Let me preface my remarks by saying, first of all, that it is not wrong to pray for somebody if you are moved to do so. So go ahead and pray for Pete Seeger if you must.
But more importantly, this man was no example to follow in faith, morals, philosophy, politics, or art. He should neither be imitated by Catholics nor given any sort of public honors or recognition. He spent his entire public life fighting for the very forces of progressivism responsible for the collapse of the faith and the moral decay of what once was Christendom. Here's couple a couple of Pete Seeger quotes from Wikipedia:
I guess anyone who calls himself a Christian should be prepared to apologize for the Inquisition, the burning of heretics by Protestants, the slaughter of Jєωs and Muslims by Crusaders.
Where have all the Flowers Gone? Pete Seeger, 1993
I still call myself a communist, because communism is no more what Russia made of it than Christianity is what the churches make of it.
Pete Seeger, interview, 1995
I was never much into folk music myself, but there is a lot of other music I happen to like, such as prog rock and '80s arena rock, that I now listen to only rarely and out of weakness, because I know it brings little glory to God. I admit I would probably say a prayer for Phil Collins or Lou Gramm or Alan Parsons if they happened to die tomorrow (it's a normal human response), but I could not in good conscience argue that they are among the elect simply because I liked their music, nor would I want to hold them up as examples to be imitated by Catholics. And despite my lifelong love of
The Eagles, I don't think I would even bother praying for the likes of Don Henley if he turned up dead in the morning. He gives every indication of being a damned soul.
Rock music at its finest can be very enjoyable to listen to. Sometimes it even reaches a sort of contemplative plateau that passes judgment on the deceptions of the world and casts about for contrition and grace, as if it were a prodigal son wanting to go home; but a lot of times it decidedly does
not reach that plateau and instead participates in and champions a most hideous worldliness. It is only rarely edifying, and even then only by virtue of God's grace and some underlying predisposition of the soul.
The overriding point is, people are not rendered good and acceptable to God just because you or I happen to like them. This goes for friends and relatives, favorite musicians, high school sweethearts, second grade teachers, and anybody else you can think of. If you really love somebody, work and pray for their salvation
now, before the judgment comes.
I am very disturbed by the tendency I note, near universal among Traditional Catholics, to like whatever they want, believe whatever they want, and excuse whomever they want.