“My mother, who was long in poor health and 90 years old, died recently. She was· a strong Catholic all her life, received the anointing of the sick just before her death, and received Communion a few days before that. Since I know mom is with our heavenly Father; I'm curious what a funeral Mass or other Mass for the dead benefits such a departed soul. The Mass at her burial was beautiful and I'm happy we could be there to celebrate the beginning of her eternal life, but I have these wonderings”.

Masses, as well as other prayers, are offered for a deceased person for many reasons. First, as all prayer, one intention may be to ask God's blessing and grace on that person during his or her entire life, from birth to death. That may sound strange at first, but we know God's actions are not bound by limits of time. Past, present and future are all one eternal moment to God. By our prayers, we place ourselves in that sphere of reference in eternity.

The church does this all the time. In funeral liturgies, for example, as well as some anniversary liturgies years after death, the prayers ask God to give that individual the grace of a holy and peaceful death. Another reason is that, as long Christian tradition teaches, our prayers and other good works can help those who have died in any satisfaction for sin that may still be due. Exactly how this works out in God's providence we obviously do not know. But it is still solid Catholic belief.

Finally - and this is, I believe, far more common in people's intentions than we might think - our Masses and prayers may simply express thanks and praise to God for the life of the person we loved and still love, and with whom we have shared this earthly life.

I know many men and women who firmly believe their loved ones are in heaven; they may even pray to them as among the saints of God. Yet they continue to pray for them and have Masses offered for them. These Masses are wonderful expressions of faith and thanks, a part of remembering and of joy over the eternal happiness of someone close to them.