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carenanightchild
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| First Name: | Elizabeth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Independent Baptist |
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 01:14 pm |
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I've been attempting to understand the types of requests that would be made of Mary or of a saint. Could someone perhaps give me a few examples of appropriate requests? I am familiar with the Hail Mary and Hail Holy Queen, but both are too general to answer my question.
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CajunRick
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| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 02:37 pm |
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carenanightchild wrote: I've been attempting to understand the types of requests that would be made of Mary or of a saint. Could someone perhaps give me a few examples of appropriate requests? I am familiar with the Hail Mary and Hail Holy Queen, but both are too general to answer my question.
When we say we venerate the saints, we mean that we honor them as heroes of the faith. They are examples to us of how to live our lives, as Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and all the men and women who fought in World War II are examples to us of how to be Americans.
The difference is that the saints are alive in heaven, and we are united to them through the Communion of Saints. So not only do we venerate them as heroes, we speak to them as friends. Talk to them as you would any friend in this life. Ask them to pray for you, to help you, to watch over you, to guard you, to protect you. Above all, ask them to show you how to live your life in greater faith and with greater acceptance of God's will for you.
In other words, ask them to walk your journey to salvation with you as a prayer partner and a sponsor. Let yoru patron saints especially be people you will gladly emulate, with whom you feel a connection; someone you feel a kinship with. If you love animals, consider St. Francis. If you want to teach, think of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. There are doctors and lawyers and mothers and housewives and every other profession you can imagine. There are cancer patients and diabetics and saints for particular nationalities and ethnic groups.
The gist is that you want to choose a saint who will be your friend, and whom you can talk to like a friend. And then talk to them.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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carenanightchild
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 02:45 pm |
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Thank you once again, Rick. It is interesting that you bring up Elizabeth Ann Seton. She is one in particular that I have felt a connection to, as well as being the patron saint of the Catholic church I attend at school when I can. And yes, I am planning to teach, though at a college level. I did not know that was associated with her. I was drawn to her because of her difficulties with her family.
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CajunRick
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 03:25 pm |
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carenanightchild wrote: Thank you once again, Rick. It is interesting that you bring up Elizabeth Ann Seton. She is one in particular that I have felt a connection to, as well as being the patron saint of the Catholic church I attend at school when I can. And yes, I am planning to teach, though at a college level. I did not know that was associated with her. I was drawn to her because of her difficulties with her family.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Katherine Drexel are both American saints who founded schools. St. Katherine Drexel founded Xavier University in New Orleans, the first college in America for African American students.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
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| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 04:56 pm |
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| Elizabeth, I pray to Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, to pray for me and my family. To me the word "pray" is like the word "speak." I ask her to speak to God on my behalf. This doesn't mean I don't speak to Him myself, but I like the idea of a "family of saints" speaking to their heavenly Father. I ask St. Joseph to help my husband and son and son-in-law as husbands and fathers. I ask St. Monica to pray for my wayward son. I ask St. Therese, my patron saint, to help me with daily tasks that I tend to ingnore or procrastinate about, as she started the idea of "doing little things with great love." I once prayed to St. Anthony to help my daughter find a necklace she had lost. She found it a few minutes later. I'm not superstitious about it, but I do believe we should honor the saints and remember and include them in our prayer life. Last edited on Tue Aug 7th, 2007 05:25 pm by Credo Catholic
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Racaela Fultz
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 08:17 pm |
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I, also, have grown to love St Elizabeth Ann Seton. One saint who has been most helpful to me for some time, though, is St Joan of Arc. How do I pray to her? I start, like Rick said, by just talking. See, Joan is a friend of mine. I tell her my troubles and know that she understands - she went through similar troubles, feeling led by God but misunderstood by all those around her. So, I tell her what's going on and that I'm glad she understands, and then I ask her to pray that I would have the strength and courage to bear up in my situation, and to pray that I could emulate her in her quiet, inner, godly strength. And I remind her that she knows how to pray for me - after all, she went through similar experiences. Anyway, I hope that helps.
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"To be deep in history is to cease to be protestant" - Cardinal Newman
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carenanightchild
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Posted: Thu Aug 9th, 2007 11:36 am |
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Along the lines of my previous question, is there anything special to be observed in prayers to Mary, or anything particular that is asked of her? Also, are there any customary forms that are generally observed in prayers to her or to the saints? I have started to prefix my evening prayers with requests to Mary and to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton for aid. It still feels strange, particularly right before a traditional protestant prayer to God.
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Credo Catholic
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Posted: Thu Aug 9th, 2007 01:00 pm |
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I usually end my morning prayer with a request for the help and intercession of all the angels and saints in heaven, stated just that way, and then ask for help from specific saints as I mentioned above. I end with a request from Our Heavenly Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and then say a Hail Mary, then the sign of the cross and amen. You should do what feels right for you, because it's your conversation with her. It's okay to just sit for a few moments silently also, like listening in a conversation.
The types of requests you asked for: I sometimes tell Mary that I am going to have a stressful day, please watch over me and ask your Son to give me strength; or Mary, my son is not being mature and responsible about something, please ask your Son to work in my son's life to help him grow up, to make a good decision about something. I know Mary does not have divine power in her own right, but she does have the love of her Son, and can intercede for us. It is good to ask that the will of God be done, knowing that His will is always best for us.
Last edited on Thu Aug 9th, 2007 01:09 pm by Credo Catholic
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catholiceternal
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Posted: Thu Aug 9th, 2007 02:52 pm |
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CredoCatholic,
Thank you for that beautiful reminder to start our day, everyday with the Lord, asking for divine assistance, who better to ask than those closest to God for assistance to bring us closer to God! God Bless you!
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Darlene
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Posted: Fri Aug 10th, 2007 12:44 am |
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Is there a saint for those who have suffered from mental depression or despair?
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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CajunRick
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Posted: Fri Aug 10th, 2007 02:21 am |
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Darlene wrote: Is there a saint for those who have suffered from mental depression or despair?
You'll find list of patron saints for mental disorders including depression here. There are 18 of them listed.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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