Can I pray to my deceased mom as I do to saints?Just as you might ask friends, family, or fellow parishioners to pray for yon as you struggle through a difficult time or celebrate a particular blessing, you can ask those who have gone before us to do the same. They are still part of our community of believers--their faith in God connects them to us through the apparent boundaries of death and time. In Catholic tradition the communion of saints The Communion of Saints is the union of all the "saints" which is all of the church on Earth, in heaven, and in purgatory. They are a single body, in which each member contributes to the good of all and shares in the welfare of all. includes superstars like Mary, Francis of Assisi, and Catherine of Siena Catherine of Si·en·a , Saint 1347-1380. Italian religious leader who mediated a peace between the Florentines and Pope Urban VI in 1378. . But there are also plenty of lesser-knowns in that group, including all the faithful who are living and those who have died. In her book Friends of God and Prophets: A Feminist Theological Reading of the Communion of Saints (Continuum), theologian Elizabeth Johnson calls All Saints' Day All Saints' Day, feast of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, and day on which churches glorify God for all God's saints, known and unknown. It is celebrated on Nov. 1 in the West, since Pope Gregory IV ordered its church-wide observance in 837. "that feast of splendid nobodies." And on November 1 we celebrate all those who live--or have lived--their faith through works of mercy The Works of Mercy or Acts of Mercy are actions and practices which the Catholic Church considers expectations to be fulfilled by believers. These works, it is believed, express mercy, and are thus expected to be performed by believers insofar as they are able in accordance , love, and compassion. We are all part of what the church calls the "Mystical Body of Christ
The Body of Christ is a term used by Christians to describe believers in Christ. Jesus Christ is seen as the "head" of the body, which is the church. ." In fact, your mom is probably just one of many people you know who belong to this vast body. Our relationship to those who have gone before us to be with God is important. By remembering them, we re-activate what Johnson calls the "subversive, encouraging, and liberating power of their love and witness" and renew hope for our world. Remembering Mom's appreciation of nature, her commitment to honesty, or her patience with the elderly provides an example of how to be holy in our everyday lives. Praying for those who have died has been important ever since the church's early days. The Encyclopedia of Catholicism dates the term communion of saints back to the late fourth century, and teachings that the prayers of the living could help gain the release of those in purgatory were formalized by Pope Gregory I “Saint Gregory” redirects here. For other uses, see Saint Gregory (disambiguation). Pope Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great (c. 540 – March 12, 604) was pope from September 3, 590 until his death. in the seventh century. On the flip side, we can pray to those who have already gone on to eternal life because they are specially poised to intercede on our behalf. The word intercession intercession, n a prayer in which a request is made on behalf of another person. comes from the combination of two Latin words: inter, as in "between," and cedere, as in "to go or pass." Our prayers can go or pass through our loved ones--whether they be Mother Mary or Mom--on their way to God. By HEATHER GRENNAN GARY, associate editor of U.S. CATHOLIC. |
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