Why do we pray to Saints?

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Sir_Knight

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I’ve been explaining to non-Catholics why we pray to saints for years. Then it suddenly hit it – since Mary’s prayers before God are most powerful, why do we pray to the OTHER saints? Why not just pray to Mary for her intercession?

Personal example: My dog is under-going treatment for cancer and I was advised to pray to St Francis of Assisi, Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi, St Anthony of Padua, etc.; and my family was doing that in addition to saying the rosary when it suddenly hit us – if Mary’s prayers are most effectively before the throne of God, wouldn’t it make sense to direct our petitions to her? And if that is the case, then why do we pray to the other saints?
 
I have always thought the answer is, “Why not?” We are the Body of Christ, all of us united under one Head. To ask all of us to pray for someone or some thing is very natural. It’s not a priority list, but these are all of your fellow Catholics in heaven that will help you if they can. So just like if you had a problem and you told several friends about it, tell several saints about it - including Mary and Jesus. All you are doing is asking for their help, so ask them all!
 
We pray to them in order that they might love us by interceding for us with God.

We show our love for them by showing them the respect and honor due to their sainthood.
 
Sir Knight:
Then it suddenly hit it – since Mary’s prayers before God are most powerful, why do we pray to the OTHER saints? Why not just pray to Mary for her intercession?
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This is a great realization, and so true. There is no need to ask other saints when Mary can obtain more than they.

But not everyone is close enough to Mary to ask with the confidence they need to obtain. It sometimes takes the intercession of a lesser saint we think is more approachable. We usually focus on the saint who is the patron of our needs because it means they already have the merit to give us that particular grace. The way I understand it, if we ask a saint for something they do not already merit, then they will ask a greater saint than themselves - most likely one they had devotion to who lived before them.
Sir Knight:
if Mary’s prayers are most effectively before the throne of God, wouldn’t it make sense to direct our petitions to her?
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Absolutely, but you must do so with confidence.
Sir Knight:
And if that is the case, then why do we pray to the other saints?
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As I explained, we do so because of the testimony of others who assure us that these other saints are worthy patrons of our cause.

But if you don’t trust those people, or do not feel confident to approach those saints, then approach others. Whether you approach God, Jesus, Mary, saints, or other people, the basis for your prayer must be confident hope. It doesn’t matter if you ask a lower-ranking person because the prayers get passed up the line until the grace is found. Such is the Mystical Body of Christ 🙂

hurst
 
Sir Knight:
I’ve been explaining to non-Catholics why we pray to saints for years. Then it suddenly hit it – since Mary’s prayers before God are most powerful, why do we pray to the OTHER saints? Why not just pray to Mary for her intercession?

Personal example: My dog is under-going treatment for cancer and I was advised to pray to St Francis of Assisi, Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi, St Anthony of Padua, etc.; and my family was doing that in addition to saying the rosary when it suddenly hit us – if Mary’s prayers are most effectively before the throne of God, wouldn’t it make sense to direct our petitions to her? And if that is the case, then why do we pray to the other saints?
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This sounds a bit like protestant reasoning to me “why pray to saints when we can go directly to God”, if you begin to think that there is no need to ask other saints for prayers you are in danger of committing heresy. If you begin to deny the intersession of other saints you are denying the body of Christ and exulting Mary to some sort of all powerful deity. As Catholics we pray in communion with the body of Christ, Mary is a part of that body but she is not the body, Christ is, along with all his saints.
 
Remember the Apostles Creed.
I believe…in the Communion of Saints…

It does not say the Hierarchy of Saints!
 
All of the saints have unique and special qualities, experiences, and gifts to offer, just as all of us do in earthly society. Because we’re all different, we can all relate to different saints in different ways. Mary is special in that she’s the spiritual mother of all Christians, living and dead. But I think she would be the first to say that each of us can do much to help one another.
 
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hurst:
But not everyone is close enough to Mary to ask with the confidence they need to obtain. It sometimes takes the intercession of a lesser saint we think is more approachable. We usually focus on the saint who is the patron of our needs because it means they already have the merit to give us that particular grace. The way I understand it, if we ask a saint for something they do not already merit, then they will ask a greater saint than themselves - most likely one they had devotion to who lived before them.
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Unexpected Dawn:
All of the saints have unique and special qualities, experiences, and gifts to offer, just as all of us do in earthly society. Because we’re all different, we can all relate to different saints in different ways. Mary is special in that she’s the spiritual mother of all Christians, living and dead. But I think she would be the first to say that each of us can do much to help one another.
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Okay, it’s starting to make sense to me now. Thank you.
 
I would think another reason is that some saints are Patron saints for a particular cause/occupation/location.

From NewAdvent:
A patron is one who has been assigned by a venerable tradition, or chosen by election, as a special intercessor with God and the proper advocate of a particular locality, and is honoured by clergy and people with a special form of religious observance.
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If you have a lot of friends, it makes sense to ask all or many of them to pray for you. Your friends on earth, as well as your friends in heaven, who are the saints.
 
I feel so blessed to have so many friends who love me because God loves me! St. Jude, is always praying for me–especially when I feel nervous about running. My dad died with a medal of St. Jude around his neck so I ask my dad to go to St. Jude and ask to pray to Our Lord for me. I ask the Saints to pray for me because they are much closer to God than I am and when it’s time for me to go, well, I want as many people as possisble in Heaven to say, " Oh yeah, I know her, she’s ok!"
 
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Runner1:
I feel so blessed to have so many friends who love me because God loves me! St. Jude, is always praying for me–especially when I feel nervous about running.
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This “jogged” my memory concerning how St. Jude helped me with running. I would like to share it, to his credit.

I first noticed I had problems running in grade school, but it really peaked during a football practice in high school. My throat would constrict and hinder my breathing whenever we did extended sprints or ran the yardlines. I ended up quitting sports. Some years later, I decided to join the miltary. One of the requirements involved running, and I soon realized that I could not join unless I was able to run. So before I even took the final tests for entrance, I decided to practice running to see if I could hack it. Just as I suspected, after about 1/4 mile, my throat started constricting, and I could barely breathe!

I sat down somewhat dejected on a short brick wall by the sidewalk, catching my breath and wondering how I was going to be able to join with this limitation. It was an impossible situation! Hmm… “impossible” situation? I then remembered seeing various “Thank You St. Jude” notices in the paper for benefits received. I even recalled that it was a devotion whereby one promises to make a novena in His honor and publish the thank-you to him. I could think of nothing else at the moment, since I was experiencing some consternation at my plight. I thought, “Well, I think this really qualifies as an impossible situation, and if I am going to be able to do this, it will be impossible without some kind of help! I am certainly capable of fulfilling the requirements of this simple devotion, so I will give it a try and seek help in my true need.” I then entrusted my bitterness and concern to his patronage from my heart, when all of a sudden, I felt changed. It was as if a switch was turned on deep inside my heart. I realized something had happened, but it didn’t seem physical. I was rested by now, and decided to try to run again, to see if it was related. I ran and ran. I ran faster and kept up the pace. I no longer experienced constriction of my throat! From that moment on, I have never had the problem again. I went on to join the military and never any problem with the running requirements. I thank God and I thank St. Jude for helping me in my time of need.

Thank you, St. Jude, for benefits received!

hurst
 
There are lots of saints I turn to for help, and who look after me in different ways. 🙂

Mother Mary has helped me to bear grief with grace, to be a virtuous woman, and to surrender to God. St. Anthony is always helping me and my loved ones to find (or re-discover) both material and spiritual goods. St. Francis helps me care for my pets and for plants. St. Raphael has helped to heal my spirit and lead me to meet good new friends–and hopefully a husband one day (the Book of Tobit is one of my favorite scriptures, btw)! St. Jerome helps me be a good librarian. St. Patrick is special to me because I am part Irish, and also because my late fiance is named Patrick too.

I feel like I am never alone! And that has helped me immensely, now that I have had to live by myself. Even when people in my life fail me, I always have someone to turn to. I’ve actually just learned these things in the last few months, and my life feels much more full now. 🙂
 
Why do we pray to Saints?
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We don’t.

“I ask Blessed Mary, all the angles and saints and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

What we do is ask them to pray for us.
 
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Ignatius:
We don’t.
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We do 🙂
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Ignatius:
“I ask Blessed Mary, all the angles and saints and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.”
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That prayer from the Mass is one asking for pardon.
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Ignatius:
What we do is ask them to pray for us.
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Yes, we do that too. It is the main thing we do, asking for their intercession.

But that is not all we do. We can pray directly to them also to give us what they already have merited by their earthly life ("… their works follow them" Apoc 14:13). We can also thank them directly, praise them directly, and love them directly. They are part of the Mystical Body of Christ.

“Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto Me” (Matt 25:40).

hurst
 
OK, maybe “pray” isn’t entirely the right word, but I certainly do talk to the saints, as well as ask them to pray for me. I do the same with my deceased loved ones–and living ones, for that matter!

True, I don’t talk to them in the same way I pray to God, but I feel there is a lot of value in talking to them as themselves and having personal relationships with them. Plus, I only consider it polite to treat them as people, and not just black boxes between me and God. 😉

I feel that in some cases, they are able to help us directly, but that if they can’t, it is implicit that they pray to God for us, and with us.
 
Sir Knight:
I’ve been explaining to non-Catholics why we pray to saints for years. Then it suddenly hit it – since Mary’s prayers before God are most powerful, why do we pray to the OTHER saints?
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For the same reason that we seek the intercession of others.

If I had a relative going in for surgery, and I had already asked my pastor to pray for that relative, that that mean I shouldn’t ask my wife too?

After all, the pastor’s prayers are more powerful than my wife’s, so why bother asking her.

In fact, why bother with even asking the pastor, why even ask anyone at all instead of Mary.

Then again, that would be a violation of God’s Command in James “pray for one another”

We are all called to pray for one another, and just because the saints are in heaven, does that mean they stop following God’s Commands?? That would be sinful would it not?

So St. Anthony, St. Frances, Blessed Anna Maria, they are desiring to pray for you, to fulfil God’s command to them.
 
as a protestant, I don’t pray to saints. But, would not other saints living or dead, agape you? and if they agape you, will they not be praying in accordance with agape, and thus be praying god’s will?

:confused:
 
Please remember that most Catholics use pray to mean “communicate to” while many protestants use pray to mean “worship”.

While Catholics do communicate with the saints honoring them and asking for their intercession with God and help, we never worship them.
 
T.A.Stobie:
Please remember that most Catholics use pray to mean “communicate to” while many protestants use pray to mean “worship”.

While Catholics do communicate with the saints honoring them and asking for their intercession with God and help, we never worship them.
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Yes. When I speak of praying to the saints, I just mean talking to them. Communication is not worship.
 
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