I am a cradle Catholic, and have been exposed to the saints for all of my life. But there are still questions that have come up for me on the saints, whether they were my own as I was learning about them, or ones that I’d see posted in other social media groups. I wanted to address these questions before sharing all the stories on friendship with the saints. The 3 questions that have come up the most or that I found needed to be answered are:
- Why do Catholics worship the saints?
- What is the Communion of Saints?
- Why do we need to go to the saints instead of directly to God?
The first place I looked for answers was none other than the dictionary. If we want to understand what “The Communion of Saints” is, then let’s look up the definition.
Define Communion
At first, I decided to go to the online oxford dictionary to look up the definition on Communion.
COMMUNION: the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.
the service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared.
Online Google Dictionary: definitions from Oxford Languages
Define Saints
Then, I moved on to the next word in the phrase, Saints.
SAINT: a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death.
(in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches) a person formally recognized or canonized by the Church after death, who may be the object of veneration and prayers for intercession.
Online Google Dictionary: definitions from Oxford Languages
Define Communion of Saints
Now, combined.
Communion of Saints- A fellowship between Christians living and dead.
Online Google Dictionary: definitions from Oxford Languages
What does the Catechism Say?
The next part of my research involved looking in the index of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and looking for all the information on the Communion of Saints. Here are all the quotes I pulled from the Catechism.
What is the Communion of Saints?
Communion with the Saints- “It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven. We seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened, Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself”498.
CCC #957
For more on the importance of the saints in the Church, check CCC #867
Why should we go to the Saints?
The intercession of the saints. “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness…[T]hey do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus…So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped.”495
CCC #956
For more on intercession, check CCC #2635.
Why do Catholics Worship the Saints?
Short answer: We don’t! Here is what the Catechism says on it:
When the Church keeps the memorials of martyrs and other saints during the annual cycle, she proclaims the Paschal mystery in those “who have suffered and have been glorified with Christ. She proposes them to the faithful as examples who draw all men to the Father through Christ, and through their merits she begs for God’s favors.”
CCC #1173
By keeping the memorials of the saints- first of all the holy Mother of God, then the apostles, the martyrs, and other saints- on fixed days of the liturgical year, the Church on earth shows that she is united with the liturgy of heaven. She gives glory to Christ for having accomplished his salvation in his glorified members; their example encourages her on her way to the Father.
CCC #1195
Other Resources
I wanted to share 2 more resources I found on The Communion of Saints. The first one is an article published back in 2014 that gives a brief overview of what The Communion of Saints is. The second article is from Our Sunday Visitor, and gives a very detailed answer to the question, ‘What is the Communion of Saints?”
I hope that all this information I collected helps answer your questions on the saints. Please also check out the interview I did with Al McCauley! He answers these questions as well and explains them in a way that might be easier to understand.
Stay tuned throughout the month of November to read all the stories I gathered on friendships with the saints. I hope you all have a wonderful All Saints Day!
