Originally Posted by dchristiva
I don't see any reason why you can't light a candle if you're praying for someone in a Catholic church.
I don't do it because it is not part of my religious tradition. Yes, we light candles, but only for specific purposes and even then it is always done at home and not at a synagogue. Moreover, it isn't done as part of a request.
When I ask a priest to light a candle and say a prayer for a Catholic friend it isn't a matter of what I believe, but rather my friend's belief. As I live in Israel, which has numerous sites that Christians consider especially holy, it often gives them a comforting feeling to know that a candle has been lit at one of them in their name and that a priest at one of these sites has said a prayer for them.