Soul Mass

[brionon]

What's the idea of having a Mass for the soul of a dead person ? Is it that ,if enough people pray for someone,then that person will have a better chance of getting into Heaven ,please ?

[Lil O'lady]

The roman catholic belief is that most souls await entry into heaven, in purgatory, a kind of heavenly waiting room. The living can intercede with god by praying for the souls of dead ones so god lets them jump the queue.

Sadly the innocent beliefs of the people got exploited in times past, when the catholic church gained huge revenues by charging for masses and prayers said for the dead, which sorta upset the thinking classes and fuelled the reformation.

[Teddio]

If the person dies and their soul is in a state of Mortal Sin then they are doomed to an eternity in Hell and no number of Masses or prayers can save them. If hovever the person's soul is in a state of Venial sin then they will spend a certain amount of time, commensurate with their sins, in Purgatory before entering Heaven. Being in possession of an Indulgence before death can lessen the time spent in Purgatory, as can the saying of Masses and prayers. It helps to be high up in the Church hierarchy as there might be millions of people praying for you after your death.
People who live a life free of all sin and die "in a state of grace" may be "assumed" into Heaven, for example the Virgin Mary.

[brionon]

Thanks for the answers. B.