Re: Catholicism - a few questions. (Honest! No cheaps shots or nothing.)

Hello again 12321,

I'm happy to take the time for your questions! I think I may be the only Catholic presence on this forum, which is ususally not accepted kindly. so when questions are asked with a sincere desire to understand, (not in agreement or in trying to persuade the other) but in earnest dialogue to understand one another, I think it is a good thing!

Okay....first question: I (as a progressive Catholic) do not pray TO the saints, I go to Jesus. But for those who do, they are praying WITH the Saints/Mary for their intentions. Not praying TO, but WITH. Does that clarify it for you? You could think of it as a prayer circle, adding as many people (alive or in the communtion of saints) to your intention. Now again, many old fashioned Catholics pray TO them as well as to Jesus. This is done with a sincere and earnest heart, not to take anything away from Jesus, but because they were brought up as children to do this. I would not think of taking a rosary away from a little old lady who gets great peace from her prayers. (although I haven't said a rosary in years) And Catholics do not hold Mary
in divine esteem, although I must admit it could look like that. Not divine, but with the greatest honor a human can have.

And the Saint/saint distinction, that is just church politics!! LOL. Those who the powers-that-be think fit the title of Saint, go through a process in the Vatican that gives them the status, usually years after they die. But I believe Mother Teresa will be proclaimed a Saint in a relatively short period of time. One of the criteria for them becoming an "official" Saint of the church is that in incurable cases, miracles have occurred using that particular person as an intercessor for healing. As for the rest of us who do not get into the "Vatican's Who's Who" (just kidding) are the saints with a small s. As I said, regardless of church politics, we are all the same in God's eyes. For example, people ask their own deceased father/mothers to pray for them when they're in need and they are not Saints of the church. Just as I ask my own mother to keep me in her prayers. And how I see people right here on Curzone ask for prayers. We can all ask for prayers from one another, living or dead.

And you are NOT be annoying at all. Isn't it wonderful to share. I often think that we should focus on our similarities rather than the differences, which will truly deepen our understanding of one another.

I need to say that although I am a Catholic, I am not much of an institutional one, recognizing the many dysfunctions of the Church (actually any human institution). I have said before that most of my spiritual growth has come from the mystics of the Church. Like Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Meister Eckert, Hildegard of Bingen, etc. They have taught me so much about Jesus, without getting bogged down with the excess baggage.