Why do we have patron saints of things?

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Mr.Phoenix

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When I pray God is the first one to hear it and then the saint. God is the one that answers the prayer not the saint. The saint cannot change God’s mind so if I have a headache, why do I need to pray to the patron saint of headaches surely it would be the same if I prayed to the patron saint of seafaring?

Also why pray to any saint or angel as we are constantly told that Mary’s intercession is more powerful so why not always ask for hers? She though cannot change God’s mind either so why don’t we just pray one our father straight to God and be done with it?

Why have so many different prayers, surely the our father should suffice?

I don’t seem to understand anymore unless I never understood in the first place?
 
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You are coming from a mindset that isolates those in heaven (church triumphant) from those on earth (church militant). We Catholics care about those in heaven, and they care about us. God appreciates it and doesn’t mind that we talk to the angels and saints in prayer.
 
How wonderful it is that we have community! We are family!.. whether our community is on this earth, or those already with the Lord in heaven!
 
You’re right, I shouldn’t have made any assumptions. I’ll delete if it’s okay with you.
 
you can just pray to God. nothing requires us to ask for intercession from the saints. if that works for you, don’t fix it if it ain’t broken.
 
I still ask this question myself. A place to start could be Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

God created us as social animals. We are all to be a part of one body. God likes seeing us care for each other, and one way we do that is by praying for each other. I think patronage exists for our own sake, so that we might relate and feel closer to those that lived lives pleasing to God.

Saint Teresa of Avila is the patron saint of headaches because she expressed great migraines she experienced in her writings. It reminds us that the saints that have made it to Heaven were like us and suffered like us. She doesn’t have a more powerful intercession, but we can pray “Saint Teresa, you understand what I’m going through right now. Please pray for me.”
 
I have known someone with this mindset for many years. And he keeps complaining that his prayers are not answered. I mean, for years I hear the same thing. If you really believe that you don’t need help from saints, fine, but don’t complain later.
 
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