Marian Apparitions Part 2

As stated in the previous blog on Marian Apparitions, the church does not accept on blind faith that they are true. There are many tests that need to be done to make sure these visions are from God. Christ warns us to test all spirits, and that many false prophets will go out into the world.

I am in full belief that some apparitions of Mary are actually demonic in nature. Satan is very real and we'll talk about him in a future post. But the devil, demons, they exist and they are out to seek the ruin of souls.

They do appear to us at times as Saints or even the Blessed Mother or Christ himself. He teaches wicked heresy in hopes of convincing those who do not know better into following him off the path of Christ.

Medjugorje is one such place that I believe is demonically influenced and it pains me to see the Vatican softening on it... however considering the heresy coming out of Vatican II, and especially the current pope (Francis), I'm not surprised. But we'll talk more about Vatican II soon as it ties in with the 100 years of Fatima.

There are 3 big reasons we believe Medjugorje to be demonic.

1. The "visionaries" have issues with the truth. They have been caught in more than one lie. For example... when they first saw "The Blessed Mother" they admitted they were hiding to have a smoke (they were children which is why they were doing that in secret). Suddenly that changed to they were tiptoeing through the tulips picking flowers.

2. The things Mary has been saying to the visionaries is heresy... and a complete contradiction to everything she has ever said in accepted apparitions to true visionaries

3. It has pitted brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, rather than bringing people together as most of the apparitions have.

What are some of the red flags of Medjugorje besides what I stated above?

1. That we need to respect ALL religions and their gods. (including religions that mock her son) Christ himself told us that he is the way, the truth and the light. No one goes to the Father but through him. So it would be heresy to tell people to respect all religions, because it would be condoning their denial of her Son.

2. One visionary went into a trance during an alleged apparition, she was tested during this time and flinched. (If she were truly in an ecstasy, she would have been unmovable.) in an odd response to that assertion, she claims she did not flinch because of the external tests that were being tried on her, BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS TRYING TO STOP MARY FROM DROPPING THE INFANT JESUS SHE WAS HOLDING IN HER ARMS!!!

Mary dropping our Lord and Savior??

3. They have stated on record they never saw her feet. In most apparitions they describe Mary as having golden roses on her feet, or standing on the sun. Her feet seem to be hidden in these visions. Renowned exorcists around the world agree that the only thing a demon can't change are its hooves. Is she hiding her feet because the feet would give away a demonic secret?

4. Some signs never came to be, where in real apparitions, Mary never failed to be shown true.

There was one time a visionary stated Mary prayed the Lord's Prayer (the our Father) with them. She said the whole prayer. In true visions, Mary would stop at "Forgive us our trespasses" as she has no trespasses to be forgiven. But the Mary of Medjugorje spoke those words.

Other things Mary has stated that is proof these visions are fake... Mary talks about HER judgement. There was a bishop who could see Medjugorje was a fake and insisted that masses stop being held there. The Visionary stated Mary told them that if the bishop isn't converted to truth's of Medjugorje, HER judgment (as well as her son's) will strike him down. (He was neither converted to these false visions, nor he was never struck down for not converting.)

Above all blasphemies... in one vision The Virgin states that two Franciscan priests, removed from their order under suspension of wrong doings by the bishop, one of these defrocked Franciscans later fathered a child by a nun, may continue to say Mass and hear Confessions.

A priest kicked out of his order for suspicious behavior that goes on to break commandments by sinning with one who has wed herself to God to father a child with her, is suppose to continue to say Mass and hear confessions? HERESY

These visionaries claim something none of the true visionaries have claimed, these claim they touch Mary. They even shake hands with her as if she was just a regular person.

The list could go on. At the bottom I've linked a few videos that are worth a watch if you're interested in learning more.

It is quite obvious this is demonic in nature. I truly believe Medjugorje is Satan's counterpunch at Fatima.

We must remember, Satan is a great trickster. He can say niceties that seem legitimate to the untrained ear, something soothing and comforting so he can slither his heresies into your mind and take you off of God's path. He can even perform tricks and call them 'miracles'. That is why we must educate ourselves on the bible, God's word, Christ's teachings and theology.

Because we know Christ said that no one goes to the Father but through him... we know that this apparition is false because that is not what she is teaching. Because we know Mary comes as a messenger of God... we know this apparition is false because she talks too much of her will and her judgement. Because we know that Satan can't hide his hooves, we know this apparitions is false because Mary will not show her feet by their own admission.

If this anti-Pope acknowledges it as a true apparition after Marian experts, bishops and priests far more knowledgeable than he have rejected it... then I fear who this pope truly follows.

Now that is not to say all cases of false apparitions are demonic. Some are also mental illness.

There was a case in a town of Neceedah, WI. Now, while I agree with the "visionary's" assessment that Vatican II is apostate... everything else is fairly crazy.

Ufos, a 1200 year old man coming to drive chosen people in the UFO to middle earth, there is nothing wrong with NOT being Catholic, people should pray to whatever god they choose and it's okay, you should not obey ANY authority but the visionary's... saints, Jesus and Mary all appear to the visionary as she demands, and they appear to her as 6" doll sized figures.

That all sounds more mental illness than demonic.

So no, not all apparitions are accepted. They are tested and tested again, and then again before they are deemed true. (at least they were before the 2nd Vatican Council which has it's own problems with the truth. More on that later.) and yes, some are in fact, demonic in nature. That is why you must study your bible, study your theology and seek God's truth before all else. Any true vision of a saint or Mary will want you to see God's truth and God's truth only.

Hopefully you've learned a little more about the Marian apparitions in this 2 parter.

- God Bless -

I Say Amen

FURTHER READING

Medjugorje Hoax

Medjugorje is a Fake

Medjugorje Deception <-- A MUST SEE!!!

Apparitions of Mary Part 1

We are nearing the 100 year anniversary of the Marian apparitions of Fatima. We'll discuss Fatima in a later post, but since we already spoke about Mary in our previous post (about Catholics and whether or not we worship Mary or merely honor her), I thought this would be a good Segway into talking about Marian apparitions.

Apparitions of our Mother Mary are basically exactly that. God chooses someone of innocence and piety (usually a young child) to send Mary to appear before with a message. Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe. All famous apparitions.

The church has very strict ways of approving or disapproving Marian apparitions.(and contrary to popular belief, there are more that have not been approved than have been approved. The church doesn't automatically buy every story of a miraculous vision.)

There are positive tests and negative tests that are performed multiple times to test the alleged apparitions. 

In short: Positive tests include:

1. Moral certainty (the certainty required to act morally in a situation of doubt) or at least great probability as to the existence of a private revelation at the end of a serious investigation into the case
2. Evaluation of the personal qualities of the person in question (mental balance, honesty, moral life, sincerity, obedience to Church authority, willingness to practice faith in the normal way, etc.)
3. Evaluation of the content of the revelations themselves (that they do not disagree with faith and morals of the Church, freedom from theological errors)
4. The revelation results in healthy devotion and spiritual fruits in people's lives (greater prayer, greater conversion of heart, works of charity that result, etc.)

 Negative tests include:

1. Glaring errors in regard to the facts
2. Doctrinal errors attributed to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or to the Holy Spirit in how they appear
3. Any pursuit of financial gain in relation to the alleged event
4. Gravely immoral acts committed by the person or those associated with the person at the time of the event
5. Psychological disorders or tendencies on the part of the person or persons associated

These are only a few of the test criteria in the initial phases of determining if further research on the apparitions are necessary. 

Because the devil is a great deceiver, great care is taken with consideration for anything. Miracles attributed to would be saints before they're able to be canonized, apparitions, personal revelations, etc.


It is not as if the church completely agrees with anything related to the appearance of Mary or any other religious figure, without question to be sure these apparitions are of God.


For Example: If Mary requests to be worshiped, if she requests that you focus on things outside of God... it is most likely a false apparition - whether mental illness or demonic intervention. 


Again, there are apparitions that have met the criteria of the Church to be accepted. 


Apparitions approved by the church:


1. Guadalupe, Mexico (1531)
2. Lesajk, Poland (1578)
3. Siluva, Lithuania (1608)
4. Laus, France (1664)
5. Rue Du Bac, Paris, France (1830)
6. Rome, Italy (1842)
7. Lourdes, France (1858)
8. Filippsdorf, Czech Republic (1866)
9. Pontmain, France (1871)
10. Gietrzwald, Poland (1877)
11. Knock, Ireland (1879)
12. Fatima, Portugal (1917)
13. Beauraing, Belgium (1932)
14. Banneux, Belgium (1933)
15. Kibeho, Rwanda (1981)

There is an apparition site in Green Bay, WI at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help that is the first Church approved apparition in the United States: however, it is to be noted that it is approved by the Bishops of the United States. The Vatican has made no decision on the case... so it's "unofficially approved" at this time.


In these apparitions, there were many things that held true.

1. Mary did not ask to be personally worshiped. Some people confuse Mary asking for a chapel to be built in her honor as requesting to be worshiped. A chapel is where the word of God is read... so a chapel is for God, not Mary. She simply asks that it be built at the site where she appeared, and be named in her honor as a memory of her messages. It's not that different from the basement in my church. The basement is used as a dining hall for church functions, and when a beloved priest who had been there for 15 years was transferred to another parish, the church officials named the hall after him "IN HIS HONOR". Not to mention, If God is our Father, and Christ our brother (as he has called us his brothers and sisters) then Mary is our mother and should be respected.

2. She prayed to God along with those she appeared to. In instances of demonic visions posing as saints or our Blessed Mother to trick us, the words praising God can not leave it's lips, so if Mary can not praise God, it is not Mary.

3. The apparitions brought the visionaries and those who came to believe into a closer relationship with God, helping people live more moral lives, and live according to the laws of the Church. 

4. Some of the messages are warnings - a call to prayer and penance. True Marian apparitions are always a call to prayer, not to Mary, but to God. 

In Fatima's apparition, the Blessed mother is constantly telling the children "God commands this", "God requests that", "God's signs", "God's miracles". It wasn't about Mary - it was about what God wanted. She stated that if people did not stop offending God, the world would fall into more turmoil. 

Protestants often cite the children saying that Mary told them they would find salvation through her immaculate heart, stating salvation is through God alone, so these apparitions must be demonic. 

Mary's message of Salvation is greatly misinterpreted. She is not saying that she personally offers salvation - it is known among Catholics, that she intercedes on our behalf. She pleads our case to God, she prays for us. She will help us in obtaining the Salvation of God by interceding and praying. Not that she will give it. She is our mother, and as our mother, she will help us gain salvation through Christ her son.

Going back to Mary's messages in the apparitions... In the Lourdes apparitions, Mary told St. Bernadette to "pray to God for sinners". Not pray to her, not devote sinners to her and she will redeem them... but to pray to God." While Bernadette did not make everything the lady told her known (as it was for her ears only), the one constant was that Mary wanted people to pray to GOD for the sinners of the world.

In the apparition of Rome, Italy back in the 1800s, Marie Alphonse Ratisbonne's brother converted from Judaism to Christianity, and became a Catholic priest. Ratisbonne decided to refuse to speak to his brother again and began a deep seeded hatred for Christians, Catholics in specific. as he aged, his hatred for Catholics grew. 

at 28 he was engaged to his own niece and planned to marry the following August. in a series of what he would have then called "misfortunes" he found his way to an old friend who introduces him to his brother. this brother gives Ratisbonne a challenge. To wear a miraculous medal and asked him to perform a specific prayer written by St Benedict, every morning.

Ratisbonne agrees, but continues to insult the faith with more fervor. 

Not long after he begins to (somewhat mockingly) do as he was asked, he meets with an apparition of Mary. Mary did not speak to him, she gave him no message, she simply was... and he knew without a word. 

When his friend's brother reencounters Ratisbonne and sees the state he is in, he asks him what is wrong. Ratisbonne says it is nothing he can explain except on his knees to a priest. 

Ratisbonne eventually converts to Catholicism and himself becomes a very devout priest. 

This was the Blessed Mother's mission. To convert someone whose heart was full of hate for those who followed Christ... to love Christ with all his heart.

In the Banneux, Belgium apparition, Mary promised to intercede on behalf of the poor, the sick and the suffering. She did not say she would heal them personally, she would forgive sins, or anything that would make her seem on level with God... she simply said she would intercede on their behalf TO God.

Siluva, Lithuania's apparition, a Calvinist pastor believed apparitions seen by children were demonic in nature and "Roman Superstition" until he stumbled upon a weeping woman of the children's description. When he asked her what was wrong, she wept that where she sat, her son use to be worshiped by his people. Now the sacred soil was given to the animals and the plowman. See, before the apparitions began, the new governor of the town was a Calvinist, and he confiscated the land from a Catholic church. after 80 years, the Catholic church left the area leaving only the Calvinist faith. 

The land eventually came back to the Catholic church, and a church was built that included a "free of charge" school for the children. It is believed Mary was able to help procure the church back by the grace of God. 

The common theme in all the apparitions, 

Mary wants us to pray to GOD.
Mary wants people to return to God and stop sinning.
Mary converted someone who hated Christ, into someone who only lived for Christ.
Those who were faithful were strengthened in their faith.
Those who were straying were led back.

She came as a messenger for God. That is how we know the apparitions are true.

- God Bless -

I Say Amen

FURTHER READING

Evaluating Apparitions

Apparitions and Appearances

About the Blessed Mother Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary is a poignant figure in Catholicism more than in the Protestant churches.

Again, there is a misconception that we worship Mary. (It's a common thing for protestants to make the accusation that we worship everything except God alone. (I don't know if it's their way to besmirch the Catholic faith, or if they truly believe this due to a lack of understanding. I hope it is the latter.)

We do not worship Mary. Blessed Mary does not desire worship, she knows that all worship belongs to God. Her sole desire is that God's children come to know and love her Son as much as she loves him.

We consider Mary as the Queen of angels and saints. She is the Saint above all saints. She is special to us because she is our greatest intercessor. 

If you look at the blog "Praying to Saints" a few posts back... Just like we ask Saints in heaven to pray for us... we turn to our Holy Mother in times of need for her intercessions. For her to turn her merciful and loving eyes towards her Son, and to pray on our behalf.

Mary is very special for many reasons.

1. We were all born with the original sin caused by Adam and Eve's eviction from Eden. That is why we are baptized, to cleanse us of that original sin and reaffirm that we belong to God and follow his commandments. 

Mary was hand picked by God to bare our savior Jesus Christ. Many people mistake the term "immaculate conception" with Mary conceiving Christ through the Holy Spirit as a virgin, however... the immaculate conception is actually about Mary's birth. God washed the blessed virgin clean of original sin before placing her within her mother's womb. So the immaculate conception was St. Anne giving birth to a child with no sin who would later become mother to Christ.

2. When the Angel Gabriel came to her during the enunciation - he called her "Full of Grace". And told her she had found favor with God. To say one is full of Grace is quite a big sentiment. Even Mary was taken a-back by the greeting.

3. She of course willingly and without concern for her life, accepted God's will unwaveringly. Her life was at risk being pregnant before she was wed, and she knew she would live to see the death of her beloved child, yet she willingly accepted it all for love of and faith in God.

4. God is our Father, Christ calls us his brothers and sisters. Since God chose Mary to be the mother of God the Son... If Christ is our Savior and brother, and God is our Father - does that not Make Mary our mother?

5. Mary was assumed into heaven. It is not said if she was assumed into heaven before death, or after she had passed... however she was assumed into heaven body and soul. She was not allowed to wither and decay in a hole in the ground here on earth. Her body and soul are alive in Heaven seated by her son. God assuming someone, body and soul into heaven, makes them special indeed. (Granted, Mary's assumption is a Catholic notion)

We are called in the commandments to honor our parents. To say Mary is not important and worthy of being honored as any mother should be, would be an insult to our savior, for this is the mother whom he loved. And if Christ is our brother, then she is our spiritual mother and denying her honor would be breaking the commandment.

She bore our savior, she who was born without original sin by God's intervention, she who was assumed into heaven body and soul. Christ would call us to show her the same respect we show our own parents, since she is our spiritual mother.

As is said on the site Catholic Online: 

"The Church has never claimed or taught that Mary is on an equal level with God. But, nonetheless, because we are her spiritual children, she looks tenderly on us and after us with a love so profound that we are moved to plead, "Oh Blessed Mother, pray for us, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." 


So we ask her to lovingly watch over us, and pray on our behalf to her most beloved son, Our savior Jesus. She is not a goddess to be worshiped, she is the blessed mother of all God's children, who loves us and wants us to be closer to her son, our savior, and to God the Father. 


if you look at the Hail Mary, "Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you" (That is what Arch Angel Gabriel said to her) "Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus" (Again, she was blessed. Hand picked by God, who intervened to free her from original sin.) "Holy Mary, Mother of God, PRAY for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." 


Nowhere in that prayer do we worship Mary, or say "your will be done" as we say to God in the Lord's prayer. We merely ask her to pray for us.


O Clement, O loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary - PRAY for us oh Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


A Catholic's relationship with Mary is not a relationship of worship, it is not the same relationship we have for God... it is a very sweet, and loving relationship as the relationship you'd have with your parents, only more intimate because she is the mother of Christ, and carries our intercessions to him.


Mary's only wish is that we maintain our relationship with God, through her son, our Lord Jesus Christ... for Jesus himself said that no one goes to the Father, but through him. (John 14:6)


All Glory and Honor belongs to God alone. No Saint, not even the Mother of God, seeks worship. They only want to help us join in the throngs of praise and love for our God.

::QUESTION FROM A GUEST::

"Can you please explain about the assumption? I was raised in a Baptist family. Honestly I'm not really any religion now. I just believe in God. I like the idea of Mary, but my pastor taught us Mary is dead like all the saints awaiting to go into heaven."

The Assumption is a complicated question... but this site wonderfully explains it: CATHOILC ANSWERS

-God Bless-

I Say Amen

FURTHER READING:

Catholic Online

Catholic Bridge

Catholics and Statues: Do We Worship Them?

One common misconception on the part of non-Catholics is that Catholics are idolaters. IE, we worship statues.

This belief is as inaccurate as the belief that we worship saints. I believe it comes from the fact that most churches have many statues of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Sometimes a crucified Christ or the risen Christ.

Rather than look at it what it really is, an art gallery depicting important people in the Catholic faith, they look at it as we are bowing to the statues themselves.

This is fairly simple. These statues are artistic representations of important people. It's no different that you hanging photos of your grandmother, parents, cousins, siblings, pets on your wall.

Seeing those photos can evoke good memories. If the photo is of a loved one who passed away, it can bring comfort to see their face. Sometimes you may talk to the photo. You know it's not your loved one. You know they're not physically looking back at you from the photo, but when you talk to them, and they seem so far away, you look at the photo to visualize your loved one so you can feel as if they're right there with you.

That is what a statue is to a Catholic. It is a photograph, an artistic representation and reminder of people very important to us. A patron saint, the Blessed Mother, Jesus... we don't pray to the statues, they are merely visualizations of those important people.

A statue of the Crucified Christ is usually prominent in every Catholic church. Catholics don't believe that's actually Christ, they don't pray to the statue... however Catholics will look at that statue and be reminded of the wounds Christ bore so that our sins could be forgiven. 

So again, we do not worship statues. They're merely like the photos on your wall of people you love.

::QUESTION FROM A GUEST::

This question came up on my old blog that I was never able to actually respond to.

"I'm not Catholic, but I attended a Good Friday ceremony with a friend who is Catholic. The priest and his servers carried in a life sized statue of the crucified Christ. He took a knee a few times... the placed it at the front of the church. Everyone went up and either kissed the statue or bowed and made the sign of the cross. What is that all about?"

To cover one point, what you witnessed was the priest walking the steps of Christ to represent the path Christ walked to Calvary. When he took a knee a few times, I'm assuming you mean 3? that represents the three times Christ is said to have fallen. It's similar to a war reenactment, or a play. They're reenacting an important moment in our faith's history.

As for genuflecting or kissing the statue... again... When we do that on Good Friday, we are showing Christ that we praise him for his sacrifice for us. The statue represents the suffering he did. Like someone may talk to the photo of a loved one who is now in heaven since they are not physically with them... we will kiss the feet of the statue not to worship the statue, but to represent our deep sorrow and joy to what that statue represents.

Again, it's similar to a photo of someone greatly loved, and a reenactment. We weren't there when Christ was crucified, just like many war reenactors weren't there during the civil war (for example). This reenactment is our way to feel what Mary felt when she saw her son hanging from a tree. It is a way for us to show reverence and respect to God for the sacrifice of his only begotten Son. It is a way to witness Christ's sacrifice and praise him for it.

We know the statue itself is not Christ, it is merely art depicting him. But Christ sees us and can feel how deeply we're moved by his sorrowful passion.

It isn't an easy thing for someone who isn't an apologist to explain, but that's the long and short of it. We don't worship statues... they are artistic rendering, photographs, memories of those important to our faith.

- God Bless -

I say Amen

Saints and Catholics - Misonceptions

I thought I would use my first blog entries to explain some great misconceptions people have about Catholics. I've heard everything from, we're a cult that worships statues, to we hold saints as demi-gods with magic powers to grant wishes.

I laugh whenever I hear those statements... sadly however, it isn't a joke. There are people who actually believe that.

This first entry, I thought I would focus on the whole "Catholics worship saints as magical gods" thing. FYI... we don't.

I think one reason this misconception exists, is because there are protestants who believe that when we die, that's it until the end times. No one is currently in heaven but for God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Angels. But biblically we know that is not true.

1. Jesus said to the man crucified with him after he asked Christ to remember him, "On this day you will be with me in paradise". (Luke 23:42-43)

2. The bible tells us: "And Behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the Holy City and appeared to many." (Matthew 27:51-53)

These saints rose from their sleep because of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. So we know they had to have entered heaven, either after appearing in the Holy City as proof Christ is the messiah, or when Christ ascended into Heaven himself. We know they could not remain on earth after their awakening.

So if we are to believe the bible holds the word of God and is an accurate journal of Christ's time on earth, then we must believe Saints ARE in heaven.

Catholics believe all who enter heaven are saints. For example, if your grandmother passes away, pious woman, and enters heaven because of her devotion to God... she is a saint.

of course, some saints are more well known by a great population because of the way they lived and miracles that happened in their lifetime. The story of their lives spread, the miracles that happened and continue to happen become widely known, so they become a fixture in the Catholic faith.

As an example: St. Bernadette of Lourdes. She is well known by Catholics as a child visionary who the Blessed Mother appeared to. We'll talk about saints in later blogs. That said, many miracles happened in the grotto where Mary appeared to her as Mary promised would happen. Thousands came to the grotto for healing in Bernadette's time. That Grotto still stands today.

Bernadette became a nun after the apparitions ended, and suffered greatly in her final years. No one knew how greatly until near the end when they were shocked to hear from a doctor how excruciating her disorder was (tuberculosis of the bone). She offered her sufferings up to God and passed at the age of 35. 

She was known far and wide even before her passing. Because of her pain and quiet suffering, when one has physical pains or health issues of the body, they ask St. Bernadette to intercede on their behalf. 

We look at the lives of saints as a guide of how we should be. But being sinners, being human... sometimes we have our failings, we have our spiritual emergencies, we have dark times when we need to reach up for help.

So many times I hear on Facebook... "My grandmother just had a stroke, I could really use prayers from everyone for her." or "I've hit some hard times. I am not looking for anything, but I could really use your prayers."

That is basically what we do as Catholics when it comes to saints. We don't "pray" to them in worship... we ask them to pray with us and pray on our behalf.

They can't perform magic, only God grants miracles.. but many times, because of their intercessions, God will use them as a tool in which a miracle can occur.

For example: There is one who is still waiting to become an official saint in the Catholic church, although the faithful know he is in heaven and thus a saint already, even if not canonized officially. he is Venerable Bishop Fredrick Baraga.

He was a Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Marquette in Michigan. We'll talk about him in another blog dedicated to his work in the church.

However, speaking of miracles, There was a person who was suffering greatly. They had a large (and probably cancerous) tumor on their liver. They couldn't walk without a cane, and their health was waning quickly. The patient asked to visit the tomb of Bishop Baraga where they prayed for the Bishop's intercessions. The current Bishop at that time took out a relic of Bishop Baraga's, a stole, and touched it to the patient's stomach and prayed with him, asking Bishop Baraga to pray as well.

Shortly after, the patient was found to be free of the tumor, and had enough strength to no longer need the cane, all the pain was gone. The cane the patient used is still standing next to Bishop Baraga's tomb as testimony. This was a claim backed up by multiple doctors who had been dealing with the patient. It was investigated and deemed a true miracle by the church. (and the church is quite thorough. Not everything is deemed miraculous. It must pass many tests.)

God performed the miracle... but we faithful in Christ of the Catholic Church believe it was in direct response to the intercessions of Bishop Baraga.

So in essence, we merely ask the saint, who we believe is enjoying the glory of Heaven because of their good works on earth, to pray for us and with us... we do not worship them. We may thank them if our prayers are heard and a miracle happens for praying for us... but wouldn't you thank a friend who reached out to give you comfort in hard times?

Saints do not desire worship. Just as in life when everything was about God, so it is for them in their eternal heavenly life. It's about God, and praying for miracles that will help open people's eyes to God's love and mercy. I'm sure they like to be thanked for their prayers, but they don't desire praise... they do not believe in being worshiped.

I'm sure people will still say, "Say what you will. Saint's can't perform miracles". 

"Peter said (to a crippled beggar who had come seeking alms) 'I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, Rise and walk.' Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong." (Acts 3:6-7)

Peter and John performed a miracle after Christ sent them into the world to continue God's work. The miracle came from God... but he did it through them. They were the vessel for his miracle, and they did it in Christ's name.

That is how we feel saints work. We believe saints are alive in heaven with our savior. They have God's sympathetic ear, and pray on our behalf. It's not much apart from when people ask friends to keep them or someone they care about in their prayers during tough times.

So to finish this post: Catholics do not worship saints.

::QUESTION FROM A GUEST::

I got this question on my old blog, but I was never able to answer it because I lost the login password and email. lol

"I get Catholics don't believe saints have to wait till judgement day...(which is the belief of the church I use to attend. I'm in the process of becoming a Catholic)... can I pray to my great aunt? I was very close to my great aunt. She was my grandma because my grandma (her sister) passed before I was born. She was a very God fearing woman. She lived her life giving to charities, reading the bible, going to church (she was Catholic)... she never spoke ill of anyone. She use to go to confession weekly even though I couldn't think of anything she'd have to confess. So I think she could be in heaven. Can I ask for her to intercede for me, or can I only ask approved saints."

Of course you can. That is how many saints have become saints. The faithful ask for their intercessions because they knew of that person in life and that person's righteous devotion, So they believe that person must be in heaven as a saint, and they ask for intercessions. God performs a miracle through that saint's intercession... it's investigated by the church, and if the required miracles are all proven to pass each test... eventually that saint is canonized. 

However, many saints go unnoticed by the church. For example: I believe firmly that my father is in heaven. I've never seen someone with such zeal for Christ... but what would the Catholic church know of this man from a small town few have ever heard of? If he is in heaven (which I believe he is), not being recognized by the church does not make him less of a saint.

So if you believe your great aunt is in heaven, feel free to ask her to pray on your behalf. But remember, that does not supersede your own personal responsibility to pray directly to God yourself. We ask the saints to pray for us, AND WITH us.

- God Bless -

I say Amen

FURTHER READING:

Praying to the Saints