Catholicism Prayer?

Seeking truth is not a argument. It is a stand not to be ignorant. The word ( Saint ) is another word for being " set apart " . Anyone who follows God and has accepted Christ, repented from their sins are all ( Saints ) . Praying to saints is not biblical, praying for the saints is. Pray to encourage one another , to lift on up in prayer is praying for saints. Pagan Rome worship many gods, they simply replaced them with some saints ( people who followed God ) This is dangerous for it teaches people not to " Pray " to God through the Son of God ( Christ Jesus ) Our Savior.

First, would you please indicate where, in the Bible, you read that prayer is a form of worship?

Also, you say that worship should only be given to God. There is only one word (in Greek) for the worship that is due to God alone, and it is translated as "service" in the King James Version. All other words denoting worship (including the word translated "worship" in the KJV) are given to both God and other human beings.

It might help to understand that none of the Greek words for "worship" mean "prayer," or explicitly imply an act of prayer. The most common terms for worship in the New Testament are proskunesis and latreia. Proskunesis means to bow before someone or some thing, and is found several times in the Bible (usually denoting a person who bows before another person). Cornelius, for example, bowed before Peter. The word latreia means "service," and is used in the New Testament to talk about all religious observance as a whole.

It's a common misconception that we pray to saints and worship them but it is not true. What we do is ask them to pray an intercessory prayer on our behalf. Catholics worship God only. Just because you feel that way it doesn't make it the gospel truth and if you ask questions you need to be willing to accept the answers. Many people have pre- conceived notions and nothing we say changes their minds.

I went to Catholic high school and my religion teacher sophomore year did mention praying to saints. she claimed that saints can act as messengers to God. I believe that angels and saints were created by God to do God's work. It is a huge world out there and although God is very powerful and the creator he does need help. When you are praying to a saint you are recognizing the saint , but your message is intended for God. I believe that God would recognize that you were worshiping him and recognizing the saint. I do not believe that its should be held against you for praying to a saint as long as you recognize God as well.

Many sought Jesus help in the Gospels who did not know at the time of His Divinity, so calling out to a friend of God is NOT worship.

If I say to you today, Yes, I will pray for you, but tonight I die, Do you just forget me as if I never existed and were not your family member in Christ ?

Saints are friends of God. I have NEVER known a Catholic to worship one. NEVER.

The historic Christian practice of asking our departed brothers and sisters in Christ—the saints—for their intercession has come under attack in the last few hundred years. Though the practice dates to the earliest days of Christianity and is shared by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, the other Eastern Christians, and even some Anglicans—meaning that all-told it is shared by more than three quarters of the Christians on earth—it still comes under heavy attack from many within the Protestant movement that started in the sixteenth century.

One charge made against it is that the saints in heaven cannot even hear our prayers, making it useless to ask for their intercession. However, this is not true. As Scripture indicates, those in heaven are aware of the prayers of those on earth. This can be seen, for example, in Revelation 5:8, where John depicts the saints in heaven offering our prayers to God under the form of "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." But if the saints in heaven are offering our prayers to God, then they must be aware of our prayers. They are aware of our petitions and present them to God by interceding for us.

Some might try to argue that in this passage the prayers being offered were not addressed to the saints in heaven, but directly to God. Yet this argument would only strengthen the fact that those in heaven can hear our prayers, for then the saints would be aware of our prayers even when they are not directed to them!

In any event, it is clear from Revelation 5:8 that the saints in heaven do actively intercede for us. We are explicitly told by John that the incense they offer to God are the prayers of the saints. Prayers are not physical things and cannot be physically offered to God. Thus the saints in heaven are offering our prayers to God mentally. In other words, they are interceding.

Continue... http://www.catholic.com/library/Praying_to_the_Sai...

Sometimes asking your mother directly for a PS3 won't work so you have to ask an older sibling in hopes to convince her.

Same works with saints. A direct prayer to God may not work all the time so you have to ask a saint to help out.

I must agree 100% with Bejamin, also "death" is defined in Scripture 53 times as "a sleep and knowing Nothing", how can these saints of centuries ago, do anything for anyone??? this (satanic) immortal soul doctrine is actually the heart & Soul of Heathensim, Per Scripture ..WE are the Saints, whilst ALIVE :-) these practices of the catholic peoples are nothing more than evil, counterfiet/contradictions deceptions created by satan through "man", Please pray for these peoples, that the veil be lifted and that they shall see :-)

Catholics do not WORSHIP the saints. We honor them, but do NOT worship them. Catholics acknowledge the distinction between veneration and worship.

Prayer means to ask, and we are asking the Saints in heaven to pray for us (just like non-Catholics who ask their friends or family members to pray for them).

All worship is given to God and God alone (just go to a Catholic Mass and see for yourself).

We don't pray to saints. Ever hear of the Communion of Saints?

My Mom is dead. I can still speak to her in Heaven. I am not a spirit, but I can ask St. Raphael for help. He is an angel and wants to help me.

I pray the Chaplet of St. Raphael. I do not pray TO him, but I ask him for help in my daily life. If you can ask a family member for help, you can ask a saint. We are all part of God's Family.