Catholics: about praying to saints?

Question

Let me start by saying I am going to ask a couple questions about catholicism tonight. They are in no way meant as attacks. I am just curious about a couple things.

I know you guys pray to various saints. I also know that to you it is the same as asking a friend to pray for you. I am not condemning this, however it did lead me to two questions. If you could answer I would appreciate it.

1) Is there somewhere in the Bible that says people in Heaven can hear you? I always figured once you got to Heaven you were not concerned with Earth anymore.

2) When you pray to a saint for a need do you then pray to God as well? If I ask a friend here to pray for me I then go and pray to God myself too. Do you do this or do you just leave it in the saints hands?

asylum31 - Jesus is God. Rules that would apply to humans don't apply to Him.

cristoiglesia - If you happen to check back here leave lovinghelpertojoe alone. What do you know about her? Who are you to judge her? I think she likely knows much more about her mother than you do. I have never seen her be anything but loving and polite on here. So I say again. Leave her alone. Don't talk about what you don't know.

Answer 1

Well, friend, you have struck another cord with me regarding my upbringing in the Catholic faith vs my faith as a Christian now.

I have said before that I do not ever recall my mother in prayer. I have to take that back, now. I am sorry, she did pray, to St. Jude. I remember whenever things were going bad, horrible, etc., she had this little prayer pamplet with prayers to St. Jude.

I remember when I found out I was pregnant at 18, witht he daughter I gave up for adoption and now know, my mom told me I should be praying to St. Jude for help. NOT ONCE did she say I should be praying to God, or to Jesus. But I should pray to St. Jude.

I have to say that I do believe my mom would leave the need in the hands of this saint. Strange thing, this little pamphlet of St. Jude was always in the bathroom. Not by her bedside, or even by her favorite chair. How strange thinking of it.

This reminds me of a conversation I had regarding the prayer shawl ministry that I am a part of and leading in church. A friend on line wanted more info, and said that she would like to start more of a community prayer shawl, opening it to all beliefs, like Shamans, and others who do not pray to Jesus. I expressed a concern over this and told her that I personally would not want a shawl that was prayed over and while being made by someone who was not Christian. She was very upset, and I ended up leaving the online "ministry" because they thought I was being too closed in thought.

Anyway, praying to someone other that the Lord makes no sense. Why would I pray to a saint when I go straight to my Savior, adn therefore, straight to God?

God Bless

Answer 2

Well since God is in heaven and the Saints are with him in eternal life I guess we assume that they can hear us if God can. My best sugestian is to ask a catholic priest because they usually have good answers to questions like these.

Answer 3

Saints are sorta like Go-Betweens, People that are / where really THAT GOOD in being "good" that God listens to them, once in a while anyways...You don't really PRAY to them, you ask a Saint to help you with trivial things, like Leprosy, having a lame Leg, healing Cancer or even just finding your lost Stuff and such.

A Saint can't bring back the Dead or guarantee you entrance into Heaven though...That's NOT their Job...!


God's got a HARD ON for Catholics, WHY? Look at it this way...IF you need a Demon Exorcised, who do you call? Ghostbusters...no...a Protestant Pick and Choose Faith Pastor... noooo (watch the Movie "Amityville Horror") those Guys get their AZZ handed by Demons...WHOLESALE!

No...YOU CALL IN THE MARINE OF CHRISTIANITY!

... A CATHOLIC PRIEST !

When you ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY need a Heretic DEAD, Jew EXILED, Witches BURNED at the Stake or just simply the Wind Demon PAZZUZU ( The Exorcist ) Kicked out of a little Girls Body for the UPTHEETH TIME... GET A "REAL SOLDIER OF GOD" !

CATHOLIC PRIESTS RULE !

....EXCEPT NO CHEAP SUBSTITUTES !

Answer 4

According to question number one, anyone who is in heaven can't hear you. Don't christians believe that Jesus is in heaven? If you accept both as true then it would also be true that Jesus can't hear you and therefore prayer is unnecessary.

For your second question, they ask the saint to pray to god along with you.

Answer 5

1)

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.

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

2)

Yes, more than 95% of all our prayer is directly to God.

Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God:
+ In praise of his glory
+ In petition for some desired good
+ In thanksgiving for a good received
+ In intercession for others before God

Through prayer the Christian experiences a communion with God through Christ in the Church.

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." (St. John Damascene)

But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Psalm 130:1)

He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, part four: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt4sect1.htm

Some basic Catholic prayers can be found at:
http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/index.htm

Daily prayer site: http://www.sacredspace.ie/

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 6

"All of Heaven will rejoice over one sinner who repents"

When Jesus Resurrected several people saw other people who had died who were resurrected also---these people then were in Heaven to be included in the "ALL of Heaven will rejoice"

Yes, we pray to the Father too in Jesus' name but we have the added prayers of Mary to Her son as well who took her request at Cana and went ahead and changed water into wine because she asked.

Answer 7

There are only three saints in heaven right now that I know of: Enoch, Elijah and Moses we do not usally pray to them, but they are there. They can hear us, but Jesus is the only intercessor.

Answer 8

it says in the bible that all who die stay dead until the second coming. therefore, there are no saints. only god knows for sure who goes to heaven or hell. so praying to saints is beaking the first commandment.

Answer 9

Yes, of course the Bible says in several places that the saints in heaven hear our prayers. First of all the Bible teaches that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses which are those who have won the race and gone ahead of us in heaven. They are a part of the Church which consists of:

The Church militant which is you and I.

The Church suffering, who are those preparing after death for heaven.

The Church triumphant which are in heaven.

As Catholics we worship with them at Mass and they encourage us to endure in our faith to final salvation by praying for us. We know that they hear us because they are not only surrounding us but are presenting our prayers to God before the throne as is told in St. John's Apocalypse.

(Rev 5:8 DRB) And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Of course, just as you ask a friend to pray for you that does not mean that you do not pray for yourself to God and it is no different for Catholics. See my blog here for more information:

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-S6YMuFYyaa9ESBoW5DFwEjL_HhqA?p=4

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Lovinghelpertojoe,

Your mother sounds like someone who had a great love for God and practiced what Catholics call unceasing prayer. I pray that it is her example that you are following today.

It seems that you were probably a rebellious child and that your mother’s example did not bring you to faith. I saw this from your profile where you said that you did not come to faith in Christ and become a Christian until late in life. Although it may have been the seeds she planted that made you have faith later on in life.

You seem to be questioning today the value of your mother’s devotional life. It seems that you do not believe that our Lord taught that we are to love others and pray for them and even to ask them to pray for us. I can not imagine why, from your post, that you would not be obedient to His commandment to love others through prayer. I believe as you are a Christian the Holy Spirit will guide you towards a love for others that you will pray for them and welcome their prayers for you. To answer your last question we do these things because we love each other as Christians and wish to encourage each other through prayer. The saints are no less loving or helpful in heaven but love continues in His Church even when we have won the race and those before us encourage us through prayer. Praying for each other does not take away in any way our devotion to God but instead makes us obedient to His will that we love each other. As an example, I will pray for your continued journey down the narrow path to salvation. The Lord blessed you with a loving example in your mother and may that example continue to bring you closer to Him.

Answer 10

See:
http://scripturecatholic.com/saints.html

http://www.catholic.com/library/Praying_to_the_Saints.asp

http://www.catholic.com/library/Intercession_of_the_Saints.asp

“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God. (Cf. Rev 8:1-4)

Matthew 17:3 And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him. 6 And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not.

We know Moses suffered a physical death and Elias has not. Jesus here is speaking with both of them. No communication has been cut off from living and the dead persons. Matter of fact after witnessing this vision the apostles want to build a three tabernacles for each of the persons in the Transfiguration. Christ doesn't tell them not to, he tells them to "Fear Not".

Matthew 27: 52 And the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose, 53 And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared to many.

The dead arise to appear to the living. A physical death was suffered and communication from the living and the "dead" is witnessed by "many".

Genesis 19: 1 And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of the city. And seeing them, he rose up and went to meet them: and worshipped prostrate to the ground,

When Lot prostrated himself before the angels was he committing a sin against God and not giving God His due worship?

Hebrews 10: 1 And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us:

A cloud of witnesses over our heads. The "dead" are very much aware of what is going on here on earth.

Luke 16: And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. 23 And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom: 24 And he cried, and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame. 25 And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazareth evil things, but now he is comforted; and thou art tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come hither. 27 And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, 28 That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments. 29 And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance. 31 And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.

4 Kings 13: 21 And some that were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood upon his feet.

The relic (intersession of a "dead" saint) restores a man to life.

Apocalypse 5: 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 8 And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints: 9 And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. 10 And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.

“And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Cf. Rev 5:8)

Here we are given a mental picture of what the saints prayers "look" like in heaven.

Apocalypse 6: 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord (holy and true) dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Here we have saints in heaven, martyrs to be exact asking God to revenge their blood on "them that dwell on earth". They obviously know the people that killed them are still living on earth, hard to do if they do not know what is going on here. Why wouldn't they just ask God if those that persecuted them are in hell yet if they are unaware of what is going on in the world?

There are many more cases of saintly intercession in the bible. Honoring and asking God's MOTHER for assistance is not contrary to any of these other cases presented here.



http://www.call2holiness.org/ScriptureAlone/ScriptureAlone.htm

1Ti 3:15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. (n.b. he did not say that the Bible was the pillar and buylwark of the truth.....but the Church who wrote the Bible.)



.