Hello all! After feeling a tug at my heart to do so, I’m currently exploring the Catholic faith, I was just wondering if someone could clear a point up for me that I don’t understand. While I currently attend an Episcopal church, I was raised Baptist, and thus the idea of Saints is a bit foreign to me. Could someone explain to me the role of Saints in Catholicism? Do they just serve as admirable, godly individuals for us to look up to? Do they have an active role in faith/prayer?
Saint is a person who is in Heaven. Angels are a type of Saint, because they are in heaven with God.
In Catholicism, we are all called to be “Saints”
In Catholicism, we can never be assured heaven or that we are totally ‘saved’ (past tense) because of something we do (including our faith)
In Catholicism - God judges us and we can not know for sure if we are “saved” until our final judgement. We must, therefore endure to the end.
This means we can not make judgements on a person’s individual soul.
Why do I mention all this???..
Because that means it takes VERY special circumstances for the Church to call a person a “saint” - since under ordinary circumstances we can not know for sure that someone is in heaven. That’s God’s decision, not ours.
Therefore, Catholicism is VERY conservative about pronouncing who is or isn’t a Saint and reserves this designation for only the most Holy of people who have died.
So Saints are a very good role model for the rest of us. There is a vetting process before someone is named a Saint.
Secondly, this is tied to the Catholic belief that when we pass away, we are STILL in communion with the Body of Christ… his church. Death does not separate us. This is partly what makes the Catholic church what it is… “universal” because it is in heaven and on Earth, because we are all joined to one body - Christ Jesus.
If those in heaven are not separated from the body, then we can logically ask them to intercede on our behalf just like we can do to anyone here on Earth and ask for them to pray for us.
So Catholics simply don’t make a distinction between those on Earth and those who are in heaven, since God is the Lord of both. If we, here on Earth, in our imperfect state are said to be children of God, part of his body, and joined with him through our faith and willing participation… how much MORE are those in heaven?
Thirdly,
Asking others for help does not dilute Christ’s role as the one mediator… in fact it re-enforces it. Because instead of just 1 coming to him… you have 2 or more. And the bible says that where 2 are gathered in his name… he is present.
It pleases God to have those on Earth united with those in heaven seeking him and asking him for help. We still acknowledge that Christ Jesus is the sole mediator, but that we can ask others for help in pleading our case to him… our mediator between God and man.
Mary also is a Saint and intercessor… pointing us back to her Son, just as she did at the Wedding at Canaan - telling the people there to “do what he tells you” - So Mary always points us back to her Son.
Fourthly,
Catholics don’t believe that Saints are demi-gods or able to act on their own. They do not have powers of their own. Even their ability to hear our prayers are through God, as they are with him in Heaven. God does all things. They just take our petitions to HIM - as is depicted in Revelation with the Angels taking the petitions of man to God. (Christ is God, part of the Trinity)
