bkaycee wrote:
TETZEL. Paying for Masses said for the dead.
Johann Tetzel was a preacher who grossly exaggerated and distorted the true Catholic teaching on indulgences... as even 30 seconds' reading of history on the matter will make clear. Google "Cardinal Cajetan" and "Tetzel", and you may see what I mean. Or, failing that, do follow
this link to the Catholic Encyclopedia to see what the Church actually teaches on him, and on the issue. It'd be much better than having you make something up, yes?
Do think this through reasonably! If the Catholic Church actually taught the "sale" of indulgences (and--forgive me--I've met few Catholics, very few Protestants, and NO anti-Catholic Protestants who have any good understanding of what indulgences really are), don't you think they'd be CHAMPIONING Brother Tetzel? Wouldn't the "sale of indulgences" be found readily in the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Bosh!
As concerns "paying for Masses for the Dead": Masses cannot be bought or sold, nor can any holy thing (it's a sin known as "simony", and the Catholic Church has condemned it since the time of St. Peter--see the Catechism,
numbers 2121 and 2122. If someone is poor and still requests a Mass for the repose of the soul of a deceased loved one (or for any other good intention), the priest is to offer it, eve if the person cannot contribute anything (see the
Code of Canon Law, #945ff>. The voluntary donation is for the benefit of the GIVER, mainly... since it's more salutary to give a gift which costs you something (cf. Luke 21:1-4).