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Thats because prayers don't provide "a better chance' for salvation for the deceased. Those in purgatory also you are correct don't "need "prayers. Prayers for the faithful departed in purgatory are only effective in the sense in that they assist in quickening the purification (via the mercies of the Lord) to the heaven that the soul in purgatory is already destined by virtue of being saved.

On baptism, the Church recognises the spiritual effects of baptism can be achieved sacramentally and extra-sacramentally. That is to say that the Church recognises that God in his mercy imparts the spiritual effect of baptism on those catechumens who are martyred out of hatred for the faith [baptism of blood] and that "for catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins [perfect contrition is necessary], and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament" (CCC 1259) due to God's mercy. Ergo the Church still of course teaches that sacramental baptism is necessary, but it recognises that the Lord in his manifest mercy grants it to those who earnestly are seeking it having being converted, but who through tragedy are denied the sacrament itself. (edit: some legitimate theologians however do argue that the strict interpretation of "outside the church there is no salvation" is the correct one, and that sacramental baptism is absolutely necessary with baptisms of blood and desire being unavailing, with the consequence being that no one who is not a Catholic on earth can be saved)
 
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