i was raised a catholic, left, was reborn and now in a nondenominational church. but most of my family is catholic, i over heard one of my catholic in-laws say she prays to st. anthony all the time because she has so much faith in him. he finds her lost objects.
2006-08-29 14:17:18 · 13 answers · asked by 4hym 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
St. Anthony is a great finder of lost objects, and there's nothing wrong with that.
If you left the Catholic church you obviously never learned what that Catholic church is all about. Too bad.
It's about the community of all believers, those in heaven, in purgatory, and on the earth, all working together, empowered by God's grace, saving souls in Jesus' holy name.
When St. Anthony helps to find something, he's just doing his part. Wouldn't you help her if you could?
2006-08-29 18:40:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Can not praying to saints "distract" protestants from the true meaning of and realization of faith found within the Church of Christ?
As long as we pray to St Anthony precisely because he is close to Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit of God then we, in truth, cannot but be constantly aware of the true meaning of faith in Christ.
You present a false dilemma. There need not be a dichotomy between veneration and prayer to saints and faith in Christ.
2006-08-29 17:41:10 · answer #2 · answered by weeper2point0 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Many Catholics do pray to saints, and various do no longer. some non-Catholics interpret this as worshiping the saints or having a thought that the saints are a technique or the different divine. in actuality, the only reason that Catholics pray to saints is to ask the saints to choose to God for them. of direction, Catholics additionally pray directly to God additionally. part of the fake effect is that some non-Catholics equate prayer with worship. Catholics do pray to saints, yet they only worship God.
2016-09-30 03:49:08 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, anything not done in moderation can be a bad thing.
Sadly, in direct violation of Catholic beliefs, there are a very few confused people who pray to saints to excess.
Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.
The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.
Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.
As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother in heaven to pray for you.
Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.
With love in Christ.
2006-08-29 17:30:30 · answer #4 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Venerating Saints & asking for their intercession does **NOT** distract Catholics from the True Meaning & Realization of faith in Christ.
Rather, veneration of Saints & their intercession is 100% Christ Centred. Especially the veneration of Christ's Blessed Mother, who is Our Blessed Mother too.
Mary & all the Saints are in Heaven with Christ & they all want us to be there too. That is why they pray for us to Him.
2006-08-29 16:23:15 · answer #5 · answered by clusium1971 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Only if praying for you can distract me from Christ. Yet, I remember somewhere Jesus telling us to pray for each other!
I also remember a thing about Jesus conquering death once and for all. I guess that would include the Saints in heaven.
We are all part of the One Body of Christ. So I ask the entire Christian body to pray for you to Christ.
Think of your Church community in broader terms. Deceased Christians are still Christian.
2006-08-29 14:25:57 · answer #6 · answered by Lives7 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If a Catholic believes that praying to saints is his or her way of being close to God, then respect that. There are multiple ways to be immersed in your religion, and there are as many "true meanings" as well.
2006-08-29 15:01:42 · answer #7 · answered by ethereality 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
we don't pray to saints, we ask them for their intercession as we believe them to be in communion with the lord, sorta the same as asking other people in your church to pray for you etc. some catholics may get to caught up in saints and forget Jesus/god, but those informed about their faith in the catholic church. the saint himself doesn't find things,keep you safe on the road etc. he relates our prayer to god who takes whatever action he sees fit as pre said(find lost stuff etc...). the prayer of a holy man is greater than that of a sinner. god bless.
2006-08-29 14:29:09 · answer #8 · answered by fenian1916 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I am almost positive that there is nothing in the Bible about praying to saints, or God assigning different kinds of prayers to different saints. I could be wrong.
2006-08-29 14:27:39 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
consider it this way, god is a very busy dude he needs a way to categorize the prayers he recieves, so there are saints specifically designated for certain instances, there is the safe travel saint, the good marriage saint, the sell your house saint and so on and so forth, so praying to a saint is just another way of getting the message to god
2006-08-29 14:23:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋