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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Cursing the dead	Michael	Sunday, February 26, 2017
Question: We often hear the expression about someone "spinning in their grave." Some information recently came to light about my father-in-law and another departed relative. My mother-in-law will not discuss these issues because she wants them to be able to "rest in peace." At first I thought these were simply figures of speech, but on reflection, I don't know. I think she truly believes they will suffer in some way if she answers some legitimate questions we have about my wife's ancestry. Unfortunately, these are two complicated situations, possibly with medical implications for my wife, her brother, and our children. My mother-in-law seems to be the only living person who has first-hand knowledge. If we believe that prayer for the dead helps them, is it possible to do anything to curse or harm or hurt or sadden a departed individual?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Michael: Your mother-in-law is misinformed. Whatever information you need from her will not effect the dead loved-ones. Once a person dies their soul goes to purgatory/heaven or to hell. Nothing we do can hurt them. Our prayers for those in purgatory help those souls to finish their time in purgatory and move on to heaven, but we cannot curse them or hurt them in any way. Souls in heaven do not need our prayers since they have arrived to their final destination of paradise, and cannot be cursed or harmed. Souls in hell do not need our prayers, nor can be curse or harm them since they are already condemned. Your mother-in-law can freely reveal the family history without fear of harming the dead loved-ones. Medical history can be critically important, of course. Thus, your mother-in-law has a duty and responsibility to reveal all medical history of your wife's relatives. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Cursing the dead

Michael

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Question:

We often hear the expression about someone "spinning in their grave." Some information recently came to light about my father-in-law and another departed relative. My mother-in-law will not discuss these issues because she wants them to be able to "rest in peace." At first I thought these were simply figures of speech, but on reflection, I don't know. I think she truly believes they will suffer in some way if she answers some legitimate questions we have about my wife's ancestry. Unfortunately, these are two complicated situations, possibly with medical implications for my wife, her brother, and our children. My mother-in-law seems to be the only living person who has first-hand knowledge.

If we believe that prayer for the dead helps them, is it possible to do anything to curse or harm or hurt or sadden a departed individual?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Michael:

Your mother-in-law is misinformed. Whatever information you need from her will not effect the dead loved-ones. Once a person dies their soul goes to purgatory/heaven or to hell. Nothing we do can hurt them.

Our prayers for those in purgatory help those souls to finish their time in purgatory and move on to heaven, but we cannot curse them or hurt them in any way.

Souls in heaven do not need our prayers since they have arrived to their final destination of paradise, and cannot be cursed or harmed.

Souls in hell do not need our prayers, nor can be curse or harm them since they are already condemned.

Your mother-in-law can freely reveal the family history without fear of harming the dead loved-ones. Medical history can be critically important, of course. Thus, your mother-in-law has a duty and responsibility to reveal all medical history of your wife's relatives.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum