Is it Wrong to Pray for the Intercession of Someone Godly Who Died (Not a Declared Blessed or Saint)?

[TrueLight]

Suppose, you knew someone in real life and you knew them to be godly and spirit-filled, and constantly in prayer. And that person dies.

Even though we are not to assume anyone is in heaven, and only God knows the heart, what if you are reasonably sure they are in heaven? Is it wrong to pray for their intercession?

 

[JGMendes4049]

Suppose, you knew someone in real life and you knew them to be godly and spirit-filled, and constantly in prayer. And that person dies.

Even though we are not to assume anyone is in heaven, and only God knows the heart, what if you are reasonably sure they are in heaven? Is it wrong to pray for their intercession?

You could say, “If you are in heaven,” or “If you’re able to,” etc. Souls in purgatory can pray also, I think.

 

[rainbow1]

You could say, “If you are in heaven,” or “If you’re able to,” etc. Souls in purgatory can pray also, I think.

Souls in purgatory can pray also…my dad died 4 years ago, and he is still very involved in my life…I am always talking to him!

 

[TrueLight]

Souls in purgatory can pray also…my dad died 4 years ago, and he is still very involved in my life…I am always talking to him!

Hi Rainbow,

Are you assuming he is in purgatory or have you gotten some inclination that he is in purgatory rather than heaven, or are were you just commenting that souls in purgatory can pray?

 

[TrueLight]

So here is what I left out of my original post. The two people I am thinking of are both Protestant.

 

[Bohm_Bawerk]

Suppose, you knew someone in real life and you knew them to be godly and spirit-filled, and constantly in prayer. And that person dies.

Even though we are not to assume anyone is in heaven, and only God knows the heart, what if you are reasonably sure they are in heaven? Is it wrong to pray for their intercession?

No, it isn’t. As a matter of fact, the road to canonization generally begins when a person on Earth prays for the intercession of a pious deceased person. Think about it. Someone must have prayed to Pope John Paul II before he was beatified. Someone must have prayed to St. Therese of Lisieux before she was beatified and ultimately canonized. So we find that canonization really begins when a person on Earth asks for the intercession of the faithfully departed.

So how do they become canonized? Well, if a medical miracle occurs because of the intercession of the pious deceased person, the case is taken up to the Congregation of Saints. They analyze, ask questions, try and rule out natural explanations, and the process continues and begins there.

That said, it’s important to note that you do not need to be canonized to be a saint. A saint is merely a person who is in Heaven enjoying the Beatific Vision. Canonized saints are simply saints who have been recognized by the Church. Canonized saints make up a very, very small fraction of the number of saints in Heaven. Most saints in Heaven are unrecognized officially.

It isn’t wrong to pray for the intercession of a pious person who is deceased. But you have to take some degree of caution. You should only ask for the intercession of a pious Catholic. You should also make sure that they lived relatively holy lives. I say such because this increases the likelihood of the given person being in Heaven (it’s riskier with Protestants, Jews, Muslims, etc). If not in Heaven, they would be in Purgatory. Whilst it has not been put to print so to speak, it is in the “mind of the Church” that the Holy Souls in Purgatory can intercede on behalf of those on Earth.

Hope that helps.

 

[TrueLight]

No, it isn’t. As a matter of fact, the road to canonization generally begins when a person on Earth prays for the intercession of a pious deceased person. Think about it. Someone must have prayed to Pope John Paul II before he was beatified.

You’re right!

A saint is merely a person who is in Heaven enjoying the Beatific Vision.

Is that the Catholic definition of Saints? I always understood Saints to also mean Christians who are part of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4

12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ;

It isn’t wrong to pray for the intercession of a pious person who is deceased. But you have to take some degree of caution. You should only ask for the intercession of a pious Catholic. You should also make sure that they lived relatively holy lives. I say such because this increases the likelihood of the given person being in Heaven (it’s riskier with Protestants, Jews, Muslims, etc). If not in Heaven, they would be in Purgatory. Whilst it has not been put to print so to speak, it is in the “mind of the Church” that the Holy Souls in Purgatory can intercede on behalf of those on Earth.

Hope that helps.

Yes it does.

 

[rainbow1]

Hi Rainbow,

Are you assuming he is in purgatory or have you gotten some inclination that he is in purgatory rather than heaven, or are were you just commenting that souls in purgatory can pray?

So many things have happened since his death that I attribute to him, thus I feel very connected to him, despite his death. I don’t know if he is in heaven or purgatory…but he sure seems busy! lol!
I am a social worker and have worked with many families throughout the years…have heard many, many stories of departed souls who have in one way or another stayed connected to their loved ones here on earth…and being here in the south, most of them are protestant.
Blessings!

 

[wild_thing]

I personally don’t see anything wrong with it. St. Therese used to pray for her baby brothers’ intercession all the time for help with her scruples- some of those brothers were miscarried, I think, and others did not live beyond infancy. We also say prayers to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for when they reach heaven, they can intercede for us. Protestant or not, how can it hurt to pray for those who have passed on, and then ask them to pray for us? That is the communion of saints after all.

 

[meltzerboy]

Suppose, you knew someone in real life and you knew them to be godly and spirit-filled, and constantly in prayer. And that person dies.

Even though we are not to assume anyone is in heaven, and only God knows the heart, what if you are reasonably sure they are in heaven? Is it wrong to pray for their intercession?

TrueLight, I realize you want the Catholic view on this matter; but whether you are interested or not, the Jewish view is that one must pray to G-d directly and
ANY intercessor is forbidden, as stated clearly in Deuteronomy. However, one is permitted to intercede in prayer for another person, which is another form of intercession. I must admit that my grandmother–who was an Orthodox Jew–would at times pray to her own deceased parents for intercession with G-d. That doesn’t make it right but some Jews do this anyway.

 

[TrueLight]

TrueLight, I realize you want the Catholic view on this matter; but whether you are interested or not, the Jewish view is that one must pray to G-d directly and
ANY intercessor is forbidden, as stated clearly in Deuteronomy. However, one is permitted to intercede in prayer for another person, which is another form of intercession. I must admit that my grandmother–who was an Orthodox Jew–would at times pray to her own deceased parents for intercession with G-d. That doesn’t make it right but some Jews do this anyway.

Meltzerboy,

Jews do pray for their deceased love ones? All sects?

 

[meltzerboy]

Meltzerboy,

Jews do pray for their deceased love ones? All sects?

Most certainly, particularly during the eleven-month period of the Jewish Purgatory (Gehinnom). And after that, there are yearly prayers and prayers during Holy Days. This would include all branches of Judaism, although the Orthodox are generally more diligent in praying every day for the recently deceased loved one.

 

[eegardner]

All who have died and are in Heaven are saints. There is nothing wrong with praying for their intercession.