A Topic of Moral Theology

To whom and for whom we pray

Prayer to the saints; praying for all men; not for the damned or publicly for the excommunicated.

Also asked about as…

praying for non-catholics · praying for the dead (ed.)

In the index as Prayer · Invocation of the saints · Saints · Souls in purgatory · The damned · An excommunicated person · Dead · Enemies · God · Invocation · Just men · Mary · Most Holy Mary · Perserverance · Rulers to be honored and prayed for · Sinner · Souls detained in purgatory · Thanksgiving

In the manuals

A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries

Vol. I, Bk. VI, Pt. I, Chapter II. Prayer, nn. 4 & 5 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Moral Theology: A Complete Course (McHugh & Callan)

Vol. II, Pt. II, Q. II, Art. 5. The Quasi-integral…, Prayer, nn. 2159, 2160 & 2161 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.

Vol. I, Treatise On the Precepts o…, On the First Precept of th…, Ch. I, Article II. On Prayer, n. 262 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Manuale Theologiae Moralis

Vol. II, Tr. XI, Sect. II, Q. I, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2. On the Object of Prayer, n. ¶57 — In this paragraph we respond to the following three questions: 1. What things can be asked in prayer? 2. For whom is prayer to be made? 3. To whom are our prayers to be directed?Read in context →

Vol. II, Tr. XI, Sect. II, Q. I, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2, 2. For Whom Is Prayer to Be Made?, nn. 340, 341 & 342 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. II, Tr. XI, Sect. II, Q. I, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2, 3. To Whom Are Our Prayers to Be Directed?, nn. 343, 344 & 345 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Vol. II, Special Moral Theology: On…, Treatise: On the Cardinal …, Fifth Part: On the Virtues…, Section B: On the Acts of …, Ch. I, Question Two: On Prayer, Article I: On the Essence and Object of Prayer, nn. ¶1, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667 & 668 (35 passages — hover a number to read it)

Christian Theology, Dogmatic and Moral, in Compendium

Bk. III, Diss. V, Chapter III — On the conditions of Prayer. Is God alone to be prayed to? Are the Saints to be invoked? And for whom must we pray?, nn. I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X & XI (11 passages — hover a number to read it)

Palladium Theologicum, Tome V: On the Virtues

Tr. III, Disputation III: On Prayer, Question VII: Who ought to pray, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 (9 passages — hover a number to read it)

Tr. III, Disputation III: On Prayer, Question VIII: Who is to be prayed to, nn. 1 & 2 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Tr. III, Disputation III: On Prayer, Question IX: For whom one ought to pray, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 (10 passages — hover a number to read it)

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (The Roman Catechism)

Pt. IV, Prayer in General, nn. ¶45–¶64 (20 passages)

Treated under the broader heading Prayer — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology · Tanquerey · Koch–Preuss · Vermeersch, Theologia Moralis · Marc, Institutiones Morales · Sabetti-Barrett, Compendium of Moral Theology · Slater, Cases I · The Casuist · Spirago · St. Alphonsus, True Spouse · Deshon, Guide · Slater, Back to Morality · 1917 Code of Canon Law — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)