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Why is there a section of "Prayers for the Dead" in the ritual book for the "Pastoral Care of the Sick"? Basically because it is sometimes the case that when the priest is called to anoint a sick person, he arrives to find that the person has already died, or perhaps the person dies while the priest is there. Usually the priest will have brought along his ritual for the "Pastoral Care of the Sick" and therefore ICEL and the USCCB decided to include prayers for the dead in the ritual book so that the priest/minister would have appropriate prayers for this pastoral circumstance. Formerly, the priest would administer Extreme Unction "conditionally"; however, today the ritual provides us with prayers that are more pastorally appropriate for the dead and bereaved.
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At the time of the reformation, the doctrine of indulgences was perhaps "over preached" to lead some to find that the balance "faith / works" was disturbed. The eternal salvation of the just is due to the eternal love of God, who loves each person "as a Father loves his children." We do not "buy" salvation by good works, prayers, multiplication of Masses, indulgences and/or suffrages for the dead.
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Why do we pray for the dead? What good does it do? Is it for us or for them or for God?
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© Copyright: Tom Richstatter, Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist, Cincinnati Ohio, Order of Friars Minor. All Rights Reserved. This page was created by Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M. Every effort has been, and is being made, to acknowledge sources when the ideas are not my own. Any failure to comply with the United States Copyright Act (Title 17, United States Code) will be corrected immediately should I become aware of it. This site was updated on 08/11/10 . Your comments on this site are welcome at tomrichs@psci.net.