Chapter 2 wraps up here:
“For all who are in Christ, having his spirit, form one Church and cleave together in him” (Ephesians 4:16). Therefore the union of the wayfarers with the (sisters and brothers) who have gone to sleep in the peace of Christ is not in the least weakened or interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the perpetual faith of the Church, is strengthened by a communication of spiritual goods.
We learn that death does not open any everlasting chasm between the living and those who have passed into eternity. In our material universe, we have no contact with the senses, but we don’t really know how they might perceive us. It is also possible we can affect them as we affect the living.
Our connection to them reinforces the connection of the entire Church, dead and living, to Jesus:
For by reason of the fact that those in heaven are more closely united with Christ, they establish the whole Church more firmly in holiness, lend nobility to the worship which the Church offers to God here on earth and in many ways contribute to building it up evermore (1 Corinthians 12: 12-27). For after they have been received into their heavenly home and are present to the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), through him and with him and in him they do not cease to intervene with the Father for us, showing forth the merits which they have won on earth through the one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), by serving God in all things and filling up in their flesh those things which are lacking of the sufferings of Christ for his Body which is the Church (Colossians 1:24). Thus by their (familial) interest our weakness is greatly strengthened.(Lumen Gentium 49)
It is not something we can detect from our perspective, but the Scriptures, as you see above, are certain of it.
If we have that unity across the barrier of death, and if those who have died are bonded more closely with Christ, it stands to reason that we are able to help each other:
For this reason there certainly exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth a perennial link of charity and an abundant exchange of all the goods by which, with the expiation of all the sins of the entire Mystical Body, divine justice is placated. God’s mercy is thus led to forgiveness, so that sincerely repentant sinners may participate as soon as possible in the full enjoyment of the benefits of the family of God.
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Catholic Sensibility 