So that they may go to Heaven where God dwells.

Catholic Answer

We pray to the saints in heaven, and ask our elder brothers and sisters for their intercession. We pray for everyone else because Our Blessed Lord and the Scriptures tell us to: "It is a good and holy thing to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins." (2 Maccabees 12:45; Lumen Gentium 50). There are only two places that you can end up for eternity: heaven or hell, eternal ecstasy with God or eternal pain and suffering in deprivation. The former, heaven, is, as Scripture assures us, only for the perfect; the latter, hell, is for all those who reject God's plan for us, and reject Him - by the way we live. Very few of us die perfect, and only the perfect can enter heaven. Instead of condemning all of those imperfect souls who died in God's grace but still with imperfections on their soul, God purges them so that they may be whole, entire, and perfect to enter heaven. We do not know much about purgatory (the "place" or "state" wherein this purging occurs between death and eternal happiness in heaven, but we know that it is incredibly painful, and that, after we die, we can do nothing to merit for ourselves. Therefore all the imperfect souls who have died in God's grace are helplessly enduring their purgation to enter heaven. The only help that they can receive is from us, from our prayers, and indulgences we earn and apply to them in purgatory. This is covered in the Catechism in two places; in paragraph 958, the Catechism assures us that the dead are part of the Church (Church Suffering, we are the Church Militant {on earth} and the saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant)

. The Church has prayed for the dead from the earliest time, the Catechism quotes 2 Maccabees, and concludes: "Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective." Because, although the souls in purgatory cannot help themselves, they can pray for us.

The Final Purification, or Purgatory

from

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. (Cf. Council of Florence (1439): Denzinger 1304; Council of Trent (1563): Denzinger 1820; (1547): 1580; see also Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus (1336): Denzinger 1000) The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of cleansing fire: (Cf. 1 Cor 3:15; 1 Pet 1:7.)

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. (St. Gregory the Great, Dial. 4, 29: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca {Paris, 1857-1866} 77, 396; cf. Mt 12:31.)

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Juda Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." (2 Macc 12:46.) From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. (Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274): Denzinger 856) The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them. (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in 1 Cor. 41, 5: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca {Paris, 1857-1866} 61, 361; cf. Job 1:5

Roman Catholic AnswerWe need to pray for the dead (those in purgatory) because they can no longer do it for themselves but can only be helped by our prayers. They are our brothers and sisters in the Mystical Body of Christ, and this duty of ours fulfills all the works of mercy - by which we shall be judged at the particular judgment when we die. The Church, which is the Mystical Body of Our Blessed Lord has always done this since the very beginning and it is supported abundantly in Sacred Scripture:

1 Kings 17:21-22

2 Maccabees 12:39:45

Mark 5:35-42

Luke 7:11-15

John 11:39-44

Acts 9:36-41

1 Corinthians 15:29

2 Timothy 1:16-18

The Church prays for the all the dead at every Mass, they are remembered each day in the Divine Office, and they are especially remembered each year on All Souls Day - the 2nd of November. RIP (Requiescant in Pace) May they rest in peace.

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