All Saints' Day- The Church Triumphant

Why do Catholics pray to the dead?

It's a question I've fielded many times, and one based on some simple misconceptions about the Catholic faith specifically- and Christianity in general.

First, a definition. To pray means "to make supplication or entreaty, as to a person or for a thing."  In short, "to pray" means "to ask." You may recall back in high school lit class, reading something like "Pray tell, dear sir...."  These days, the word is generally used in a religious context- we pray to God. We offer our petitions to the Lord, we also offer praise, thanksgiving, and contrition for our sins.

So, I ask again: why do Catholics pray to the dead?

The answer is quite simple: we do not "pray" to the saints in heaven in the same sense of the word PRAY that we use when praying to the Lord.

When any Catholic addresses a prayer to Mary or any other saint, we are doing the same thing as when we ask YOU to pray for us.... it is a request to join our prayers together to place before the Lord.

Let's find an example...

Suppose you are going to take a special girl out for a first date. You drive what my mother-in-law would have called a jalopy, I call them beaters. A car held together with chewing gum and baling wire: basic transportation  This is no car for a first date. You want to make a good impression and Dad has a late-model sedan that would be perfect.

You could walk right up to Dad and ask him. Nothing is stopping you from doing that. However, you know Mom understands your situation and you ask her to run the idea past Dad on your behalf.  Mom may even throw a few supporting arguments in there for you...you have good grades, you have been working hard, Dad remembers wanting to make a good impression with a girl.   These are all things you could point out to your father on your own. When Mom presents them, they become something of a character reference...and an additional voice is making the request.

Isn't it the same when we pray for each other?  If I ask you to pray for me for a specific intention, will you answer, " Don't come to me, just ask God yourself!"  I sure hope not! I would expect you to say, " Of course I will pray for you!" And...if you are like me...you will offer a quick prayer immediately, followed by a petition later. Sometimes I'll throw things into my prayer like, " Lord, you know how much so-and-so loves you..." or  "She's really been trying to live out her faith..."  You know- the character reference thing.

And how many Facebook and email prayer chains have you seen?    We pray for each other, and the saints pray for us. If the meager prayers of a friend can help you in any way, imagine how effective the prayers are of someone who stands before the throne of God!

You may have heard a favorite: Tony, Tony, come around. Something's lost and can't be found!  That's a prayer to St Anthony of Padua to help us locate lost items. It works.

Therese of Lisieux? When she has joined her prayers to yours, a rose will unexpectedly appear to let you know she is working with you. I have had it happen, more than once. A friend and I once got a DOZEN roses total when we were praying a novena together.

St. Jude ( patron of hopeless situations)? He can be a real powerhouse. Danny Thomas founded the St Jude Children's Research Hospital as a thank you for Jude's help in finding success in his field. His daughter now continues the gratitude. (BTW- St Jude helped me become a stay-at-home-mom 21 years ago this month.)

We ask St Francis of Assisi to watch over our pets for us. He's my personal favorite.

We ask St Michael the Archangel to guide and protect our military and police officers.

The list goes on and on. The canonized saints, the ones whom the Church has declared we know are in heaven have specific days for celebration, generally the day of their death, which is their birthday into heaven.

All Saints' Day, today, is the day we honor those who have not received that official designation. There are so many men and women in heaven who are indeed saints, and their sanctity is known to God alone. Today is their day, and we honor them along with the canonized saints for being our holy examples. They are the Church Triumphant; they have run the race and the victory is theirs!

So why can't we ask the saints in heaven...the very souls who stand in the presence of Almighty God... to pray for us?

We can. And we do. You see, they are not dead! This life, this existence is only a shadow... they have the eternal life we hope for, the promise given to us by Jesus Christ.  We are not "praying to the dead." We are asking those who are more alive than we are- those who stand before the throne of God- to add their prayers to our feeble prayers, to throw in a character reference or two, and to help us storm heaven with our requests.

When we do, we are living out the Communion of Saints!