Can saints go against each other?

[CathMass]

I have a little problem. I am devotionally attached two two saints.I ask both of them for their intercessions. However, I sometimes have this foolish idea that the two are in competition with each other.

Is this really possible or am I just scrupulous?

 

[Incense_Baby]

Saints can disagree with one another in their lifetime, but you can bet they agree in heaven. I know that probably doesn’t satisfy your question-- sorry.

 

[lumendelumine]

I have a little problem. I am devotionally attached two two saints.I ask both of them for their intercessions. However, I sometimes have this foolish idea that the two are in competition with each other.

Is this really possible or am I just scrupulous?

Do you mean in your own mind or in their actual opinions they held while on Earth?

 

[water]

When you are in Heaven, you don’t look through a shady glass anymore, everything will be clear to you. There will be no longer argument or disagreement. Everything will be Love and Unity.

 

[CathMass]

In my mind, I see them as sort of fighting over who should get more attention from me or which one should intercede for me with God more or who should get the more attention in the church. Of course a lot of this is foolish and not true. However, I sometimes can’t get this idea out of my mind.

 

[water]

In my mind, I see them as sort of fighting over who should get more attention from me or which one should intercede for me with God more or who should get the more attention in the church. Of course a lot of this is foolish and not true. However, I sometimes can’t get this idea out of my mind.

If they fight who will get what - that will be considered “jealousy”. What happened to Satan? He was out of Heaven for that reason.

I would say that if each Saint can pray for you for different purpose, they are always doing it in the Will of God and the love for you. How awesome to think of Heaven!

 

[JesuXPIPassio]

I have a little problem. I am devotionally attached two two saints.I ask both of them for their intercessions. However, I sometimes have this foolish idea that the two are in competition with each other.

Is this really possible or am I just scrupulous?

A difference in opinion can happen, but when we talk about this, we need to keep ourselves in check. They might differ in opinion, but they don’t hate each other. That’s what drives me nuts about people who write about Cardinals and popes bickering and fighting, but they are all holy men, and they might differ in opinion, but they all love each other.

What our problem is, everyone else tells us stories that are too extreme in how they describe people’s relationships. We could pick up the newspaper and read about Cardinals, and we’d easily get the impression that they hate each other.

But that being said, yes, saints have gone against each other. There was a nun and a bishop who opposed each other, and both were beatified. (I’m sorry, I can’t remember their names, but the nun was beatified by John Paul II, and the Patron Saints Index site featured her and mentioned how she differed from her Bishop.)

But here’s another one – saints were divided over the Avignon problem. If you don’t know about this, the short story is that there were two men (and later 3 men) who claimed to be Pope, and each had somewhat reasonable logic. The Church was divided on this, and even heads of state didn’t agree. Only after the whole problem did they figure out which one was invalid, and it took two councils to get there (the first council just resulted in a third guy claiming to be pope).

Very legitimate problem, and Conclaves today are designed in part to prevent this horror from happening again. But you know what? Saints were divided on this too. If I remember right, Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Vincent Ferrer were on opposing sides.

Both very important saints, still important and remembered today, but they were on opposing sides.

But it’s erroneous to say they were enemies who hated each other. That’s our problem – the storytellers often just don’t work hard enough to tell it as it is. One guy screws up in his version, it’s taken as a true statement, it gets around and people take it as fact. It’s especially a problem for us Americans were the media is pretty hostile to the Catholic Church.

 

[CathMass]

If they fight who will get what - that will be considered “jealousy”.

I thought of that same thing. Its that thought that I use to sometimes calm down this idea of mine.

 

[water]

Normally, I ask different Saint for different reason … or a few for the same reason. The more saints listen to my prayers and pray for us, the better.

 

[dulcissima]

Your arguing, jealous saints sound more like Greek gods. In heaven, the saints are perfectly alligned with God’s will, so how or why would they go against eachother?

 

[JezuUfamTobie]

Maybe you’re projecting this feeling onto them because you would really just like to have one saint who is very special to you, as your patron?

Just an idea. I’m having a hard time myself deciding which saint’s name to take at my confirmation.

 

[Woodstock]

In my mind, I see them as sort of fighting over who should get more attention from me or which one should intercede for me with God more or who should get the more attention in the church. Of course a lot of this is foolish and not true. However, I sometimes can’t get this idea out of my mind.

The saints aren’t looking for attention from you or the church. They aren’t up there to recieve accolades and glory. Their glory is in the Lord. They are there to do His Will. They are all happy to prayer for you in your struggles and for your needs because they are happy to do what they can to bring about the Will of God, which is your ultimate salvation. They aren’t doing it for you, they are doing it for Him. If He wants 10 saints or 10,000 saints praying for your soul, who are you to argue with the Almighty Lord? Let the saints do their work while you set about doing the work the Lord has given you.

 

[water]

They aren’t doing it for you, they are doing it for Him.

Remember that doing for one another is for Him, and yes, God wants us to love one another.

 

[littleone]

In my mind, I see them as sort of fighting over who should get more attention from me or which one should intercede for me with God more or who should get the more attention in the church. Of course a lot of this is foolish and not true. However, I sometimes can’t get this idea out of my mind.

In heaven ther is order, there is love, there is union, there is compasion, there is adoration of God. There is no such thing as having a mind of their own since all in heaven is on the mind of God. All this equates to LOVE.
Is there any form of out of order , selfishness, the “I” factor. No there can’t be because ALL…ALL is governed by a God, our God who is LOVE. God is ONE and God is all therefore there is no other.

God bless
littleone

 

[StacieAdy]

In my mind, I see them as sort of fighting over who should get more attention from me or which one should intercede for me with God more or who should get the more attention in the church. Of course a lot of this is foolish and not true. However, I sometimes can’t get this idea out of my mind.

I just wanted to say that I totally understand. I am devoted to Saint Monica, but I am also very devoted to Saint Rita. The thought always crosses my mind that I might hurt Saint Monica’s feelings when I turn to Saint Rita first, or more often. I know it’s silly, but the thought crosses my mind.

 

[Hastrman]

You’re right, you are being scrupulous–or at least, kind of weird . Saints don’t get jealous. If they did, I’d be causing nightly brawls between Thomas More, Michael, George, Athanasius, and Maria Goretti, and the little girl would be getting knocked down a lot, while Michael and George knock the eggheads out quick before going to town on each other. I figure that fight’d be all Michael, but maybe he’d handicap.

Suddenly they sound a little less like saints, and a little more like einherjar, don’t they?

Now, in their lives, they can be rivals; I believe Dominic and Francis, though they only met once, were something like friendly rivals, since the Dogs and the Clowns of God had such different approaches to holiness.