Author Topic: Praying for the damned increases their suffering? (Read 54998 times)

AnthonyPadua · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2026, 05:43:13 AM »

Quote from: nesinam on August 12, 2026, 05:20:04 AM

St. Thomas discusses a case that seems somewhat related. In Summa he mentions Emperor Trajan, who had died and was in hell, and says that after St. Gregory prayed for him, this led to his miraculous resurrection, after which he repented and was presumably ultimately saved. Thomas explains this either by saying that his damnation was not "finaliter", or that his punishment was only temporarily suspended.

Either way(at least in Thomas's view) prayer for the dead who are damned can, in extremely exceptional cases, be justified (and therefore actually be beneficial to the damned). Similar stories can also be found in the Legenda Aurea (about saints praying for the damned), but those are obviously much less reliable.

Regardless if that is true, later Popes have said not to pray for deceased non-Catholics.

Stubborn · « **Reply #6 on:** August 12, 2026, 05:43:54 AM »

I knew there was a pope who taught to not pray for those who died outside of the Church, so I asked Magisterium AI:

The pope was St. Gregory the Great (Pope Gregory I, 590–604).

He taught that the Church should not pray for those known with certainty to be damned, comparing this with the fact that Christians do not pray for the devil and his angels. St. Thomas Aquinas quotes Gregory’s Moralia:

“There is the same reason why we do not pray now for the devil and his angels, who are condemned to eternal punishment, as why the saints do not pray now for wicked and unbelieving men who have died, since they know that they are condemned to eternal punishment.”

Stubborn · « **Reply #7 on:** August 12, 2026, 05:47:36 AM »

But before the OP, I never heard that praying for one you are sure is in hell increased their suffering. That one's a little hard to swallow.The whole idea is crazy imo.

Gray2023 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 12, 2026, 05:51:39 AM »

Quote from: AnthonyPadua on August 12, 2026, 05:42:00 AM

No multiple Popes have said we are not to pray for deceased non-Catholics. We are to obey.

Ok you are to obey with no questioning theses popes? Then you should obey with no questioning all popes. If you call them a pope you can't pick and choose at your whim. Laity is not required to do that.

A Pope said not to pray for the dead? What purpose does that serve? Who wins if you don't pray? Who benefits from that request? Not God, but the devil. How? Because then the soul stays in purgatory forever because some laity decided they were in hell. Go ahead yell at me more because you hate me and I am a woman, but please pray on what I just said before you post again.

Gray2023 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 12, 2026, 05:53:01 AM »

Quote from: AnthonyPadua on August 12, 2026, 05:42:00 AM

No multiple Popes have said we are not to pray for deceased non-Catholics. We are to obey.

Ok you are to obey with no questioning theses popes? Then you should obey with no questioning all popes. If you call them a pope you can't pick and choose at your whim. Laity is not required to do that.

A Pope said not to pray for the dead? What purpose does that serve? Who wins if you don't pray? Who benefits from that request? Not God, but the devil. How? Because then the soul stays in purgatory forever because some laity decided they were in hell. Go ahead yell at me more because you hate me and I am a woman, but please pray on what I just said before you post again.

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Author Topic: Praying for the damned increases their suffering? (Read 54998 times)

AnthonyPadua

Re: Praying for the damned increases their suffering?

Stubborn

Re: Praying for the damned increases their suffering?

Stubborn

Re: Praying for the damned increases their suffering?

Gray2023

Re: Praying for the damned increases their suffering?

Gray2023

Re: Praying for the damned increases their suffering?