Suffrages for the Dead

The word suffrage really means a vote.A suffrage is a vote, or a request to God, that some good act of ours have its merit bestowed on another. A suffrage is a good deed cast, like a ballot, in favor of someone. All the faithful are members of one body which is the Church. And, as in a living body,one member may be assisted by another. Such assistance is a suffrage. So much we know from the doctrine called the”Communion of Saints.” But one member cannot actually replace another; one member of the Church cannot save the soul of another. One member may, and should, help another, not only by giving him good example and praying for him, but by performing good and meritorious deeds, and ascribing the benefit of these to another.

The prayers and suffrages of the living, offered forthe souls in purgatory, are of benefit to these souls. This we know from the infallible teaching of the Church, and also from scripture(II Machabees 12:46): “It is a holy and wholesome thought top ray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins.”

Even those who are in the state of mortal sin may dosomething for the souls in purgatory. For the deed done may have a value apart from the status of the doer of the deed.

Suffrages offered by the living on behalf of the soul sin purgatory are deeds of charity, and, as such, they confer a benefit upon those who perform them. Says Psalm 34: “My prayer shall be turned into my bosom.”

Suffrages, however, can be of no benefit whatever to those who are in hell. The lost souls are changelessly beyond all aid. They are under debt of eternal punishment, and no suffrage with its gift of temporal satisfaction, can be of any avail.

It is a point of the faith itself that the suffrages ofthe living help the souls in purgatory to pay their temporal debt. For purgatory does the work of satisfaction that a person could have done in this life, but died without doing, or without completing. Temporal punishment can be paid off; we on earth can help pay it for our brethren in purgatory who can merit no longer for themselves.

Infants in Umbo cannot be aided by suffrages. For these infants are not under any debt of punishment for actual sins. We cannot relieve temporal suffering where there is no suffering to relieve.

Suffrages are called so because they help, just as a vote helps to elect a man. Now, we cannot help those who have achieved the glory of heaven. One cannot help another toget home if he is already at home. So we do not offer suffrages on behalf of the saints.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the share we have inthe general prayer of the Church, and almsgiving, are notable works of charity; therefore, these are powerful suffrages.

Indulgences granted by the Church and made applicable to the souls in purgatory can be gained by the faithful on earth for the benefit of the holy souls. And indulgences thus gained aresuffrages.

St. Augustine says that the burial service for the dead, with its solemn ceremonies, is rather a consolation for the survivors than a help for the departed. And yet the burial service as prescribed by the Church contains many prayers for the dead, and even Holy Mass which is offered for the departed soul. Further, the ceremonies themselves may stir observers to pious thoughts, and lead them to pray and offer suffrages for the dead. And thus,“to bury the dead,” is indeed a work of mercy. And as such a work, it is a suffrage.

It seems most reasonable to suppose that suffragesoffered for one definite person are a help to him rather than to another who is perhaps more worthy of help. For the suffrageoffered derives its value not only from the deed done, but from the intention of the doer of the deed.

Suffrages offered for several souls are divided among the souls. It is quite unreasonable to think or say, as some have done, that such suffrages are of as much value for each of the several souls as if they were offered for that one soul alone.

General suffrages (those offered in general for the souls in purgatory) are certainly of profit to the holy souls. But here again it is unreasonable to say that neglected souls find in general suffrages such help as makes up to them all they have been deprived of through neglect on the part of those who should help them.