why do catholics think that they pray to saints mary and the pope which in the bible u are only to pray to god

Answer 1

It is a pagan tradition started by Constantine in Rome.

Some Catholic priests will also tell their congregations NOT to read the Bible. Just ask them what it says.

This is not what Jesus taught and is therefore not Christianity.

Answer 2

Catholics DO NOT pray to saints, Mary and the Pope. Anyone who thinks that is dumb.

Catholics honor saints, Mary and the Pope and not pray. There's a difference.

Saints, Mary and the Pope intercede for Catholics. It's like asking your mother to talk to your father so that he will give you allowance.

Answer 3

Catholics do not pray to the Pope. We can however email him at [e-mail]

Before Jesus Christ died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven there were no saints in heaven. Therefore there are no Old Testament writings that would mention them.

Very few of the new Christians died before most of the New Testament was written. Therefore there is little in the Bible about asking saints to pray for us.

However the last book of the Bible does talk about the saints in heaven praying.

Revelation 5:8: Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.

Revelation 8:3-4: He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.

The Holy Spirit guided the early Church in many things not explained in the Bible including how does the Body of Christ (believers) living on Earth relate to the Body of Christ (saints) living in heaven. We are still one Body.

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, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

And prayer to the saints is optional not required.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

First off we dont pray to the Pope, we pray for him. Secondly, the Holy Mother and the Saints are all in heaven, being they are in heaven means they are alive, not dead.


We often ask the Saints to pray for us and look over us in times of special need. The Saints also provide us with wonderful role models for living this lifetime in Christ. Make no mistake about it. We only worship the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. But we often appeal to others in heaven to help us and watch over us. This relationship, know as the Communion of Saints, is an example of how we are all children of God. The will of God shall be done and God is all powerful and all knowing. We are merely sharing a loving relationship with our brothers in sisters in Christ that have gone on before us. Haven't you ever appealed to a member of the family for help? Why would you consider severing your relationship with them after they have passed on. Mary, and all the saints in heaven, are members of our family in Christ. We pray for them, and in turn ask them to pray for us.

Answer 5

It amazes me that God's Avenger has named herself the ultimate judge of us all. I am Catholic, attended a Catholic school my whole school time... and never did we once pray TO Mary or the Pope or the Saints or statues or anyone or anyhing else except our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ... Those that speak the loudest know the least....

Answer 6

ya know, I have always wondered that and I asked it awhile back. I got one answer that actually made sense to me, if still being a little kooky.

A lady wrote that they didn't pray TO Mary and the saints, but it was like asking a friend to pray FOR you. If you have a prayer request, you often tell your friends and ask them to pray with you. She said this was the same idea. Ask someone who is already around the throne of God to pray for you.

Answer 7

do you ask you family/friends/pastor to pray for you? if yes you are doing the same thing as catholics. the saints,blessed virgin mother or the pope can't and don't replace the role of Jesus in the catholic faith,we ask them to pray to god for us to intercede. the prayers of a holy person are effective and pleasing to god. the bible is a catholic book,the catholic church gave us the bible not the other way around i would therefore think that the church Jesus gave us and that gave us the bible would be best suited to interpreting it properly.

try www.scripturecatholic.com
www.catholiceducation.org
www.ewtn.com
www.fisheaters.com

if only for a better understanding of what catholics really believe,not your misconceptions of what we believe.
"ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ" st Jerome.

Answer 8

Catholic people pray to the saints and other Christian's that are dead because they do not believe they are dead. They believe they are alive in heaven. Catholics pray to these people to ask them to talk/pray to God for them. Catholics must think these people have a special connection with God. They think that prayer will come true if a saint asks God instead of them. I know. I used to be Catholic.

Answer 9

Catholics Pray "WIth" these ppl ... "For when any two gather in my name ...". Notice that this scripture doesn't mention if the gathering is with the living or dead ... just any two ... and to honor the dead is very Christain for we believe that we're all going to be "Assumed" or "Resurrected" by Jesus.

So, have you ever said to a family member, friend, or congressional member ... "Please pray for me???" If so, by you're standards you're sinning!!!

Why do you get miffed if I reach out to Mary and say "Mary please pray for us?" Why does that miff you??? Anyway's " Pray for us (Catholics) " if you really think it's that bad to honor the woman (with words directly from the Bible) who gave birth to our savior, Jesus.

Answer 10

It all came about with the pagan conversions. Instead of totally abolishing the pagan practices they just incorporated them with the Catholic teachings and gave it the "Christian" twist.