A Prayer Request for a Departed Seminarian

Here is a prayer request sent to me today:

My cousin who was missing for 3 days was found dead early this morning of foul play. He was a seminarian for a long time but was not ordained. Please pray for his eternal repose. The whole family is in shock by this news of his unpleasant death. His name is Jojo. Thank you so much. Suzette

What he truly needs are Masses said in his name. Please, if you can, have a Mass said for him. The value of a Mass is nearly of infinite value. For, at the Mass, the Sacrifice of Calvary is recalled. For the Eucharist is Jesus Christ; He is truly present at each Mass.

Q: When a Mass is said for the soul of a deceased loved one, does this help lessen the soul's time in purgatory?

A: Just as we pray for others here on earth, we are encouraged by the Church to pray for souls who may be in purgatory. Why? We are all in need of grace to come into the perfection of charity. We cannot enter heaven if we have not been completely cleansed of sin and all punishment due to sin. See Catechism of the Catholic Church #1031 and 1472

Since the Mass is the "source and summit" of the Christian Life, we naturally look to that Holy Sacrifice of Christ, containing the perfect prayer, to offer for our deceased relatives and friends who may still need the help of our prayers. Priests are under a strict obligation to remember in a special way the person for whom the Mass is being offered. Often you wil hear the priests say the name of the person in the part of the Mass which specifically remembers those who have gone before us. Sometimes the intention for the Mass is listed in the bulletin or announced before the Mass.

We can't really speak of "time" since the deceased person has entered eternity, but we can speak in terms of "final purification" before entrance into heaven. We believe that a Mass offered for a departed relative or friend may help hasten that final purification which he/she may still be undergoing in purgatory.

For more information on the Mass, see "The Holy Mass."