Your special relationship with the Saints?

[oldgraymare2]

Hi Matthew,

You have gotten some great replies already.

I would like to add St. Rita of Cascia . She is known as a “Saint of the Impossible,” like Saint Jude Thaddeus. That also brings me to Saint Jude Thaddeus, too. He was thought to be a cousin of Jesus. When I need urgent Heavenly help, I pray to them.

I also have a devotion to St. Padre Pio, too.

 

[Marie5890]

I did the “Pick a Patron Saint for the Year” thing…there was a link on a previous thread…
and I got St. John of Kanty.
Which was incredible since my husband is seeking employment (no one will hire and immigrant these days, not even an Irish one) and I was unjustly released form a job several years ago. He’s the patron of people with employment issues.
So I had the opportunity to learn about him, whom admittedly, I had never heard of. Now he’s a friend!

Oh I love that idea. “Pick a Patron saint for the year”

 

[josie_L]

I was reading about some of the Catholic saints today and found it fascinating and inspiring to me.

I’d love to hear about any saints whose lives and stories are profoundly meaningful to you? I’m looking for some more to read about and learn from.

Thank you!

As a child I remember reading a book of Saints for children, and the one saint that really stood out for me was St. Lucy:

The glorious virgin and martyr St. Lucy, one of the brightest ornaments of the church of Sicily, was born of honourable and wealthy parents in the city of Syracusa, and educated from her cradle in the faith of Christ. She lost her father in her infancy, but Eutychia, her mother, took singular care to furnish her with tender and sublime sentiments of piety and religion. By the early impressions which Lucy received and the strong influence of divine grace, Lucy discovered no disposition but toward virtue, and she was yet very young when she offered to God the flower of her virginity. This vow, however, she kept a secret, and her mother, who was a stranger to it, pressed her to marry a young gentleman who was a pagan. The saint sought occasions to hinder this design from taking effect, and her mother was visited with a long and troublesome flux of blood, under which she laboured four years without finding any remedy by recourse to physicians. At length she was persuaded by her daughter to go to Catana and offer up her prayers to God for relief at the tomb of St. Agatha. St. Lucy accompanied her thither, and their prayers were successful.

Hereupon our saint disclosed to her mother her desire of devoting herself to God in a state of perpetual virginity, and of bestowing her fortune on the poor: and Eutychia, in gratitude, left her at full liberty to pursue her pious inclinations. The young nobleman, with whom the mother had treated about marrying her, came to understand this by the sale of her jewels and goods, and the distribution of the price among the poor, and in his rage accused her before the governor Paschasius as a Christian, the persecution of Diocletian then raging with the utmost fury. The judge commanded the holy virgin to be exposed to prostitution in a brothel" house; but God rendered her immovable, so that the guards were not able to carry her thither. He also made her an over-match for the cruelty of the persecutors, in overcoming fire and other torments. After a long and glorious combat she died in prison of the wounds she had received,—about the year 304. She was honoured at Rome in the sixth century among the most illustrious virgins and martyrs, whose triumphs the church celebrates, as appears from the Sacramentary of St. Gregory, Bede, and others.

ewtn.com/library/MARY/STLUCY.HTM

Although I have to say that my favourite saint is St. Joseph, (Jesus’s foster father), we commemorate him every March 19th.

 

[cmodrmac]

All who are in Heaven are Saints are they not?- I am being a little facetious but why not pray for your Grandmother to intercede for you-? Do you believe that an identified Saint by any of the Sacramental Churches has a better connection to the Divine? -I never got the concept of why someone would pray to say St.Polycarp-who surely does not know you rather than to Jesus directly

 

[Marie5890]

All who are in Heaven are Saints are they not?- I am being a little facetious but why not pray for your Grandmother to intercede for you-? Do you believe that an identified Saint by any of the Sacramental Churches has a better connection to the Divine? -I never got the concept of why someone would pray to say St.Polycarp-who surely does not know you rather than to Jesus directly

Oh I KNOW my grandparents are praying for me. That is a given in my case

 

[pianistclare]

All who are in Heaven are Saints are they not?- I am being a little facetious but why not pray for your Grandmother to intercede for you-? Do you believe that an identified Saint by any of the Sacramental Churches has a better connection to the Divine? -I never got the concept of why someone would pray to say St.Polycarp-who surely does not know you rather than to Jesus directly

What you say is true. But it’s not about knowing the person directly.
People pray to Saints that they identify with…that are patrons of specific needs that’s all.
Like going to a dentist for a toothache and not a foot doctor. As Saints, they are all very interested in the salvation of everyone. Many of the Saints, before they went to heaven and knew that they were dying, even told people “pray for me and I will pray for you in turn”.
It’s kind of a personal thing…some people like it, others do as you prefer…enter a dialog with Christ Himself directly.
Peace to you!
pianist

 

[EIF5A]

I truly believe The Dialog written by St. Catherine of Siena is life-changing. It’s a recording of her private revelations received from God — admonition against sin, love of God for humanity, each and every soul. It’s not too “scary” that one may fall into despair, but it encourages fear of God and hatred of sin. Lots of imagery so that our minds can understand spiritual matters better.

It’s also very humbling how the divinely-inspired revelations seem so personal and makes the Eternal God seem approachable. We are created in dignity, and God wants to save us, but we also need to help ourselves to be saved.

I don’t have a special relationship with the saint, but by the mercy of God, if I see her in heaven, I will thank her since because of her piety and close connection with God, such a wonderful book had been left behind for us.

 

[pablope]

All who are in Heaven are Saints are they not?-

Yes.

I am being a little facetious but why not pray for your Grandmother to intercede for you-?

 

[Southwood]

All who are in Heaven are Saints are they not?- I am being a little facetious but why not pray for your Grandmother to intercede for you-? Do you believe that an identified Saint by any of the Sacramental Churches has a better connection to the Divine? -I never got the concept of why someone would pray to say St.Polycarp-who surely does not know you rather than to Jesus directly

It’s not uncommon for non-Catholics, and even some Catholics, to not understand a Catholic’s devotion to a Saint. But it is definitely biblical. For example, Jesus’ first miracle was prompted by the intercession of Mary. There are numerous stories of people coming, not to Jesus directly, but because of their humility, to His disciples, requesting help. They intercede, and Jesus acts, for their sake, and for the ones asking for help. Also, during the days of the Jewish monarchy, people approached the king most frequently through those in the king’s court, and in some cases, through the king’s mother.

Hebrews gives us a clear indication that we have a great “cloud of witnesses” that are watching us run the race, cheering us on. How are they cheering us on, if not in their prayers? So the Saints might know you better than you think, for they see God face to face, as He is, and in that, could easily be shown who you are better than you yourself can perceive it. Plus, having already run the race, and battled against the same temptations and tribulations that you do today, they can relate to you better than you think. Don’t assume that your path is wholly unique, or that what you’re experiencing is unlike what anyone has ever experienced before. We are humans, and we experience the same things, to one degree or another.

Moreover, if you studied the saints, you might get to know them quite well. Saint Faustina, for example, is one that I think I know quite well, after reading her diary. If you studied them, you could get to know them very well. This is an aspect of the communion of saints which the Catholic church teaches. It’s a communion that goes much deeper than non-Catholics, and even some Catholics, realize.

For me, there is an often un-spoken aspect of humbling ourselves when praying to the Saints for intercession. There is no doubt that their prayers are much more effective than ours, since they are completely righteous and pure, and we are not (yet, hopefully).