When Catholics have communion with the Saints , do they respond or answer back?

When we ask the saints in heaven to pray for us, they respond by praying for us. They do not normally answer back directly.

Asking for intercession from a saint in heaven has to result in two miracles for them to be canonized as a Saint.

Saints are people in heaven or on their way to heaven. All Christians dead and alive are saints.

The Catholic Church selects some of the most extraordinary examples, does in-depth research, and canonizes them.

Canonization is the solemn declaration by the Pope that a deceased member of the faithful may be proposed as a model and intercessor (not mediator) to the Christian faithful on the basis of the fact that the person lived a life of heroic virtue or remained faithful to God through martyrdom.

Here is the modern method of canonization:

In order to allow greater objectivity and less emotion, no petition for sainthood can be made until at least 5 years after the candidate’s death.

+ Diocesan Investigation +

A diocese, parish, religious congregation, or association asks the bishop of the diocese in which the candidate died to open the investigation. After Vatican approval, the bishop forms a diocesan tribunal.

Witnesses are called before the tribunal to recount the candidate’s heroic exercise of Christian virtues. All documents regarding the candidate must be gathered.

At this point he is entitled to the title of Servant of God.

+ Vatican Investigation +

All documentation is passed on to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican.

The cause undergoes an examination by nine theologians.

If passed, the cause is for examined by the Congregation.

If passed, the cause is presented to the Pope for approval. A decree is published and read publicly.

+ Beatification +

A miracle attributed to the Servant of God is necessary.

The miracle must be proven through an appropriate investigation and another decree is issued.

Then the Pope decides on beatification.

With beatification, the candidate receives the title of Blessed.

+ Canonization +

Another miracle occurring after beatification is needed for canonization (sainthood), attributed to the Blessed’s intercession.

This miracle must again be proven through an appropriate investigation.

Papal infallibility is involved with canonization.

The Blessed acquires the title of Saint.

http://www.usccb.org/comm/SaintsFinal.pdf

+ With love in Christ.

Im a pretty rational Catholic and I am always looking for a logical rationality for everything, but I will admit I have felt a closeness to Mary, or St. Francis, or St. Michael. Its not like they talk to me, its more a presance, or a feeling of security. It could be psychological, I'm willing the admit that, but dispite all of my struggles with the Church or with God, dispite all of my troubles with my faith, I have always come back and felt a closeness to a saint and fulfillment that I have never felt before. I dont understand it, but thats why its faith.

And we dont really pray TO the saints. We simply ask them to pray FOR us. Take the Hail Mary, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." I have met many other Christians that have no problem asking for a friend, or even other people on Yahoo answers to pray for them. We just feel its better to turn to Mary rather than a complete stranger.

I think perhaps you were trying to be funny, but I am going to answer anyway.

First of all, we can understand “communion of saints” as referring to ourselves as the community of believers. On the feast of all saints, we might hail one another with the words “happy feast day,” indicating by such a greeting that we think that despite our sinfulness, we are saints in the sense that we belong to the community of people called to be saints.

There is a second way in which we use the term “communion of saints,” namely, to designate those who have entered through death into the fullness of God. Thus, the communion of saints in this context refers to the blessed in heaven: Saints Peter, Paul, Francis, Clare, Catherine, Anne, Joachim, etc., as well as our Aunt Minnie, Uncle Mike, cousin Amanda and all the others who have lived as holy children of God.

There is a third way in which we use the term “communion of saints.” It is really a combination of the first two. This combined communion of saints includes all of us who are more or less saints (some more, some less) plus all those who have entered into full communion with God. We are all related because Baptism is so strong a link that not even death can break it.

In its widest sense the communion of saints is about what Elizabeth Johnson calls “a communal participation in the gracious holiness of God.” When we participate in the Eucharist, we join all the saints in that holy and wondrous communion.

Yes, we pray to the saints by name. In the Hail Mary prayer, we are speaking to Mary by name. Prayer to the saints in heaven is to ask them to pray for us to the Father. This is similar to asking you to pray for me.

Typically, they do not answer back, but God can allow them to if He wishes. There have been many verified appearances by Mary to people in this life.

We do not "consult" with the dead when we pray to those in Heaven. In Isaiah, the king first asked God the outcome of a battle. When God did not reply, the king tried to go around God's back and asked Samuel the same question.

This is not what Catholics are doing when we pray to the saints. We are asking them to pray for us. We are not trying to go around God's back.

Praying to the Father is what we should do. The Father said "No other gods before me" that is a little g, meaning all other gods. Which means Not God the Father, for the G is upper case as well as the F in Father! God Speed to ya.

On Sundays during "communion" I don't usually talk. I meditate on the sacrifice of Christ. But before and after services when I speak with the saints I often have very nice conversations. They are usually about the weeks events either in the world or in theirs and my lives.

Oh wait you said Catholics...nevermind.

Yes.

But Catholics are not the only ones who believe in communion of Saints. I know that Lutherans and Methodists say it when they recite the Apostles Creed as well.

The issue concerning any church and its practices should be “Is this Biblical?” If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced. If it is not, it should be rejected. God is more interested in whether a church is doing His will and obeying His Word than whether it can trace a line of succession back to Jesus’ apostles. Jesus was very concerned about abandoning the Word of God to follow the traditions of men (Mark 7:7). Traditions are not inherently invalid…there are some good and valuable traditions. Again, the issue must be whether a doctrine, practice, or tradition is Biblical. How then does the Roman Catholic Church compare with the teachings of the Word of God?

Salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace which is received through simple faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that good works are the result of a change of the heart wrought in salvation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and the fruit of that new life in Christ (John 15).

Assurance of salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation cannot be guaranteed or assured. 1 John 5:13 states that the letter of 1 John was written for the purpose of assuring believers of the CERTAINTY of their salvation.

Good Works: The Roman Catholic Church states that Christians are saved by meritorious works (beginning with baptism) and that salvation is maintained by good works (receiving the sacraments, confession of sin to a priest, etc.) The Bible states that Christians are saved by grace through faith, totally apart from works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:10-11; Romans 3:19-24).

Baptism: In the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized in Acts 16:33. However, the context nowhere mentions infants. Acts 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

Prayer: The Roman Catholic Church teaches Catholics to not only pray to God, but also to petition Mary and the saints for their prayers. Contrary to this, we are taught in Scripture to only pray to God (Matthew 6:9; Luke 18:1-7).

Priesthood: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a distinction between the clergy and the “lay people,” whereas the New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

Sacraments: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a believer is infused with grace upon reception of the sacraments. Such teaching is nowhere found in Scripture.

Confession: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that unless a believer is hindered, the only way to receive the forgiveness of sins is by confessing them to a priest. Contrary to this, Scripture teaches that confession of sins is to be made to God (1 John 1:9).

Mary: The Roman Catholic Church teaches, among other things, that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, a perpetual virgin, and the co-redemptress who ascended into heaven. In Scripture, she is portrayed as an obedient, believing servant of God, who became the mother of Jesus. None of the other attributes mentioned by the Roman Catholic Church have any basis in the Bible. The idea of Mary being the co-redemptress and another mediator between God and man is not only extra-biblical (found only outside of Scripture), but is also unbiblical (contrary to Scripture). Acts 4:12 declares that Jesus is the only redeemer. 1 Timothy 2:5 proclaims that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men.

Many other examples could be given. These issues alone clearly identify the Catholic Church as being unbiblical. Every Christian denomination has traditions and practices that are not explicitly based on Scripture. That is why Scripture must be the standard of Christian faith and practice. The Word of God is always true and reliable. The same cannot be said of church tradition. Our guideline is to be: “What does Scripture say?” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:30; Acts 17:11). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

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This site will answer many of your questions that you have.

God Bless You.

" For there is one mediator between God and adult adult males, the guy is Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all adult adult males" Does this recommend which you mustn't pray for anybody through fact then you certainly could grow to be a mediator between God and guy? of path not, and prefer clever as quickly as we ask saints to desire for us it is not making the from now on of a mediator when you consider that each and every little thing happens by using Christ. Mary is the suited disciple. It replaced into by using her initiative that Jesus preforms his first Miracle on the marriage of Canna. In Luke's Gospel we are instructed All international locations shall call me blessed. So as quickly as we honor her we are friendly the Gospel. We call her "the mummy of God" to extra honor her. We honor her not worship her. "Blessed fairly are people who pay attention the know God and obey it." (Luke 11:28) does not avert honoring Mary yet let us know that God is the in simple terms top tension in our lives. additionally you need to grasp that the Jews did not evaluate the spouse of a King to be the Queen. In Israel it replaced into the King's mom. So it is in simple terms organic that she could grow to be substantial interior the early Church. i could desire to bypass on and on of the significance of her interior the Gospel, constantly as an exemplar for those that persist with Christ. and as end results of the our Assyrian brother, properly reported

Yes sometimes but usually the response is by having he prayer answered.