phatcatholic i need your help

[infinitelord1]

I wanna know why catholics think its a good thing to pray to saints. I understand that the catholic church teaches that when we die we all are in communion with god (those who meet the requierments of salvation). God says that we shouldnt worship any other gods besides him. I am sure that people dont worship saints........i am under the understanding that they pray to them for certain virtues and such. I must admit that it is a little strange to me. I am hoping Phatcatholic can give me some kind of theological proof as to why catholics pray to saints.

[StatingTheObvious]

Have you tried using the reference sections on this phorum?

[Theoketos]

This might be better done in the Apologetics Section

But if you do not mind...I am going to steal some of Phat's Thunder.

The kinds of prayers and or praise we give to God and the Saints even have different names.

[i][url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09036a.htm"]Latria[/url][/i] is the honor we alone give to God. For He alone do we worship. He alone is perfect. He alone.

[i][url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05188b.htm"]Dulia[/url][/i] is the honor we give saints. We make this distinction to make sure that only worship is given to saints.

Additionally, the honor we give to Mary is called Hyperdulia. This is because she was humble enough to give her will to God's fiat. And God humbled himself to come into the world through a poor Jewish woman. {There is a great humility in the birth canal }

Then there is the biblical citation of ". . .we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses . . ." (Hebrews 12:1 - RSV) As well as God being the God of Abraham Issac and Jacob, The God of the Living. Implying that those people are living.


And in Revelation the Liturgy bespeaks of worship and consciencenous of the could of witnesses.

[quote name='Revelations 5:14'] The four living creatures answered, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.[/quote]

[quote name='Revelations3:10-11']    the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:

    "Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created."[/quote]

[quote name='Revelation 6:9' date='10']    After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches  in their hands.

    They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from  our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb."[/quote]

Lastly, in your life you see certain people who are closer to God than others. And so it seems that those who are more certain in their practice faith are both more likely to actually pray for you and two really mean it.

When humans make it to heaven, there no longer any pertences, so your prayer request is definately answered and they have the direct ear of God, as there is no veil.

I hope this helps.

[url="http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ94.HTM"]A further Primer[/url]

[Apotheoun]

This topic has been discussed before, and so you may want to do a search for threads on this issue.

Here is a thread from back in December of 2004: [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=26534&view=findpost&p=468778"][u]Jesus vs. Mary and the Saints, distractions?[/u][/url]