Could anybody give me a concise response to people of other faiths response to holy statues a lot of protestants consider them idol whorship which i find offensive. Instead of lecturing them a few simple words would put them straight especially in this Country a lot of people have pre concieved notions and misinformedopinions about the Catholic faith.thanks
I agree jayneturner2012 that some people of other faiths do ridicule the Catholic faith over statues. But in fairness a lot of Catholics -at least some of the ones I know- do worship statues because of ignorance of their own faith.
If you asked a Protestant friend to pray for you, they would - and God would hear them. If I asked St Peter to pray for me, he would - and God would hear him too. There is no difference. I keep photos of my family both living and deceased around my desk and house. I ask the deceased to pray for me and I pray for them. The pictures help remind me of how we are still connected. Why is it strange then that Catholics keep statues of saints around to remind us of our family bonds. If I talk to a statue of Padre Pio like he is long lost friend and still here is it any difference than talking to a photo of my grandmother? These people are badly misled.
Hi Daniel, if I'm not mistaken our Catholic faith forbids us asking the deceased to pray for us. Padre Pio used to tell people to ask Jesus to allow them to intercede for us but not to ask them directly. Maybe I have misunderstood your post, if so I stand corrected BC
BC, maybe my thought process is too simplistic. I have always treated the deceased as capable of interceding for us unless they were in hell. Jesus describes God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to illustrate the point that they are still living, only not visible to us. The catechism seems to allude in article 958 that their "intercession for us (is) effective". It is certainly safer to ask the saints canonized by mother church to intercede for us than those who we do not know for sure where their soul lies but I still like to think our deceased relatives are not done helping us on our way to heaven. It wouldn't be the first time I was mistaken if this is not so. II. The Communion of the Church of Heaven and Earth 954 The three states of the Church. “When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating ‘in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is’”:492 (771, 1031, 1023) All of us, however, in varying degrees and in different ways share in the same charity towards God and our neighbours, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our God. All, indeed, who are of Christ and who have his Spirit form one Church and in Christ cleave together.493955 “So it is that the union of the wayfarers with the brethren who sleep in the peace of Christ is in no way interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the constant faith of the Church, this union is reinforced by an exchange of spiritual goods.”494 956 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 (1370, 2683) Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.496 I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.497957 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: (1173) We worship Christ as God’s Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord’s disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!499958 Communion with the dead. “In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and ‘because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins’ she offers her suffrages for them.”500 Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective. (1371, 1032, 1689) 959 In the one family of God. “For if we continue to love one another and to join in praising the Most Holy Trinity—all of us who are sons of God and form one family in Christ—we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the Church.”501 (1027) IN BRIEF 960 The Church is a “communion of saints”: this expression refers first to the “holy things” (sancta), above all the Eucharist, by which “the unity of believers, who form one body in Christ, is both represented and brought about” (LG 3). 961 The term “communion of saints” refers also to the communion of “holy persons” (sancti) in Christ who “died for all,” so that what each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all. 962 “We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers” (Paul VI, CPG § 30).
In all my years I've never met a Catholic man, woman, a young person, or old one, that worships statues. Now I've seen Catholics treat a statue reverently, not because they believe the statue has power, or is an entity worthy of adoration, but because it's a sign of respect for the real person. Some people might mistake that as worship, but that's their mistake for jumping to conclusions. I'm wondering where you live where there are so many statue-worshipping Catholics, because I've met a lot of Catholics in my day, many who are ignorant of the faith, who embrace ideas contrary to the faith, but I've yet to meet a single one who worships statues.
You are mistaken. The Catholic faith doesn't forbid you from asking the deceased to pray for you. On the contrary, the Catholic Church encourages such practices. Daniel has presented you with a lot of useful evidence. As Catholics we believe in the Church Militant (those on earth who haven't died yet), the Church Suffering (those who died and are in purgatory), and the Church Triumphant (those in heaven). All are saints. All are part of the Church. No part of the church is forbidden from asking prayers of any saint. No part of the church is forbidden to pray for another part of the church. A very old prayer dating back to the early church is the Litany of the Saints. It's evolved over the years, more saints have been added, but its origins can be traced back to as early as the 3rd century. It's frequently prayed during Mass and it very clearly and specifically asks for the deceased to pray for us.
Litany of the Saints Lord, have mercy on us. CHRIST, have mercy on us. LORD, have mercy on us. CHRIST, hear us. CHRIST, graciously hear us. GOD, THE FATHER OF HEAVEN, have mercy on us. GOD THE SON, REDEEMER OF THE WORLD, have mercy on us. GOD THE HOLY GHOST, have mercy on us. HOLY TRINITY, ONE GOD, have mercy on us. HOLY MARY, pray for us. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, pray for us. HOLY VIRGIN OF VIRGINS, pray for us. ST. MICHAEL, pray for us. ST. GABRIEL, pray for us. ST. RAPHAEL, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY ANGELS AND ARCHANGELS, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY ORDERS OF BLESSED SPIRITS, pray for us. ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, pray for us. ST. JOSEPH, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS, pray for us. ST. PETER, pray for us. ST. PAUL, pray for us. ST. ANDREW, pray for us. ST. JAMES, pray for us. ST. JOHN, pray for us. ST. THOMAS, pray for us. ST. JAMES, pray for us. ST. PHILIP, pray for us. ST. BARTHOLOMEW, pray for us. ST. MATTHEW, pray for us. ST. SIMON, pray for us. ST. THADDEUS, pray for us. ST. BARNABAS, pray for us. ST. LUKE, pray for us. ST. MARK, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY APOSTLES AND EVANGELIST, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY DISCIPLES OF OUR LORD, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY INNOCENTS, pray for us. ST. STEPHEN, pray for us. ST. LAWRENCE, pray for us. ST. VINCENT, pray for us. SS. FABIAN AND SEBASTIAN, pray for us. SS. JOHN AND PAUL, pray for us. SS. COSMOS AND DAMIAN, pray for us. SS. GERVASE AND PROTASE, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY MARTYRS, pray for us. ST. SYLVESTER, pray for us. ST. GREGORY, pray for us. ST. AMBROSE, pray for us. ST. AUGUSTINE, pray for us. ST. JEROME, pray for us. ST. MARTIN, pray for us. ST. NICHOLAS, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY BISHOPS AND CONFESSORS, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY DOCTORS, pray for us. ST. ANTHONY, pray for us. ST. BENEDICT, pray for us. ST. BERNARD, pray for us. ST. DOMINIC, pray for us. ST. FRANCIS, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY PRIEST AND LEVITES, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY MONKS AND HERMITS, pray for us. ST. MARY MAGDALEN, pray for us. ST. AGATHA, pray for us. ST. LUCY, pray for us. ST. AGNES, pray for us. ST. CECILIA, pray for us. ST. CATHERINE, pray for us. ST. ANASTASIA, pray for us. ALL YE HOLY VIRGINS AND WIDOWS, pray for us. ALL YE MEN AND WOMEN, SAINTS OF GOD, make intercession for us. BE MERCIFUL, spare us, O Lord! BE MERCIFUL, graciously hear us, O Lord! FROM ALL EVIL, O Lord, deliver us. FROM ALL SIN, O Lord, deliver us. FROM THY WRATH, O Lord, deliver us. FROM A SUDDEN AND UNPROVIDED DEATH, O Lord, deliver us. FROM THE DECEITS OF THE DEVIL, O Lord, deliver us. FROM ANGER, HATRED, AND ALL ILL WILL, O Lord, deliver us. FROM THE SPIRIT OF FORNICATION, O Lord, deliver us. FROM LIGHTNING AND TEMPEST, O Lord, deliver us. FROM THE SCOURGE OF EARTHQUAKE, O Lord, deliver us. FROM PESTILENCE, FAMINE, AND WAR, O Lord, deliver us. FROM EVERLASTING DEATH, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THE MYSTERY OF THY HOLY INCARNATION, O Lord, Deliver us. THROUGH THY COMING, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THY NATIVITY, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THY BAPTISM AND HOLY FASTING, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THY CROSS AND PASSION, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THY DEATH AND BURIAL, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THY HOLY RESURRECTION, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THINE ADMIRABLE ASCENSION, O Lord, deliver us. THROUGH THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST, THE PARACLETE, O Lord, deliver us. IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, We Sinners beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST SPARE US, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST PARDON US, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO BRING US TO TRUE PENANCE, We Beseech Thee hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GOVERN AND PRESERVE THY HOLY CHURCH.... We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO PRESERVE OUR APOSTOLIC PRELATE AND ALL ECCLESIASTICAL ORDERS IN HOLY RELIGION. We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO HUMBLE THE ENEMIES OF THY HOLY CHURCH, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCH SAFE TO GIVE PEACE AND TRUE CONCORD TO CHRISTIAN KINGS AND PRINCES, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GRANT PEACE AND UNITY TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO BRING BACK TO THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH ALL THOSE WHO HAVE STRAYED AWAY, AND LEAD TO THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL ALL UNBELIEVERS, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO CONFIRM AND PRESERVE US THY HOLY SERVICE, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST LIFT UP OUR MINDS TO HEAVENLY DESIRES, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST RENDER ETERNAL BLESSINGS TO ALL OUR BENEFACTORS, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST DELIVER OUR SOULS AND HOSE OF OUR BRETHREN, RELATIVE, AND BENEFACTORS FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GIVE AND PRESERVE THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE TO GIVE ETERNAL REST TO ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED, We beseech Thee, hear us. THAT THOU WOULDST VOUCHSAFE GRACIOUSLY TO HEAR US, We beseech Thee, hear us. SON OF GOD, We beseech Thee, hear us. LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Spare us, O Lord. LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Graciously hear us, O Lord. LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Have mercy on us. CHRIST, HEAR US....... CHRIST, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US....... LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US....... CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON US....... LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US.......
Hi rain i Live in the North of Ireland unfortunately religion here is politicised And some protestants can be derogatory of the Catholic faith or just ignorance through lack of knowlege I work in a care home A lot of the elderly residents would have Holy Statues.
For me a statue is like a reminder of a loved one, like a photograph. And I am not worshiping the saint, I am simply recognizing the favor they have found with God and am asking them to pray for me etc. I am an RCIA catechist, and I told someone who was joining our Catholic faith (coming over from the Pentecostal church) that next time he had a particular problem, he wasn't to call one of his good friends for advice but was to take it to Jesus only, he burst out laughing and got the message. With regards to how we honor Mary, same thing really. I ask them how long I would be their best friend for if I kept ignoring their mother and didn't respect her. Hope this helps..
Is there not a difference between praying for the deceased and praying to them that they may intercede for us?.. I feel much more at peace praying for them ie the holy souls, rather than praying to a specific soul who may or may not be in a good place.
I have met statue worshipping catholics Rain, although I must say they are usually of the older generation. Superstition is alive and well in the west of Ireland! On a lighter note one of the nearby parishes has a statue of St. Anthony near the church entrance. Recently the parish priest put up a sign requesting parishoners to refrain from rubbing his feet or else they would have to put him kneeling!... The steel rods are visible in his feet and most of his toes are rubbed away
