Is it okay to talk to the saints?

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Sneaux

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I feel that this is kind of a dumb question, but is it okay to “make friends” with saints, such as talking to them even when we might not be asking them to pray for us, or while we’re asking them to pray for us. If I was asking a saint to pray for me and said “I’ve been studying you alot, I think you have a very admirable story…etc” I know it’s okay to talk to God, but I’ve been reading up on the afterlife and have gotten the impression that what’s known to those in Heaven, isn’t as much as we would think it is, such as when we ask for intercession that God only let’s them know what’s necessary to pray for us, so would it be pointless to talk to saints? or wrong?
 
Saints are in heaven, where there is no time. You’re not going to waste their time by talking to them. It’s generally considered spiritually healthy and good to try to get to know Jesus, the saints, etc., and to spend time with them. God made us to like company.

The saints are our brothers and sisters, and they would like to be our spiritual friends.

If you have any questions about how you relate to the saints, feel free to ask your pastor about it. But everything you’ve said here seems pretty normal.
 
The only dumb question is the one never asked…I talk to Saints, the Blessed Virgin, my deceased parents, Angels, in addition to God! Nothing wrong with it!
 
There is one thing I’ve never quite grasped about this question. We know that omnipresence is an attribute of God. Does talking/praying to saints imply that they also are omnipresent? It seems this would be the only way they could “hear” us. Do we also attribute omniscience to them?
 
1neophyte said:
There is one thing I’ve never quite grasped about this question. We know that omnipresence is an attribute of God. Does talking/praying to saints imply that they also are omnipresent? It seems this would be the only way they could “hear” us. Do we also attribute omniscience to them?
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They are in heaven in God’s presence. They are able to hear us through the power of God.

Similarly, angels are messengers of God. They are created beings that share in God’s power to do His will and offer praises.

The bible says that the saints will be greater than the angels.
 
The Saints are great company. Speaking to them often has great effects. I once visited the tomb of a French religious who died about 100 years ago, and I didn’t want to leave.
 
mattp0625 said:
They are in heaven in God’s presence. They are able to hear us through the power of God.

Similarly, angels are messengers of God. They are created beings that share in God’s power to do His will and offer praises.

The bible says that the saints will be greater than the angels.
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That’s a nice sentiment, but doesn’t really have anything to do with my question. As you say, the saints are in Heaven with God, but I was asking about God’s omnipresence. He is in Heaven, but he is also here with us, always. He sees and hears everything we do and say, at every moment. Is the same true of every saint? i.e. Do saints receive the attribute of omnipresence?
 
1neophyte said:
That’s a nice sentiment, but doesn’t really have anything to do with my question. As you say, the saints are in Heaven with God, but I was asking about God’s omnipresence. He is in Heaven, but he is also here with us, always. He sees and hears everything we do and say, at every moment. Is the same true of every saint? i.e. Do saints receive the attribute of omnipresence?
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Well, if the angel Gabriel had the knowledge to go to Mary exactly where she was, which was an ability that must be sourced from God, it stands to reason that the saints have a share in that knowledge as well.
 
mattp0625 said:
Well, if the angel Gabriel had the knowledge to go to Mary exactly where she was, which was an ability that must be sourced from God, it stands to reason that the saints have a share in it as well.
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So God sending an angel to one place to deliver a message to one person means that all angels and saints are present at all places at all times and are aware of everything everywhere? I’m not sure I follow that reasoning.

I’m not trying to be rude, but there has to be a better answer to this. Every ability is sourced from God, including my ability to breathe. But just because I am able to breathe, it doesn’t stand to reason that I can fly. I’m looking for a serious answer as to whether saints have the attribute of omnipresence.
 
1neophyte said:
So God sending an angel to one place to deliver a message to one person means that all angels and saints are present at all places at all times and are aware of everything everywhere? I’m not sure I follow that reasoning.

I’m not trying to be rude, but there has to be a better answer to this. Every ability is sourced from God, including my ability to breathe. But just because I am able to breathe, it doesn’t stand to reason that I can fly. I’m looking for a serious answer as to whether saints have the attribute of omnipresence.
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Perhaps there’s not a precise answer, because we are not in heaven and the bible doesn’t tell us everything. However, we can validly connect dots to get a pretty good picture.

-Revelations tells us the prayers of saints are in heaven
-2 Maccabees shows an example of asking for intercessory prayer from the saints.
-Hebrews tell us the kingdom of heaven includes the spirits of just men made perfect .
-1 Cor 6 indicates the saints are greater than angels in the heavenly court.
-The Angels Gabriel and Raphael had the ability to minister to specific people. The bible also references ministering Angels elsewhere.

Put that all together. Does it precisely answer your question? No, however it does offer us a decent picture of the saints and their ability to hear our prayer requests through the power of God.
 
mattp0625 said:
Perhaps there’s not a precise answer, because we are not in heaven and the bible doesn’t tell us everything. However, we can validly connect dots to get a pretty good picture.

-Revelations tells us the prayers of saints are in heaven
-2 Maccabees shows an example of asking for intercessory prayer from the saints.
-Hebrews tell us the kingdom of heaven includes the spirits of just men made perfect .
-1 Cor 6 indicates the saints are greater than angels in the heavenly court.
-The Angels Gabriel and Raphael had the ability to minister to specific people. The bible also references ministering Angels elsewhere.

Put that all together. Does it precisely answer your question? No, however it does offer us a decent picture of the saints and their ability to hear our prayer requests through the power of God.
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None of those point to any answer or picture of the omnipresence of saints. The 2 Maccabees reference is about us praying for the souls of the dead, not about saints in Heaven praying for us. I don’t know have time to point out the irrelevance of your other references, but nevertheless, they don’t help in answering the question. One of the great things about Catholicism is that things are very clearly defined…no wishy-washy answers to anything. I’m looking for an answer to whether saints are omnipresent in the exact same way God is. The definition of a saint is a soul that has reached Heaven. My question is whether or not they also remain on earth, simultaneously in every place, albeit invisibly.

If you think my question is unimportant or irrelevant, I understand. But if so, just please let someone else answer.
 
1neophyte said:
None of those point to any answer or picture of the omnipresence of saints. The 2 Maccabees reference is about us praying for the souls of the dead, not about saints in Heaven praying for us. I don’t know have time to point out the irrelevance of your other references, but nevertheless, they don’t help in answering the question. One of the great things about Catholicism is that things are very clearly defined…no wishy-washy answers to anything. I’m looking for an answer to whether saints are omnipresent in the exact same way God is. The definition of a saint is a soul that has reached Heaven. My question is whether or not they also remain on earth, simultaneously in every place, albeit invisibly.

If you think my question is unimportant or irrelevant, I understand. But if so, just please let someone else answer.
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You’re right, I should have typed for the saints instead of from. Either way, if we can pray for them, they can also pray for us.

There’s no irrelevant question, but this side of heaven we cannot know everything about heaven. We can only glean what is given to us. Good luck with your search.
 
Sneaux said:
I feel that this is kind of a dumb question, but is it okay to “make friends” with saints, such as talking to them even when we might not be asking them to pray for us, or while we’re asking them to pray for us. If I was asking a saint to pray for me and said “I’ve been studying you alot, I think you have a very admirable story…etc” I know it’s okay to talk to God, but I’ve been reading up on the afterlife and have gotten the impression that what’s known to those in Heaven, isn’t as much as we would think it is, such as when we ask for intercession that God only let’s them know what’s necessary to pray for us, so would it be pointless to talk to saints? or wrong?
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The saints are alive and living more closely to God than we are.

The saints are communing with the whole body of Christ.
Communication with them should be a natural and integral part of our communicating with God.
 
1neophyte said:
None of those point to any answer or picture of the omnipresence of saints. The 2 Maccabees reference is about us praying for the souls of the dead, not about saints in Heaven praying for us. I don’t know have time to point out the irrelevance of your other references, but nevertheless, they don’t help in answering the question. One of the great things about Catholicism is that things are very clearly defined…no wishy-washy answers to anything. I’m looking for an answer to whether saints are omnipresent in the exact same way God is. The definition of a saint is a soul that has reached Heaven. My question is whether or not they also remain on earth, simultaneously in every place, albeit invisibly.

If you think my question is unimportant or irrelevant, I understand. But if so, just please let someone else answer.
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Only Almighty God is ‘simultanaeously in every place’. No Saint or Angel can occupy the same place at the same time.

paduard
 
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