her in her hour of great need.

This certainly doesn’t mean we should slacken off, no, certainly not, if anything we should increase our efforts. I thank you all again most sincerely, and I will continue to pray for all of you (every day) especially at Mass. And again I would strongly recommend the Rosary to one and all. I know from personal experience, that next to the Mass, it is indeed the Prayer Par Excellence.

“The Rosary constitutes the most excellent form of private prayer and the most efficacious means to achieve eternal life. In the supreme hour the devotees of the Rosary will be consoled by the maternal tenderness of the Virgin Mary and will be gently put to sleep in her bosom”. Pope Leo XIII

John 19:27
Eddy Barry

3 Reasons Why St. Joseph is the Patron of the Dying
  1. He is the foster father of the Eternal Judge, Who can refuse him no request.
  2. He is terrible to the demons; the Church calls him the Terror of demons and Conqueror of Hell.
  3. His own death was most beautiful, for he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary; this is the principal reason why he is the patron of a happy death; in death no other Saint was so happy, so glorious. St. Francis de Sales was of the opinion that St. Joseph died of the love of God; St. Alphonsus Liguori considered this most reasonable.
**The Special Prayer of the Pious Union of St. Joseph
**
O St. Joseph, foster father of the Child Jesus and true spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us and for the dying of this day (or this night). Amen.

**Prayer for the Agonizing
**
O St. Joseph, protector of those in agony, take pity on those who at this very moment when I pray to thee are engaged in their last combat.
O blessed Joseph, take pity on my soul too when the hour of the final battle shall arrive for me. Then, O my holy patron, do not abandon me, but grant me thine assistance; show that thou art my good father, and obtain that my Divine Savior may receive me with mercy into that abode where the elect enjoy a life that shall never end. Amen.

**Prayer for the Souls in the Agony of Death
**
Eternal Father, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who was chosen by Thee from among all men to exercise Thy divine fatherhood over the Thy Son made Man, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be . . .

Eternal Son of God, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who was Thy most faithful guardian upon earth, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be . . .

Eternal Spirit of God, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who guarded with such tender care most holy Mary, Thy beloved spouse, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be

Prayer for a Good Death

O Jesus, while I adore Your dying breath, I beg You to receive mine. Since I do not know whether I shall have command of my senses when I depart from this world, I offer You even now my last agony and all the sorrows of my passing. I give my soul into Your hands for You are my Father and my Savior. Grant that the last beat of my heart may be an act of perfect love for You. Amen.
 
Steady_Eddy said:
Hello Everyone,

I’m feeling great today 🙂 My mother is still dying of course, but an incredible thing occurred yesterday. Both my sister Elizabeth and I were praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary at either side of her bed. The right side of my mother’s face was resting on the pillow, which meant she was facing towards my side of the bed. My left hand was resting gently on my mother’s forehead and crown, my right hand held a Rosary ring. As we prayed audibly I looked at her face and noticed though her eyes were partially opened they looked dull and lifeless. But suddenly I detected some movement of her pupils as she fixed her gaze upon my face and then her eyes lit up, and she broke into a massive, broad grin. I was still reciting the Rosary with my sister Elizabeth and didn’t want to stop, but she (my sister) couldn’t see what was going on from her side of the bed. So I stopped for a few moments and said “Look, she’s smiling” my sister then stood up, leaned over and she too was delighted with what she saw. My mother then tried desperately hard to speak, but she couldn’t utter any words at all. Nevertheless, she continued smiling for a little while and all the stress and strain I detected previously had vanished completely from her face, and I’m absolutely sure she was thanking all of us for rallying around her in her hour of great need.

This certainly doesn’t mean we should slacken off, no, certainly not, if anything we should increase our efforts. I thank you all again most sincerely, and I will continue to pray for all of you (every day) especially at Mass. And again I would strongly recommend the Rosary to one and all. I know from personal experience, that next to the Mass, it is indeed the Prayer Par Excellence.

“The Rosary constitutes the most excellent form of private prayer and the most efficacious means to achieve eternal life. In the supreme hour the devotees of the Rosary will be consoled by the maternal tenderness of the Virgin Mary and will be gently put to sleep in her bosom”. Pope Leo XIII

John 19:27
Eddy Barry

3 Reasons Why St. Joseph is the Patron of the Dying
  1. He is the foster father of the Eternal Judge, Who can refuse him no request.
  2. He is terrible to the demons; the Church calls him the Terror of demons and Conqueror of Hell.
  3. His own death was most beautiful, for he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary; this is the principal reason why he is the patron of a happy death; in death no other Saint was so happy, so glorious. St. Francis de Sales was of the opinion that St. Joseph died of the love of God; St. Alphonsus Liguori considered this most reasonable.
**The Special Prayer of the Pious Union of St. Joseph
**
O St. Joseph, foster father of the Child Jesus and true spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us and for the dying of this day (or this night). Amen.

**Prayer for the Agonizing
**
O St. Joseph, protector of those in agony, take pity on those who at this very moment when I pray to thee are engaged in their last combat.
O blessed Joseph, take pity on my soul too when the hour of the final battle shall arrive for me. Then, O my holy patron, do not abandon me, but grant me thine assistance; show that thou art my good father, and obtain that my Divine Savior may receive me with mercy into that abode where the elect enjoy a life that shall never end. Amen.

**Prayer for the Souls in the Agony of Death
**
Eternal Father, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who was chosen by Thee from among all men to exercise Thy divine fatherhood over the Thy Son made Man, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be . . .

Eternal Son of God, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who was Thy most faithful guardian upon earth, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be . . .

Eternal Spirit of God, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who guarded with such tender care most holy Mary, Thy beloved spouse, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be

Prayer for a Good Death

O Jesus, while I adore Your dying breath, I beg You to receive mine. Since I do not know whether I shall have command of my senses when I depart from this world, I offer You even now my last agony and all the sorrows of my passing. I give my soul into Your hands for You are my Father and my Savior. Grant that the last beat of my heart may be an act of perfect love for You. Amen.
Click to expand...
I would strongly recommend praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Christ told Saint Faustina "Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death…When they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between my Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Saviour…
 
Steady_Eddy said:
Is it possible to dedicate the merit of one’s lifelong practice to someone else? Is transference of one’s merit possible to the needs of that other person?
Especially when that other person is at the point of death?
Click to expand...
Every good work you do, has a meritorious value and a satisfactory value. You cannot transfer the meritorious value (i.e. which increases the grace in you and eternal reward). But, the satisfactory value (i.e. that which is offered for sins and those of purgatory) can be transferred to apply for the sins of another person.

Your mother will be in my prayers as well!
 
Hello Everyone,

I just want to say a big THANKS again for all your well wishes, support, and prayers during this difficult period. Prayer makes such an enormous difference, the only really worthwhile and lasting difference in fact to each and every soul, of that I am certain now more than ever.

I visited my mother Elsie/Ellen again yesterday morning at 9am and having stayed at the nursing home throughout the day I decided I should stay throughout the night too. We started praying the Rosary audibly (Sorrowful Mysteries) just after 1am. Then we started on the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and having finished just one decade my mother breathed her last and passed over peacefully at 1-50 am this morning. I am as sure now as any human being possibly could be (without an actual vision) that she is now in, or well on her way to heaven.

2 Cor 5:8
Eddy Barry
 
I am sorry for your loss. May Her soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.

peace
 
Hello Everyone,

Just a few personal words of THANKS again for all your kindness, and all your prayers recently. My mother Elsie/Ellen was laid to rest this morning after the 11am Mass. It was of course a very sad occasion, but a beautiful service nonetheless, with personal prayers, funny stories, lovely hymns etc, and I myself even done a reading which I am pasting below. I was actually very nervous about reading. And to make things even more difficult I used a combined narrative lengthening the reading somewhat. Though quite familiar with the Bible, I had never read in public before. Anyway, I just read slowly, from the heart, somewhat emotionally too, or was I just shaking because of the very cold and wet weather 🙂 Anyway, everything went okay. One person said afterwards that I read very coherently, another lady said I should read regularly in Church, but between us, I was just relieved not to have made a mistake 🙂

** A reading from the book of Wisdom, Combined Narrative. Chapter 3:1-9 and Chapter 5:16-17**

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure was taken for misery: And their going away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace. And though in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. Afflicted in few things, in many they shall be well rewarded: because God hath tried them, and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace he hath proved them, and as a victim of a holocaust he hath received them, and in time there shall be respect had to them. The just shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds. They shall judge nations, and rule over people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that trust in him, shall understand the truth: and they that are faithful in love shall rest in him: for grace and peace is to his elect. The just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with the most High. Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.

2 Cor 13:13
Eddy Barry
 
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