Catholic Answers Live #12439 Do Ghosts Ask for Prayers? – Weird Questions AMA @JimmyAkin - Jimmy Akin
Oct 31, 2025
Join Jimmy Akin, a senior apologist and host of multiple podcasts, as he dives into the captivating question of whether ghosts—potential souls from purgatory—ask for prayers. He explores the phenomenon of hauntings as psychic imprints and discusses their moral implications, particularly concerning workplace automation. Akin also unpacks the intriguing Catholic themes woven into the Star Wars universe, revealing the mystical connections between the Force and faith. This engaging conversation blends theology and the paranormal in fascinating ways.
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Not All Ghosts Want Masses
- Apparitions can come from heaven, hell, or purgatory and are broadly called apparitions by parapsychologists.
- Only souls in purgatory would benefit from Masses, so not every apparition would ask for Mass.
Purgatorial Priorities Vary
- Souls in purgatory may have other urgent needs like consoling living relatives or making amends that take priority over requesting Masses.
- Jimmy Akin warns against a simplistic model that every ghost would always ask for Mass because context and needs vary.
Residual Hauntings As Place Memory
- 'Hauntings' can be residual, non-interactive imprints—like recordings—instead of living spirits appearing.
- Parapsychologists call these residual hauntings 'place memories' that repeat without responding to the living.
