Why do we pray for the dead?

[herb_garden]

My non-catholic friend asked me why do we pray for the dead. After all they are with God and there for do not need our prayers. She also stated it is not in the bible to pray for our dead. Looking forward to your (name removed by moderator)ut. I’m Byzantine Catholic.

 

[Devon_Caffran]

These links should be helpful for understanding the Catholic Church’s teachings on praying for the dead. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please [contact Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.com/home/contact.asp) directly.
**Recommended Reading:
**

• Purgatory
• ** The Roots of Purgatory**
• ** If the souls in purgatory are destined for heaven, why do we pray for them?**