tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post2559559553485223673..comments2024-03-05T14:07:28.062-08:00Comments on Ask Sister Mary Martha: The Dearly DepartedSister Mary Marthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00580244097177195453noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-52120014750318806232010-06-12T18:04:04.687-07:002010-06-12T18:04:04.687-07:00Marion,
You are correct. People are praying, with...Marion,<br /><br />You are correct. People are praying, without the Church sanctioning it, to those who very well may become saints. Currently, all prayers being directed toward our late Holy Father, John Paul II, are unsanctioned. All printed prayers should say, "For private use only." You may have seen this, and other such disclaimers, on cards (similar to holy cards) with a picture on one side and a prayer on the other. There are also prayers for the canonization of a particular person. While we can privately invoke the intercession of anyone we hope is in heaven or purgatory, a person cannot be invoked in public prayer—prayer done under Church auspices—until the Holy See has declared the person blessed. This ruling excludes also the "venerable" from public reverence. Canon law states, "Only those servants of God may be venerated by public cult who have been numbered by ecclesiastical authority among the Saints or the Blessed" (CIC 1187). <br /><br />So, I suppose if one wants to split hairs over this, you would then go into a discussion on the difference between "not promoting" a practice, and "forbidding" it altogether. The church is not going to forbid us from praying to our relatives, but they are not suggesting it. <br /><br />Sister Mary MargaretAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-19828528066737122692010-06-12T05:43:07.496-07:002010-06-12T05:43:07.496-07:00I ask my late husband to pray for me and our child...I ask my late husband to pray for me and our children, with the proviso that if he can't, I pray for him. It's quite natural to talk to our departed loved ones, whether they can hear us or not. I wouldn't call that praying as such.<br />And hang on a sec...I believe the Church canonises people because miracles have happened through their intercession? So presumably people must be "praying" to them before the Church has sanctioned it? Seems a rather chicken-and-egg set up to me!Marion Teaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08173040175521050516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-43343059973104571162010-06-09T04:17:06.291-07:002010-06-09T04:17:06.291-07:00Your readers may be interested in the latest numbe...Your readers may be interested in the latest number of a Catholic heritage journal from Ireland entitled CHRISTVS REGNAT:<br /><br />http://catholicheritage.blogspot.com/2010/06/christvs-regnat-june-2010.html<br /><br />http://catholicheritage.blogspot.com/search/label/Christus%20Regnat<br /><br />It would be extremely kind if you could post to let them know about it and if you could link to/blogroll our blog:<br /><br />http://catholicheritage.blogspot.com<br /><br />God bless you!Doc Hannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05709321640473528492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-63202474889315436492010-06-09T04:06:50.577-07:002010-06-09T04:06:50.577-07:00Hi Sister!
You say that only priests are clergy, ...Hi Sister!<br /><br />You say that only priests are clergy, but aren't deacons also clergy since they are ordained?<br /><br />I love your blog!<br /><br />Thanks,<br />AnitaAnita Lewisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-14386552799333057092010-06-08T20:20:53.207-07:002010-06-08T20:20:53.207-07:00If I have it right, the church doesn't approve...If I have it right, the church doesn't approve of us praying to our relatives because they may still need our prayers, and the church wants - more than anything - for our relatives to get to heaven. That won't happen as fast unless we continue to pray for them. I still pray FOR my mother, although I am pretty sure she must be in heaven (and if not, then I hardly have a shot!) If she is already in heaven, my prayers are applied to someone else. If not, they go towards helping Mom get to the arms of Jesus. It's a win-win for both of us. When I die, I hope people will continue to pray for me, rather than to me. There are plenty of saints whom we know are in heaven. Why not just go with the sure thing, instead of taking a chance on me?<br /><br />Sister Mary MargaretAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-51546000304445516842010-06-08T19:40:19.902-07:002010-06-08T19:40:19.902-07:00Hi Sister, love your style.
Is it kosher to get...Hi Sister, love your style. <br /><br />Is it kosher to get multiple blessings on a single item? I would like to have a ring blessed by the bishop, but also by the priests who have encouraged me and helped me to such point where I think a ring is an appropriate symbol. I'm not going for super-indulgences here, just a symbol of collective blessing to carry with me in my ministry. Is that ok? Or ok but also weird?<br /><br />ElleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-73249293812300942512010-06-07T22:08:47.073-07:002010-06-07T22:08:47.073-07:00Hi Sister Mary Martha,
I didn't realize that ...Hi Sister Mary Martha,<br /><br />I didn't realize that the Church discourages asking for the intercessory prayers of dead friends and relatives. I have asked my parents (deceased) to pray for my three children. I figured they raised me and my brother...I don't understand why this is discouraged.<br /><br />Thank you. Love your blog!<br /><br />SuzanneSuzannenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-89837395359555053792010-06-07T16:50:13.033-07:002010-06-07T16:50:13.033-07:00Sister, Don't we know for sure that children w...Sister, Don't we know for sure that children who have died are in heaven? Children under the age of reason have not committed any sins of their own, so why would they need to make a stop in Purgatory?<br />--LoriAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-2280138517532934442010-06-07T13:43:53.005-07:002010-06-07T13:43:53.005-07:00Dear Sister Mary Martha,
Are we supposed to be pr...Dear Sister Mary Martha,<br /><br />Are we supposed to be praying for those people that are in Hell? Not that I suspect that anyone in particular is there, but would our prayers help them? <br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Jack W.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com