Asking Saints for Intercession (How To)

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nsper7

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Ever since finding this website a couple months ago, I have wondered about asking saints for intercession.
  1. As an Episcopal/Anglican (thus not in the Latin Rite), would it be considered blasphemous to pray for intercession from saints?
  2. What is the proper way to pray for intercession?
  3. How does one know which Saint to ask to make intercession?
Thanks for any help with this question.
 
Of course it would not be blasphemous. You can ask any saint to pray for you. You may choose to pick a saint with whom you share some connection, such as one whose name you bear, one who worked in the same profession you do, one who lived where you live, one who experienced some trouble you are facing, or one you particularly admire for any reason.

You can use formal prayers composed by others if you know of any and like them, or you can just say in your own words “St. Monica, please pray for me and ask Jesus to straighten out that boy of mine, just like he did yours.” Or whatever, just like you might use your own words to ask your family and friends to pray for you. After all, that’s all asking the saints to intercede is.
 
Thanks. Where does one find information on the different saints?
Or whatever, just like you might use your own words to ask your family and friends to pray for you. After all, that’s all asking the saints to intercede is.
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That’s how I’ve come to understand it.

It’s interesting how many Protestants (and I used to be like this) thought intercession of saints was wrong, yet they’d be perfectly willing to ask someone else to pray for/with them about an issue.

On a historical/theological side note, in looking up the Anglican (thus Episcopalian) view on saintly intercession, it seems the official view is that it is not Scriptural, yet many High Church Anglicans/Anglo-Catholics recognize it.
 
nsper7 said:
Looking at the list of Saints, I admit I’m a little nervous. After all, I don’t know these people, so why would they be willing to intercede for me?
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I don’t know anyone who was directly affected by 9/11 or the London bombings, but you can bet I was willing to pray for those who were. You may not know the Saints, but they surely know you as a fellow-member of the Body of Christ, and are willing to pray for you for that reason alone if for no other.
 
nsper7 said:
Looking at the list of Saints, I admit I’m a little nervous. After all, I don’t know these people, so why would they be willing to intercede for me?
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Most everyone here on CAF dosen’t know you either, but would be willing to pray for you if you asked us. Remember, we are a family with one Father. Ask us to pray for you and we would be overjoyed to comply.

If my family were anything like the saints in heaven (which I’m sure they’re not, thank God) and they were asked to pray for someone they didn’t know, they would probably be acting more like, “in your face, he asked me first” to the rest of the heavenly body.🤷

Just something to think about.
 
I thought I’d give an update on this issue for me since it has been awhile. I admit I have yet to actually ask a Saint for intercession, but I am strongly considering it and have spoken to several people I trust about it (including an Episcopal/Anglican Priest who believes in intercession of the Saints and just a little bit ago I sent an e-mail to J. P. Holding of Tekton Apologetics Ministries about this issue [usually, whenever I have theological question, I send them to him]).

If anyone else has any thoughts, please share them. It can be difficult for me to adopt/accept a ‘new’ (to me at least) theological idea/principle.

When I started getting involved in Anglicanism, it took me a bit to get comfortable with even this: :signofcross:
 
nsper7 said:
Ever since finding this website a couple months ago, I have wondered about asking saints for intercession.
  1. As an Episcopal/Anglican (thus not in the Latin Rite), would it be considered blasphemous to pray for intercession from saints?
  2. What is the proper way to pray for intercession?
  3. How does one know which Saint to ask to make intercession?
Thanks for any help with this question.
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I don’t know the spiritual disciplines enjoined on Episcopalians, ask your pastor.

How would you ask me, fellow CAfers, a friend, your pastor, your congregation to pray with you and for you, or for another person in need of prayer? Use the same language in speaking to the saint or saints.

Ask any saint for whom you have an affection, identification or relationship, such as your patron name saint, Mary, patron of your parish, country etc.

americancatholic.com under saints lists them by patron, so you could look up, for example, the patron saint of bakers, engineers, cancer patients, musicians etc.
 
As an ex-Episcopalian, praying to the saints in heaven was certainly fine. The Episcopal church certainly believes in the communion of saints (both living and dead, both on earth and in heaven). You don’t need to feel afraid of it. They are/were just very holy people that are more than happy to pray for you to Our Lord. They so want to help you! Just talk to a saint that seems right to you, that “feels” close or appropriate - a patron saint of a particular thing, a saint whose feast day (day they died) is your birthday or near to it, St. Mary as Jesus’ mother and His first disciple, another saint that seems to have similarities (in location, interest, etc) to you. 👍
 
Just talk to them, as you would your friends; or your brothers and sisters. For that is what they are. Friends, who have “finished the race”. They’ve been here… and done that… and so, they completely empathize with the difficulties which we here on earth, still encounter.

Certain saints, have been “assigned” to certain things… for specific reasons. For example, St. Peregrine is the Patron Saint of people suffering with cancer. Why? Because he suffered from cancer in his life, too. He is a good friend to pray to… when suffering with cancer, because he knows what it means to suffer from cancer.

saints.sqpn.com/saintp03.htm

Here is another link on the saints, which you might find interesting/helpful. God bless.

saints.sqpn.com/patron02.htm
 
I’d like to add few things that are simple thoughts and I tend not to think much further of what I am about to say; because my human mind can not understand more than what I am given to know.

If praying and asking to the Saints worry you, then you can say that God is merciful. Remember when Jesus was on the Cross, He even prayed to the Father “to forgive them for they do not know what they do”. If what you are asking is to glorify the Lord, how could He purnishes you.

Furthermore, the intercession of the Saints for us is one of the most beautiful acts God proves to us that His Love lasts forever. Loving does not get cut off between those in Heaven and Earth. If those in Heaven have different meaning of Love for God and for people, how could we practice His Love on earth right now. If we can pray for others, He would want those in Heaven to do the same thing. The Saints are allowed by God to intercede for us in order to glorify Him as He allowed apostles to do miracles, and many of people nowaday to do with different gifts to spread His Love.

Take a look at this page and see how people thank Saint Therese for her intercession:
littleflower.org/prayers/thanks/
 
Thanks to everyone who has been able to answer some of my questions. It can be very difficult for me to sometimes accept a new idea [to me at least, obviously intercession of Saints has been going on for a long time] (it took me bit of time since getting involved in Anglicanism to feel comfortable making the Sign of the Cross), especially because of the OCD/Scrupulosity issues I deal with (and the fact I came to faith in an extremely evangelical/non-denom fashion vis-a-vis Left Behind doesn’t help matters).

One other question I had may seem kind of silly, but I was thinking it would feel kind of odd to ask an extremely Roman Catholic saint for intercession since I am not Roman Catholic. For example, the Patron Saint of students (I am a university student) and England (in a way, since I am about to be confirmed in the Anglican Communion, I am ‘spiritually English’) is Pope St. Gregory the Great (also the person who ‘created’ the Archdiocese of Canterbury), but why would a Pope want to intercede for me?

((I know it may sound silly, but you mix OCD, a naturally inquisitive personality and perhaps a slightly droll sense of humor and those are the kinds of oddball questions you get 😃 ))
 
nsper7 said:
One other question I had may seem kind of silly, but I was thinking it would feel kind of odd to ask an extremely Roman Catholic saint for intercession since I am not Roman Catholic.
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If you can pray for anyone, how much less can a Saint pray for that person? 🙂
 
The Saints in heaven have been purified to do the Will of God. To gather souls, to intercede without the sin of prejudice, to pray perfectly for us. To ask them to pray for us is to ask for a perfect prayer to be made on our behalf. It may differ somewhat from our will, but it will be for our benefit and for the glory of God. Just ask. Tim
 
Whether you have come into the Catholic Church yet or not, the Saints would be the last part of the communion of saints to refuse to pray for someone who was looking to do His Will.😉
 
nsper7 said:
Ever since finding this website a couple months ago, I have wondered about asking saints for intercession.

1) As an Episcopal/Anglican (thus not in the Latin Rite), would it be considered blasphemous to pray for intercession from saints?
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No, I believe that you can find allusions, references, quotes, and other mentions of saints in your Book of Common Prayer. But I could be wrong.

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nsper7 said:
  1. What is the proper way to pray for intercession?
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I think you understand that praying to a saint isn’t prayer as if we prayed to God, but to “pray” to a saint is to ask him/her for their intercession.

I tend to go for a formula, rather than something off-the-cuff. I don’t want to be theologically wrong in asking for help. Not that form matters so much when you converse with God, but I just like to be more formal.

The first way I ask for an intercession from a saint is to address God/Jesus/Holy Spirit directly:
  1. God, Almighty Father, with worship, praise, ans a humble heart I place my petition before you.
  2. Through the intercession of saint X, the saint who (is known for whatever cause),
  3. I commend/recommend/put into Your hands/ offer with the agency of Saint X, this issue (mention specific request here).
    3a. If you are so inclined, put your feelings into words here. Personal address and demonstration of faith goes here, such as:
    “You know how this has affected my life, and I am willing to to trust in your lovingkindness and mercy for the outcome for which I pray, in union with Saint X.”
  4. "I trust that if it be Your will, you will hear my prayers joined with Saint X, to Your greater glory and honor, and demonstrate your mercy upon me.
  5. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
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The second is to address the saint directly:
Dearest [Saint X],
  1. Remember your trials in this particular area (mention what he/she is known for).
  2. Bring my issues before the throne of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May your intercession bring about (mention request here), if it be God’s will. Join with me in prayer over this issue, as I place my confidence in your appeal before the Most High.
  3. Thank you for joining your prayers with mine, and may your intercession be ever sought for it is known that your prayers are powerful in this area. You behold the beatific vision which one day I aspire to do with you. In you I place my confidence, who understands what I’m going through right now…(you can add details here).
  4. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
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nsper7 said:
  1. How does one know which Saint to ask to make intercession?
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I think that’s been answered.

Hope this helps,
Mis
 
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