I know that saints are sometimes prayed to and for specific things. But does the Catholic church teach that Catholics can and/or should thank saints for blessings in their lives?
2007-10-07 01:57:33 · 10 answers · asked by Loosid 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Not really.
We thank God for blessings in our life.
We thank the saints for praying for us.
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.
Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946
With love in Christ.
2007-10-07 09:52:49 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was taught that Catholics are not supposed to pray to the saints for help, but rather to ask the saints to pray on their behalf. The saints are closer to god so have more influence, I suppose. Praying to the saints for direct guidance would put them on the same level as god. So the right thing to do if you are catholic would be to thank god for the blessings and thank the saints for their prayers.
2007-10-07 02:02:35 · answer #2 · answered by susanbamboozlin 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
*Is Catholic*
Yes. However, more properly we pray to the saints to ask them to intercede on our behalf before the throne of God - to obtain for us grace and merits.
The key to understanding the Communion of the Saints is to understand the Mystical Body of Christ and how the saints act in co-operation with Christ who is there Head, so that all that they do originates from the Father and ends back with giving Glory to the Father through Christ.
2007-10-07 07:09:00 · answer #3 · answered by Liet Kynes 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Catholics do believe in intercessory prayer. First they pray to God through Jesus and then because they don't understand what true salvation and freedom mean and feel unworthy they ask say Mary to put in a good word with the Kid.
I never seen any catholic praying to anyone that they were trying to get to Jesus through them.
A mistaken ideology but is this evil?
Catholics spend more time thinking about and communing with God then 80% of protestantism.
2007-10-07 02:51:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I dont know about actually thanking the saints, but I named all my children with saints names. I pray to that ' their ' saint if there are sick or in need, I asked ' their ' saint to guide and protect them, so for so good. Thank You.
2007-10-07 02:02:14 · answer #5 · answered by failte1950 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not super catholic, but I am catholic and we thank God for things. We do prat to saints for specific things but we usually thank the big guy lol
2007-10-07 02:01:17 · answer #6 · answered by Samantha 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
When we pray to the saints, we are asking for THEIR prayers ( remember, a prayer is a request NOT worship)
We thank them for their prayer, just as we would thank the friend who prayed for us.
Where is the problem with that?
2007-10-09 10:52:41 · answer #7 · answered by Mommy_to_seven 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics primarilly offer saints prayers of intercession, asking them to intercede in prayer on our behalf. Should someone recognize what they believe to be a positive effect of a saint's intercession, I'm sure they wouldn't mind a "thank you" for those of us who request their intercession.
2007-10-08 04:36:32 · answer #8 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Have no God before me" Don't pray to men (nor Mary) pray to your Father/Mother GOD!!!
It is not fair to pray "past" our perfect Lord (he knows every thought), to a mear human; who would not appreciate your "worship" any how.
Remember in the Bible when someone bowed before an Angel of Heaven, from heaven, the angel was offended, "Don't worship me, worship GOD"!!!
In am an ex-Catholic. We PROTESTant catholics pray to God, and no other!!! the word "catholic" means universal. (There is only One church, "the body of Christ" on earth)
2007-10-07 02:50:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I probably wouldn't do that. I think that is God's domain to receive thanks for blessings. But you can thank a saint if you feel they interceeded to help you in a certain matter. Please read this link for better info:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Praying_to_the_Saints.asp
2007-10-07 02:03:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋