Mr. Keppel in his book “Christmas in Art,” tells this story:
I remember a touching little incident which occurred in New
York. My dear old mother, who was a Methodist, had died, and our
kindly Irish cook prayed twice daily for the repose of the old
woman’s soul. A Catholic friend of the cook’s told her that it
was wrong to pray for a deceased heretic, and the cook carried
the question to her father-confessor. The good priest’s decision
was in this wise: “My daughter, I can not tell you whether such
prayers can do good to the soul of a deceased heretic--but your
prayers will certainly do good to your own soul.”
(2456)
=Prayers Unanswered=--See FAITH, STEADFAST.