Talking to a dead relative!?

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centurionguard said:
Praying to a Saint such as Saint Francis is a huge difference than simply (((speaking))) to loved ones and friends who passed away.
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Not really, no. Take away the fact that he’s a Saint, if you find yourself talking to Francis of Assisi, guess what? You’re talking to the dead. Saint or not, you’re talking to the dead every time. There is no problem with speaking to your diseased father in this manner: “Well, Dad, I’m having a lot of financial problems right now, and I wish you were here to help guide me like you always did…” However, physically contacting your dead father through a seance or some other form of witchcraft is a Mortal sin and is not to be done by any Catholic.

Praying and speaking are very similar. Praying is speaking to someone that is dead, honoring and venerating them, and asking them for help, through use of your mental voice or of your physical voice. There is a difference, however, between speaking/praying to someone that is dead and trying to communicate with them through a seance or other form of witchcraft. I would recommend buying some of Tim Staples’ CD’s and DVD’s on this subject.
 
I don’t see the harm. I visit my grandparents graves on occasion. They were my inspiration to come into the faith and I pray at their grave that God take care of them, and also ask them to pray for me and to ask God to grant me the strength to continue on the path and to not be mislead or disheartened by the world. The Communion of Saints is scripturally supported and very valid. True we don’t know the condition of our departed loved ones or where they will end up as that is Gods decision alone. But we can trust if they’ve lead as holy lives as they could that at the very least they’ll reside in purgatory. That’s no proof or assurance but its something we can at least hope for and certainly pray for. And souls in purgatory are still bound by the communion of saints and can thus hear our voices. Will we hear their voices? No. If we do, seek psychiatric help, as others have stated. But I don’t see it being a sin to ask the departed to pray for our intercession. If you take fault with that then clearly you take fault with the Virgin Mary as well.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
There is no problem with speaking to your diseased father in this manner: “Well, Dad, I’m having a lot of financial problems right now, and I wish you were here to help guide me like you always did…”
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Would this kind of talk be considered prayer? Is this an e.g of asking the father to pray for you or is it like reminiscing?
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Not really, no. Take away the fact that he’s a Saint, if you find yourself talking to Francis of Assisi, guess what? You’re talking to the dead. Saint or not, you’re talking to the dead every time. There is no problem with speaking to your diseased father in this manner: “Well, Dad, I’m having a lot of financial problems right now, and I wish you were here to help guide me like you always did…” However, physically contacting your dead father through a seance or some other form of witchcraft is a Mortal sin and is not to be done by any Catholic.

Praying and speaking are very similar. Praying is speaking to someone that is dead, honoring and venerating them, and asking them for help, through use of your mental voice or of your physical voice. There is a difference, however, between speaking/praying to someone that is dead and trying to communicate with them through a seance or other form of witchcraft. I would recommend buying some of Tim Staples’ CD’s and DVD’s on this subject.
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I’m not against intercessory prayer with the Saints, God’s Angels, and the Blessed Virgin Mary in support of our deceased loved ones and friends. We ourselves do not possess the ability to Talk To The Deceased except invoking intercessory prayer.

Consider reading these sites:
Can the dead communicate with the living?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=218943

KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEPARTED HUMAN SOUL
ewtn.com/library/THEOLOGY/DEPSOULS.HTM

Whether we can, through Sensible Signs, manifest our Thoughts to Departed Souls? catholicforum.com/forums/showthread.php?11411-Talking-to-the-Dead See post #2
The idea, then, that we can freely and without the mediation of any other agent hold intercourse with the souls of our departed friends should be considered a poetical fiction rather than a philosophical truth. The fact is that the soul departed from the body is, naturally speaking, so far cut off from all communication with the living, that, as the world into which it has passed is altogether different from our material world, so also has its mode of conversation nothing in common with ours. The departed soul is to us an entire stranger, which neither understands our language, nor can be understood by us. A wide chasm separates it from us. This chasm, however may be bridged by God’s providence through the ministry of angels, saints, or the Virgin Mary, or Jesus Himself
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centurionguard said:
I’m not against intercessory prayer with the Saints, God’s Angels, and the Blessed Virgin Mary in support of our deceased loved ones and friends. We ourselves do not possess the ability to Talk To The Deceased except invoking intercessory prayer.

Consider reading these sites:
Can the dead communicate with the living?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=218943

KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEPARTED HUMAN SOUL
ewtn.com/library/THEOLOGY/DEPSOULS.HTM

Whether we can, through Sensible Signs, manifest our Thoughts to Departed Souls? catholicforum.com/forums/showthread.php?11411-Talking-to-the-Dead See post #2
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I’m aware that the dead cannot hear us unless they are in Heaven. I’m simply saying speaking to the dead is not bad. It’s physically contacting the dead that the Bible forbids.
 
Pray to someone who has not been declared a saint yet to get a miracle from your prayers.

It is against the church to go to a seance, or things like that where you what a response (from a demon faking to be the deceased or the person is making it up). If you are just talking in a one-way thing or for them to go to God and ask for a miracle for you that’s ok.(no talk-back to you just to God)

Instead of just talking to him why doesn’t he do a few indulgences. If he had any venial sins [and no mortal sin] on him at death he could still be in purgatory.
 
St. Therese of Liseux also had a devotion to her siblings that were miscarried.
I have something similar with a sibling and I have had priests tell me it’s fine to have this devotion. Just never put anyone before Christ, just as we never put any saint before Christ.
 
Does anyone have a relevant links to the CCC on this question?
 
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