Can a sinful person pray for the intercession of saints before being absolved?

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artistmodel

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Can a sinful person pray for the intercession of saints while they are in a state of sin (ie. Ask for the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene or St. Augustine for an intention) … while having been unable to go to confession and receive absolution from the priest.

Someone told me this years ago, and it never sounded right.

While I believe that one should go to confession as soon and often as possible, doesn’t this smack of scrupulosity?

The way the person said it was that “If you are in a state of sin there is no way that you have the privilege of going to the saints…you must first beg the mercy of god before asking for intercession”
so the question from me was “what about Mary?” and the reply was “she’s a special case”…

what do you think?
 
That does not sound right at all. In that case, why even bother to have Mary Magdalene as the patron saint of penitent sinners (a little hint… if one’s not penitent, one probably isn’t going to bother praying to the saints, OR Mary, for that matter, for intercession anyway… 😃 )?

Now, what they might have meant was “praying to the saints is not a viable emergency alternative to confession, and even if you pray to Mary Magdalene or the Blessed Virgin Mary for intercession, you can still not recieve Eucharist until you’ve recieved sacramental absolution.”
 
The saints intercede for us as well as our Blessed Mother. Being in a state of serious sin is all the more reason to pray to the saints for the graces we need to make a good confession and grow in virtue.
 
artistmodel said:
Can a sinful person pray for the intercession of saints while they are in a state of sin (ie. Ask for the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene or St. Augustine for an intention) … while having been unable to go to confession and receive absolution from the priest.

Someone told me this years ago, and it never sounded right.

While I believe that one should go to confession as soon and often as possible, doesn’t this smack of scrupulosity?

The way the person said it was that “If you are in a state of sin there is no way that you have the privilege of going to the saints…you must first beg the mercy of god before asking for intercession”
so the question from me was “what about Mary?” and the reply was “she’s a special case”…

what do you think?
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I would agree with the last reply. Are we ever worthy to pray to saints or to God? Only through the grace of God are able to perform prayer. The fact that you want to pray for the saints’ intercession or to the BVM shows there is grace (actual) coming from God.

So I would say the advice you received is wrong.

God bless.
 
We can pray as long and as often as we feel like, through the saints, or directly to God, no matter what the state of our soul.

But if you are still unsure, say an act of perfect contrition and resolve to get to confession ASAP.
 
I can’t even make it to Confession sometimes, unless I pray to St. Michael for his intercession, and to prevent the Devil from blocking me from the Confessional.

I think it’s really important to invoke our friends and helpers, especially in time of need.
 
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