Author Topic: Masses for Deceased Protestants (Read 813 times)

Charlemagne · « **on:** June 21, 2013, 03:46:24 PM »

Okay, I'm a little confused about this. My understanding is that we are not to entertain hope that non-Catholics are saved. However, at an SSPX chapel that we used to attend, the stipend envelopes had the option of Catholic vs. Non-Catholic under the deceased's name if you wanted a Mass offered. Are we to have Masses offered for non-Catholics or not? If we're having Masses offered for them, that would seem to be hopeful to me.

Matto · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2013, 03:55:55 PM »

I thought public Masses were only to be said for Catholics in good standing, but I am no expert.

MyrnaM · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2013, 05:34:54 PM »

It is my understanding a Mass can be offered for other Catholics, good standing or not, who really knows anyway.

I do not think you can offer a Mass for a non Catholic who has passed away, but then I have seen some come through asking for the conversion of a particular person, so this is a good question.

Sigismund · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2013, 07:08:08 PM »

I think we can hope for the salvation of anyone. You have no idea whether a person repented and embraced the faith at the last minute. Also, whole you may not believe in it, implicit and explicit baptism of desire are accepted Catholic teachings.

Sigismund · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2013, 09:11:42 PM »

That should be "while", not "whole". Sorry.

I am not sorry for defending the catholic teaching of baptism of desire, however. :smile:

Stubborn · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2013, 04:53:21 AM »

Fr. Wathen:
Of course, we do pray for those who have died outside the Church, in the hope that God granted them the Faith and Baptism. This is no proof at all for the existence of "baptism of desire." It will be observed, however, that the Church does not allow us to give these individuals a Catholic funeral, nor may we offer Masses for them as being among the "faithful departed," even if they were catechumens. We are instructed not to publish the names of deceased non-Catholics, but to offer the Masses requested for them to fulfill the "will of the
donor(s)."

TKGS · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2013, 06:19:02 AM »

I have been told by other priests what Subborn quotes from Father Wathen, that the priests may offer Masses for the souls of anyone, but if the parish publishes Mass intentions, a non-Catholic's name should not be published, thus we sometime have, instead of the name of the deceased, "Special Intention of N", or some similar note. Perhaps that is why the envelope requests this information.