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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Intercession of the saints	Ron	Sunday, June 23, 2013
Question: I'm struggling with the idea of asking saints, particularly specific saints, to pray for us for specific things. I don't doubt for a minute that the saints can and do pray for us, but what is reasonable in terms of our asking for their help? If a person in desperate need prays to God the Father in the name of Jesus, and receives no apparent response, are we to go down the list of saints (and potential saints) invoking their aid? When does it become superstition, or a failure to accept God's answer of "No." For example, in the canonization process, I think two miracles are required. How do the authorities know the miracles came because of the "candidate for sainthood," some other saint, or God himself? There are charities who send out prayer cards and other novelties advocating their particular saint, and a particular way of praying to that person. (Of course always asking for money, some more crass than others.) What are we to make of this? And what about asking my own deceased parents for help? I know I've asked a lot of questions, but I need the Lord's help in my life. I am having a hard time believing it's a matter of "finding" the right saint to invoke. Can you help me understand?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC Dear Ron: Sorry for the delay in responding. God is pleased when His children help each other. That is the way He wants it. We can thus ask any of the Saints to intercede to the Father for us on whatever issues we need. Patron Saints have their own specialty, thus it is prudent to pray to the Saint who is a Patron for the issue that you need. You can also pray to your favorite Saint, or personal Patron. We always need to pray properly, that is, for things that are proper. It is not proper, for example, to ask for a million dollars, or a new BMW. Our prayers, whether to a Saint or to God must be proper petitions and always with the caveat, "nevertheless, Thy (God's) will be done." God always responds to our prayers. The answer may be "no", "yes", "maybe", "not yet", etc. The Saints can only answer your prayers in accord to God's will. Thus, they can never contradict God in answering prayer. The power to grant or deny prayers is ultimately God's. We must also remember that any prayer petition the answer to which requires the decision of another person may not come about as God will never force anyone to do anything. Thus, if the the person who needs to make a decision that involves you prayer does not act, then the prayer may not happen even if God wills it. While God can try to convince a person, He will never violate anyone's Free Will. We must also always be willing to abandon ourselves to God's will no matter what the answer to our prayers. We have a document that explains this called, Christian Resignation as a Prerequisite to Freedom. The Church investigates miracles attributed to a candidate for sainthood. The people who have experienced the miracle as a result of prayers to that candidate report the miracle to their Bishop. The alleged miracle is investigated to ascertain if it is genuine. If it is, then it counts for the possible canonization of the candidate. Those holy cards advocating a particular saint usually have a prayer for you to use to pray to that Saint. You do not have to donate any money. If they send you a holy card, or other item, it is a gift to you without obligation to donate. As for finding a Saint that is a patron for your situation(s) you can look at a list of Patron Saints found here by topic. God gives us the Patron Saints precisely to help with particular needs. Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth. Rejoice that God loves us so much as to give us the gift of His Saints. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Intercession of the saints

Ron

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Question:

I'm struggling with the idea of asking saints, particularly specific saints, to pray for us for specific things. I don't doubt for a minute that the saints can and do pray for us, but what is reasonable in terms of our asking for their help?

If a person in desperate need prays to God the Father in the name of Jesus, and receives no apparent response, are we to go down the list of saints (and potential saints) invoking their aid? When does it become superstition, or a failure to accept God's answer of "No."

For example, in the canonization process, I think two miracles are required. How do the authorities know the miracles came because of the "candidate for sainthood," some other saint, or God himself?

There are charities who send out prayer cards and other novelties advocating their particular saint, and a particular way of praying to that person. (Of course always asking for money, some more crass than others.) What are we to make of this?

And what about asking my own deceased parents for help?

I know I've asked a lot of questions, but I need the Lord's help in my life. I am having a hard time believing it's a matter of "finding" the right saint to invoke. Can you help me understand?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC

Dear Ron:

Sorry for the delay in responding.

God is pleased when His children help each other. That is the way He wants it. We can thus ask any of the Saints to intercede to the Father for us on whatever issues we need. Patron Saints have their own specialty, thus it is prudent to pray to the Saint who is a Patron for the issue that you need. You can also pray to your favorite Saint, or personal Patron.

We always need to pray properly, that is, for things that are proper. It is not proper, for example, to ask for a million dollars, or a new BMW. Our prayers, whether to a Saint or to God must be proper petitions and always with the caveat, "nevertheless, Thy (God's) will be done."

God always responds to our prayers. The answer may be "no", "yes", "maybe", "not yet", etc. The Saints can only answer your prayers in accord to God's will. Thus, they can never contradict God in answering prayer. The power to grant or deny prayers is ultimately God's. We must also remember that any prayer petition the answer to which requires the decision of another person may not come about as God will never force anyone to do anything. Thus, if the the person who needs to make a decision that involves you prayer does not act, then the prayer may not happen even if God wills it. While God can try to convince a person, He will never violate anyone's Free Will.

We must also always be willing to abandon ourselves to God's will no matter what the answer to our prayers. We have a document that explains this called, Christian Resignation as a Prerequisite to Freedom.

The Church investigates miracles attributed to a candidate for sainthood. The people who have experienced the miracle as a result of prayers to that candidate report the miracle to their Bishop. The alleged miracle is investigated to ascertain if it is genuine. If it is, then it counts for the possible canonization of the candidate.

Those holy cards advocating a particular saint usually have a prayer for you to use to pray to that Saint. You do not have to donate any money. If they send you a holy card, or other item, it is a gift to you without obligation to donate.

As for finding a Saint that is a patron for your situation(s) you can look at a list of Patron Saints found here by topic. God gives us the Patron Saints precisely to help with particular needs. Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth. Rejoice that God loves us so much as to give us the gift of His Saints.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum