One of the consolations that comes with being a Catholic is being able to pray for the dead. Through prayer one can remain with those one loved, and do something to mitigate their suffering in purgatory – particularly valuable when one feels one might have done more for them when they were alive. On the feast of All Souls the names of those for whom one would like the priest to pray are placed before the altar, and in anticipation I keep a list of deceased friends and members of my family which, given my age, gets longer by the day.