Noah, Jonah, et.al

[algran]

My good Catholic friend wants me to find out why persons like Noah, Joshua, etc. have not been made saints in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church. Now, we know these people are most likely in heaven, but he wants to know why they aren’t celebrated like a St. Teresa, St. Thomas, St, Catherine, etc.

Thanks for your answers.

 

[LilyM]

For one there is now a set process that has to be gone through for canonisation these days. This involves detailed examination of the candidate’s life and two thoroughly investiagted and verified miracles that can be attributed to the intercession of the saint. The first would be impossible and the latter unlikely with OT patriarchs and prophets.

Secondly the saints are made saints to give us as Catholics real-life role models to look up to. Models of Catholic spirituality, which admittedly is very different from OT times. So it’s counterproductive to declare OT characters to be Catholic saints just as it would be to declare Buddhists or Mormons to be saints, holy as some of them may be and in heaven as some of them also may be.

 

[FCEGM]

My good Catholic friend wants me to find out why persons like Noah, Joshua, etc. have not been made saints in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church. Now, we know these people are most likely in heaven, but he wants to know why they aren’t celebrated like a St. Teresa, St. Thomas, St, Catherine, etc.

Thanks for your answers.

Actually there are some OT Saints included in the liturgical calendars of both the Catholic Churches (East and West - but mostly in the East) and the Orthodox. The Feast of St. Elijah (Elias) is celebrated on July 20th. This Feast is especially dear to members of the Carmelite Orders who see him as a spiritual father.

byzcath.org/faith/calendar_2006.htm

 

[Della]

Although many OT prophets and saints are not specifically mentioned, they are considered saints in the reading/singing of the saints on All Saints Day. Most OT saints aren’t venerated the way NT and those who followed simply because the NT saints and others after them are a more immediate part of the life of Christ. We can see the work of Christ in and through them better, but that doesn’t mean that the saints of the OT didn’t work for God within the revelation they had at the time, as they looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. It is a good thing and perfectly legitimate to honor the OT saints.

 

[Steven_Merten]

For one there is now a set process that has to be gone through for canonisation these days. This involves detailed examination of the candidate’s life and two thoroughly investiagted and verified miracles that can be attributed to the intercession of the saint. The first would be impossible and the latter unlikely with OT patriarchs and prophets.

Secondly the saints are made saints to give us as Catholics real-life role models to look up to. Models of Catholic spirituality, which admittedly is very different from OT times. So it’s counterproductive to declare OT characters to be Catholic saints just as it would be to declare Buddhists or Mormons to be saints, holy as some of them may be and in heaven as some of them also may be.

Hello Lilly,

Jesus confirmed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as saints. I hardly doubt that the Church actually cannot recognize Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as saints because the Church process cannot verify miricals or the Church cannot look over details of their lives. If Jesus says Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are saints then that is good enough for me. One would think that Church leaders would feel the same.

It does seem funny that the Church does not seem to treat Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as saints in the same way the Church treats Church confirmed saints.

NAB MAR 12:18

Then some **Sadducees who hold there is no resurrection **came to him with a question …\…12:24 Jesus said: “You are badly misled, because you fail to understand the Scriptures or the power of God. When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but live like angels in heaven. As to the raising of the dead, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob’? He is the God of the living not of the dead, You are very much mistaken.” NAB LUK 13:28

And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.