Question regarding the saints?

[godsent]

Something i have had trouble grasping about the saints is that, a saint is a person we/the church knows to be in heaven.

When people die everyday,and eventually go to heaven,does this make them saints?
could i then pray to just anybody who i believe/know is in heaven?
What exactly does the ‘communion of saints’ mean?
anyone wish to clear this up for me?

Many thanks.

 

[Eucharisted]

The communion of saints: vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p5.htm

 

[DOShea]

When people die everyday,and eventually go to heaven,does this make them saints?

Yes.

could i then pray to just anybody who i believe/know is in heaven?

You could, but “believe” and “know” are two different things. If your car was out of gas and I held out two jugs… in this jug, I KNOW there is gasoline; in this jug, I’m not really sure what’s in it. Which one do you want to put in your car?

What exactly does the ‘communion of saints’ mean?
anyone wish to clear this up for me?
Many thanks.

Answered above

 

[mikeghiorso]

First of all, we do not pray to the Saints … we ask that they intercede for us in our prayers to God. The Saints join us in our prayers. Anyone in heaven would be considered a Saint (even if the Church has not officially named them as a Saint). I believe it would be appropriate to ask any of the Saints in heaven to join in our prayer … most especially those people who were close to us here on earth. My daughter refers to these as “her fan club.”

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Something i have had trouble grasping about the saints is that, a saint is a person we/the church knows to be in heaven…

That is the miracle part .

When people die everyday,and eventually go to heaven,does this make them saints?

yep

could i then pray to just anybody who i believe/know is in heaven?

yep, but they probably cannot hear unless they are in heaven. Many may be in purgatory.

What exactly does the ‘communion of saints’ mean?

In the end days all good christians go to heaven so that is the final communion of saints. All of us in heaven together.

anyone wish to clear this up for me?

Many thanks.

which part

First of all, we do not pray to the Saints … we ask that they intercede for us in our prayers to God. The Saints join us in our prayers. Anyone in heaven would be considered a Saint (even if the Church has not officially named them as a Saint). I believe it would be appropriate to ask any of the Saints in heaven to join in our prayer … most especially those people who were close to us here on earth. My daughter refers to these as “her fan club.”

Prays of intercession are fine, but no prays of adoration. That is what the Protestants miss, intercession and adoration are two different types of pray. Same as with the Virgin Mary: Pray yes, worship no.

 

[Spirithound]

Something i have had trouble grasping about the saints is that, a saint is a person we/the church knows to be in heaven.

When people die everyday,and eventually go to heaven,does this make them saints?

Yes, although we may not find out until we get there too.

could i then pray to just anybody who i believe/know is in heaven?

Yes

What exactly does the ‘communion of saints’ mean?

It is the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church Triumphant, Heaven, the Church Penitent, Purgatory, and the Church Militant, Earth.

 

[xformer7]

First of all, we do not pray to the Saints … we ask that they intercede for us in our prayers to God…

How do you ask them to intercede if you do not pray to them? I think you are making a distinction where there is none.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

How do you ask them to intercede if you do not pray to them? I think you are making a distinction where there is none.

He means prayers of adoration (worship)

 

[Todd_Easton]

Typically, a saintly Christian person dies, people pray to him for his Christian intercession, miracles are obtained, and only then does the Church canonize him as a saint. People praying to the deceased Christian before his canonization by the Church is a necessary part of the canonization process. In other words, praying to uncanonized, deceased Christians that you think are in heaven is a normal Christian practice. The Church honors all such uncanonized saints (and also all canonized saints) on All Saints Day (Nov 1).