Do we pray to the Saints?

[CatholicLife]

This is a question I have been asking myself for a long time. If we don’t pray to the Saints then why is there prayers in back of holy cards and such , with words like " Prayer to Saint Andrew" . I know that Saints themselves don’t work miracles but God works through them. Sorry if this question sounds dumb , but it is something I have been thinking about.

 

[MarkThompson]

This is a question I have been asking myself for a long time. If we don’t pray to the Saints then why is there prayers in back of holy cards and such , with words like " Prayer to Saint Andrew" . I know that Saints themselves don’t work miracles but God works through them. Sorry if this question sounds dumb , but it is something I have been thinking about.

Yes, we pray to the saints. But it’s important to separate “prayer” and “worship.” The word “pray” just means “ask,” a usage that still exists in phrases like “Pray tell?” or the legal “prayer for relief.” So what we do is ask the saints to intercede for us with God.

 

[CatholicLife]

Yes, we pray to the saints. But it’s important to separate “prayer” and “worship.” The word “pray” just means “ask,” a usage that still exists in phrases like “Pray tell?” or the legal “prayer for relief.” So what we do is ask the saints to intercede for us with God.

So when I say , " Saint Andrew help me get a job" that means Saint Andrew will pray for me?

 

[mark_a]

So when I say , " Saint Andrew help me get a job" that means Saint Andrew will pray for me?

You got it!

Although the language of some of these prayers to saints can be very beautiful and seem to heap praise upon them, the Catholic mind should understand that Saints do not work independently of God.

 

[FrDavid96]

So when I say , " Saint Andrew help me get a job" that means Saint Andrew will pray for me?

Yes. You are praying to St. Andrew, asking him in turn to pray to God for you.

We do this all the time, and in fact, Protestants do this all the time when they ask people on earth to pray for them. They just don’t understand that people in heaven can pray for us just as well (indeed better) as those on earth can pray for us.

 

[TheDoctor]

It may also help to remember the words of James 5:16:
… and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
We know that the closer we are to God, the more powerful our prayers. Who then CatholicLife, is more righteous than the Saints in Heaven (or the Blessed Mother, just to drop a name)?

We don’t need to pray to the Saints or Mary, yet they stand at the foot of the Throne in the presence of the Almighty, needing or wanting nothing yet willing to fall on their knees and beg God for mercy and help on our behalf.

 

[Shin]

This is a question I have been asking myself for a long time. If we don’t pray to the Saints then why is there prayers in back of holy cards and such , with words like " Prayer to Saint Andrew" . I know that Saints themselves don’t work miracles but God works through them. Sorry if this question sounds dumb , but it is something I have been thinking about.

I like that image of Christ the King!

‘The prayers of the Saints in heaven and of the just on earth are a perfume which never will be lost.’

St. Padre Pio

‘Cultivate a tender devotion to the dolors of Mary, to her Immaculate Conception, to your guardian angel, to your patron saints, and the holy apostles.’

St. Paul of the Cross

 

[Vince1022]

This is a question I have been asking myself for a long time. If we don’t pray to the Saints then why is there prayers in back of holy cards and such , with words like " Prayer to Saint Andrew" . I know that Saints themselves don’t work miracles but God works through them. Sorry if this question sounds dumb , but it is something I have been thinking about.

Some do. Some don’t. It’s fine to pray to saints according to Catholic teaching.

 

[Elizium23]

Some do. Some don’t. It’s fine to pray to saints according to Catholic teaching.

All Catholics do, eventually, since it is a practice enshrined in the prayers of the Mass. From the Confietor: “…And I ask the Blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and the saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

 

[Brendan]

Yes we do.

The verb ‘to pray’ means to entreat, implore or humbly request ( root is Latin Precari - to request)

Some confuse this verb with ‘worship’, but they are distinctly sepertate words.

 

[japhy]

All Catholics do, eventually, since it is a practice enshrined in the prayers of the Mass. From the Confietor: “…And I ask the Blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and the saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

Some of the Eucharistic Prayers mention the fact that the saints pray and intercede for us as well: “through their [the saints’] merits and prayers, grant that in all things we may be defended by your protecting help” (EP I), “with all the Saints, on whose constant intercession in your presence we rely for unfailing help” (EP III).

Now, they can pray for us whether or not we ask them to, but why wouldn’t you ask them to?!