God arranged in His providence that nothing else can help us with our sins but prayer, that only prayer can obtain the gifts of His grace, and that the prayer of some is for the salvation of others. In order for Him to grant His grace even to those who do not ask for it, cannot ask for it, or do not want to, God has established and commands: “Pray for one another, so that you may be saved.” If God granted the grace of conversion to Saint Augustine, we owe it to the tears of Saint Monica; and the Church would not have had Saint Paul if he had not been prayed for by Saint Stephen.
(bl. Francis Palau y Quer, O.Carm. /1811–1872/, spiritual writings)
