DO CATHOLIC PRAY TO SAINTS AND STATUES?

WHY WE PRAY TO SAINTS  

The Catholic Church always has taught that a Christian can worship only God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No creature, no matter how good or beautiful--no angel, no saint, not even the Virgin Mary--deserves adoration.

This is the teaching of the creeds (Apostles' Creed: "I believe in one God"; Nicene Creed: "We believe in one God") and the catechisms (Baltimore Catechism, question 199: "By the first commandment we are commanded to offer to God alone the supreme worship that is due him") and the Church councils (Nicaea, in 325; Rome in 382; Toledo in 675; Lateran IV in 1215; Lyons in 1274; Florence in 1442; Trent from 1545-1563; Vatican I from 1869-1870).

The Catholic Church condemns polytheism and idolatry alike. Pope Dionysius condemned the division of the one God into three gods, for there can be only one God, not three (Letter to Dionysius of Alexandria, A.D. 260). Pope Damasus I condemned the worship of other gods, angels, or archangels, even when God gave them the name of "god" in the Bible (Tome of Damasus, approved at the Council of Rome, 382).

John Damascene's Apologetic Sermons Against Those Who Reject Sacred Images gives an authentic presentation of the Catholic attitude towards statues and pictures of Mary and the saints: "If we were making images of men and thought them gods and adored them as gods, certainly we would be impious. But we do not do any of these things."

The Baltimore Catechism, question 223, confirms this by teaching: "We do not pray to the crucifix or to the images and relics of the saints, but to the persons they represent."

Catholic doctrine absolutely rejects the worship of anyone but God and rejects all worship of statues, whether of Christ or the saints. What the Church does allow is praying to the saints in order to ask for their intercession with the one true God. The Church also allows one to make statues to remind a person of Christ or the saint:

"Further, the images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the other saints are to be kept with honor in places of worship especially; and to them due honor and veneration is to be paid--not because it is believed that there is any divinity or power intrinsic to them for which they are reverenced, nor because it is from them that something is sought, nor that a blind trust is to be attached to images as it once was by the Gentiles who placed their hope in idols (Ps. 135:15ff); but because the honor which is shown to them is referred to the prototypes which they represent.

"Thus it follows that through these images, which we kiss and before which we kneel and uncover our heads, we are adoring Christ and venerating the saints whose likenesses these images bear" (Council of Trent, Session XXV, Decree 2).

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The Power of Prayer

The power of Prayer could uplift & enrich our Souls.Prayers pave the way for us to come together in GOD's timing
Sometimes God’s answer is no… but sometimes it’s yes.

Prayer doesn’t always change the situation, but it changes us. This is an important thing to remember.



Do you ever feel overwhelmed by prayer?

Maybe the thought of talking to God intimidates you, or you want to talk to Him, but don’t know how to start.

We can often make prayer a complicated, intimidating thing when it doesn’t have to be.

Prayer is our direct line of communication to the Lord, and is a powerful way for us to connect to God on a daily basis. (1 John 5:14)

If you need help with what to pray about, here are a few suggestions:

Pray for the world and your nation…
Pray for your immediate and extended family…
Pray for your co-workers, church family and other members of the community…
Pray for those you encounter in the grocery store, post office and mall....
Pray for Salvation for friends and family who don’t know Jesus…

Friend, God hears every prayer, and through Him our prayers have power! When we pray, we can confidently walk forward knowing that He’s heard us.

Sometimes God’s answer is no… but sometimes it’s yes.

Prayer doesn’t always change the situation, but it changes us. This is an important thing to remember.

Miracle Prayer Never Known to Fail

Shortest And Most Powerful Miracle Prayer Never Known to Fail

Lord Jesus, I come before Thee, just as I am, I am sorry for my sins, I repent of my sins, please forgive me. In Thy Name, I forgive all others for what they have done against me. I renounce Satan, the evil spirits and all their works. I give Thee my entire self, Lord Jesus, I accept Thee as my Lord God and Savior. Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul, and spirit.

Come Lord Jesus, cover me with Thy Precious Blood, and fill me with Thy Holy Spirit, I love Thee Lord Jesus, I praise Thee Lord Jesus, I thank Thee Jesus, I shall follow Thee every day of my life. Amen.
Mary, My Mother, Queen of Peace, all the Angels and Saints, please help me. Amen.

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PRAYER FOR SUCCESS IN TRYING TIMES

Father I have come to a trying time in my life, and I am not sure which direction to go. 
I know that if I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 
then I will be walking in Your best way for my life, forever and always. 
Help me Lord to be wise in the decisions I make at this junction, 
where various doors have seemed to close behind me. 
Lead me Lord in the direction that You would have me go day in, and day out. 
Lord I want my life to count, and 
I want to be successful in making a difference. 
Take my life Lord, 
and at this cross-roads 
I ask that You rearrange my direction 
as best seems for to.
In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
"To Jesus through Mary"

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PRAYER FOR SUCCESSFUL TESTING AND EXAMS

Lord Jesus, 
You know that I am very anxious 
about the tests and exams 
that I have to face very soon, 
and ask that You would calm 
my anxious, clouded thoughts. 
Please calm these nerves that I have, 
and let me rest in You always. 
I pray that as I enter the exam, 
that You will fill my heart with perfect peace 
that only comes from You. 
Please also give me clarity of thought, 
and prompt my mind to remember 
all the things that I have studied. 
Give me the wisdom and the ability to transfer my thoughts to paper. 
It’s in Your precious name, Jesus, I pray. 
Amen.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
"To Jesus through Mary"

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PRAYER FOR SUCCESS IN SELLING A HOME

Father, I know that You are interested in every single area of our lives, 

and we find that we need to sell our house. 

At this time, we are placing this need into Your hands, 

knowing that You have told us to cast ALL our cares upon You.

Lord, we thank You for providing us with this home we currently reside in, 

but You also know the need to sell our home at this point in time, 

and we want to place the entire selling process into Your hands, 

praying that You would be with us to guide during the entire sale. 

We also ask that you help us find a new home, 

and to bring it swiftly into our lives as You see fit.

Lord, You also know who it is that needs 

to move into this house and Lord, 

we are trusting You to guide the right buyers to see it. 

We pray that at the right time they may be able 

to purchase our home as well.

Lord into Your hands we commit our lives 

and our future in Jesus name, Amen.

Our Father...

Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
"To Jesus through Mary"

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PRAYER FOR SUCCESSFUL SURGERY AND HEALING

I come to You Lord Jesus 
because You are the great healer, 
to ask for a successful surgery, and quick healing for someone I love deeply. 
As the scriptures say, in Your hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. 
Hold my loved one and I in Your healing hands, 
and breath life into our bones. 
I ask that you give the surgeon a steady hand, and a sound mind from beginning to end. 
I trust you in all ways, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 
through the intercession  of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Amen.

 1 Our Father...
 3 Hail Marys...
 1 Glory Be

PRAYER FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE

Lord, Your word teaches each of us 
that it is acceptable to ask for a successful, blessed life. 
Expand our borders, Precious Lord, and let us find prosperity and success in this gift of life we have been given. 
You said that You came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly. 
Please grant us that abundant life, God. 
Let my life be pleasing to You in all ways, and in all things, 
so that I will be able to receive the fullness of Your blessings both in this life and in the life to come. Amen.

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Miracle Prayers to the Mother Mary for Blessings

Let us pray...

MOST holy Mary, Queen of heaven,

 I who was once the slave of the Evil One now dedicate myself to thy service forever; and I offer myself to honor and to serve thee as long as I live. Accept me for thy servant, and cast me not away from thee, as I deserve. In thee, O my Mother, I place all my hope. All blessing and thanksgiving be to God, who in His mercy gave me this trust in thee.

True it is, that in time past I have fallen miserably into sin; but by the merits of Jesus Christ, and by thy prayers, I hope that God has pardoned me. But this is not enough, my Mother. One thought distresses me; it is that I may yet lose the grace of God. Danger is ever near; the devil sleeps not; fresh temptations assail me. Protect me, then, my Queen; help me against the assaults of my spiritual enemy. Never let me sin again, or offend Jesus thy Son. Let me not by sin lose my soul, Heaven, and my God. This one grace, Mary, I ask of thee; this is my desire, this may your prayers obtain for me. Such is my hope. Amen.
(3 Hail Marys in reparation for blasphemies against the Blessed Virgin Mary.)

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ have mercy on us.
Christ, 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 Spirit
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.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honor, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.

Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morningstar, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles, pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors, pray for us.
Queen of virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.

Queen of peace, pray for 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.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy
servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and
body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed
Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow
and enjoy everlasting happiness. Through Christ Our
Lord.

Amen

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Powerful Prayer to Jesus For A Successful Life

PRAYER

O Lord, my God, Creator and Ruler of the universe, it is Your Will that human beings accept the duty of work. May the work I do bring growth in this life to me and those I love and help to extend the Kingdom of Christ.

Give all persons work that draws them to You and to each other in cheerful service. I unite all my work with the Sacrifice of Jesus in the Mass that it may be pleasing to You and give You glory.

I beg Your Blessing upon all my efforts. With Saint Joseph as my example and guide, help me to do the work You have asked and come to the reward You have prepared.

Heavenly Father, I give You thanks for all my blessings and answered prayers in my life. In the name of Christ Jesus, please guide myself towards the fruition of a successful, and fulfilling workplace. Please guide my heart, and that of my coworkers, to pursue dedication and hard work in Your name. Please watch over the proceedings and tasks on a daily basis. Thank you, Christ Jesus. Amen.

LIFE GOES BY FAST, WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT

A Gentle Reminder From Pope Francis

This life will go by fast.

Don't fight with people, don't criticize your body so much, don't complain so much.

Don't lose sleep over your bills. Look for the person that makes you happy. If you make a mistake, let it go and keep seeking your happiness.

Never stop being a good parent. Don't worry so much about buying luxuries and comforts for your home, and don't kill yourself trying to leave an inheritance for your family. Those benefits should be earned by each person, so don't dedicate yourself to accumulating money.

Enjoy, travel, enjoy your journeys, see new places, give yourself the pleasures you deserve. Allow dogs to get closer. Don't put away the fine glassware. Utilize the new dinnerware; don't save your favorite perfume, use it to go out with yourself; wear out your favorite sport shoes; repeat your favorite clothes.

So what? That's not bad. Why not now? Why not pray now instead of waiting until before you sleep? Why not call now? Why not forgive now? We wait so long for Christmas; for Friday; for Reunions; for another year; for when I have money; for love to come; when everything is perfect...look...

Everything perfect doesn't exist. Human beings can't accomplish this because it simply was not intended to be completed here. Here is an opportunity to learn.

So take this challenge that is life and do it now...love more, forgive more, embrace more, love more intensely and leave the rest in God's hands. Amen.

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The Benefits Of Praying The Rosary In Addition To The 15 Promises

The benefits of the praying the rosary are quite extraordinary. In addition to the 15 promises the rosary, daily rosary prayer also provides us with tremendous spiritual, physical and mental growth. You may have heard people of several religions speak of becoming more “consciousness”.

What exactly does this mean? Basically, gaining consciousness means gaining insight about oneself and how one relates to their surroundings. With better insight about your own being, a heightened sense of self-awareness is achieved. As a result, you become more aligned with God and His holy will.

The following are a few of the many spiritual, mental, physical benefits that are typically gained by those who pray the rosary on a regular basis:

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS

Creates fulfillment and meaning in your life.

Helps you understand your life’s purpose.

Brings you closer to God and allows Him to actively help you in your life.

Improves discernment and the gives you a better ability to know right from wrong.

Increases your empathy, compassion, and tolerance towards others.

Creates peace in your life. Helps create peace to those close to you.

Directs you towards heavenly treasures rather than earthly desires.

Increases mental awareness; creates a greater sense of intuition.

Increases your capacity to love yourself and others.

Provides assurance and guidance in times of despair and hopelessness.

Allows you to connect better with others and with nature.

Increases your willpower and your desire for goodness.

Provides protection against negative influences.

Opens you mind to accept a Higher Truth.

Decreases the desire to sin; helps overcome temptation.

Most importantly – the rosary helps us understand God.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Improved rate of breathing; improves respiratory function.

Boosts immune system and protects against sickness.

Increases energy levels; fights chronic fatigue.

Helps lower blood pressure.

Alleviates muscle tension; aids relaxation.

Helps with migraine headaches.

Increases levels of serotonin.

Helps with the coping with chronic diseases.

Aids with the termination of physical addictions.

Promotes restful sleep.

MENTAL BENEFITS

Increased focus and attention.

Mental clarity; clears the mind of distractions and negative thoughts.

Better thought control and less intrusive thoughts.

Fights depression.

Improved memory (short term and long

Decreased anxiety and fear.

Positive thinking and better outlook on life.

Stress reduction.

Increased ability to relax and unwind.

Powerful sleep aid; promotes a restful night’s sleep.

Increases overall sense of well-being

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THE BEST PROTECTION AGAINST DEMONS AND EVIL SPIRITS

In the gospel reading Luke 4:31-37,
Jesus was preaching in the synagogue while a man with an unclean spirit was listening. The unclean spirit inside the man recognized that Jesus was the son of God, and cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” This man may have for all appearances sake, seemed as normal as you and I, but underneath his external appearances, a demon lay hidden inside of him.

If you speak with any official exorcist in the Catholic church, they will tell you that demons do not usually take possession of a person without their permission. Involuntary demonic possessions can occur, but most of the time a person has done something to encourage the evil spirits.

No one should ever play with Ouija board games because this is a well-known way that demons are invited into the world. Ask an exorcist about this. It isn’t just a game. Tarot cards, mediums, fortune tellers, voodoo, Wicca, witchcraft, the occult, or any other fascination with the spirit world, or the dead, can attract and encourage evil spirits.

Even if a person did these things out of the fun when they were a child or a teenager many years ago, a demon can lie hidden inside a person, undetected for a long time. This is probably what happened with the man who had the unclean spirit in the synagogue, that Jesus cured in today’s gospel.

Demons can not stand the name of Jesus, let alone be in his presence. In fact, the name of Jesus is an effective way to cope with the presence of demons. But, the best way to cope with demonic attacks or harassment, is to grow in holiness yourself.

The best protection against demons and evil spirits is to attend mass regularly, go to confession and have a regular, consistent prayer life. We receive grace from Jesus, through the sacraments and prayer, and by genuinely living by God’s commandments.

It can happen though, that the closer a person grows to Jesus, the more the demons or evil spirits will harass them. This is ordinarily in the form of temptations. The demons will size you up and look for your weakest area and then go for the juggler, so to speak. Bait, distraction, and division are also some of the main tactics they use to draw you away from the Lord.

If you ever experience a genuine demonic attack or feel like you are being harassed by an evil spirit, the best way to cope with it is to go to confession, attend some extra masses, and then spend a little more time than usual praying before a tabernacle or at adoration.

Jesus is always stronger than the demons, or even Satan himself. They can’t stand his presence, but they are attracted to him, and to holy things and holy places, but they keep at a distance, like in the synagogue in today’s gospel. The church building itself is not a barrier to the demons, but the Eucharist, holy water, and confession is – they can’t touch them or come near.

Holy water and blessed salt can be used in a home, especially in doorways and windows. People often wear a Saint Benedict medal that has been blessed too, for extra protection from the evil spirits. Praying the rosary often helps, because if you remember, our Lady crushed the head of Satan beneath her feet. And of course, the Saint Michael prayer is very well-known too.

There are many people who believe that demonic influences are simply a form of mental illness though. Sometimes a person does have a mental illness. Sometimes they are being genuinely harassed or possessed by a demon. And, sometimes it’s both. It’s not an either-or situation. Genuine demonic harassment can put so much stress on a person that they developmental problems. Who wouldn’t have some emotional or mental issues if a real demon was harassing you?

If you, a family member or a friend ever experience a demonic attack that you can’t handle, don’t be shy about talking to the exorcist in your diocese. The priests who serve as an exorcist can help in many ways, and that is what they are there for. Actually, many Protestants and non-believers contact Catholic exorcists too.

There are many people in our modern society that quit believing the devil is real, and therefore, not many members of the clergy have been trained to be exorcists. However, there is usually at least one official exorcist in every diocese.

The Catholic church has also been actively increasing the number of trained exorcists, because Satan’s influence on our world has increased in recent decades, especially because of the increase in satanism and involvement in the occult, especially among our young. Satan worship is a formally recognized religion in many countries of the world now. In the US, it is a legally protected religion.

We shouldn’t be too concerned about the demons and evil spirits though. They can’t do anything without Christ’s permission, which is very evident in the Gospel of Luke.

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Powerful Cleansing Prayer To Get Rid Of All Evil

Cleansing Prayer

I cleanse myself of all selfishness, resentment, critical feelings for my fellow beings,

self-condemnation, and misinterpretation of my life experiences.

I bathe myself in generosity, appreciation, praise, and gratitude for my fellow beings,

self-acceptance, and enlightened understanding of my life experiences.

AMEN

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BE PROUD YOU ARE A CATHOLIC,READ THESE TO KNOW MORE WHY

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Excerpts of an article written by non-Catholic; Sam Miller – a prominent Cleveland Jewish businessman:

“Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?

Do you know – the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students every day at the cost to that Church of 10 billion dollars, and saving on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%.

The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students.

The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people – not just Catholics – in the United States today.

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by the United Methodist Church , 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed.

Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. This is not a Catholic problem.

A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now and a number of bishops who failed to act.

Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States .

Then remember what Jeremiah said: ‘Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls’. Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions.

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SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE WAY ON HOW TO DEFEAT EVIL

 

Make it a habit of reading the scripture by heart regularly. Read on to know the reasons behind...

St. John Chrysostom taught the faithful to use this effective spiritual weapon.

St. John Chrysostom was a Priest of the early Church recognized by the depth of preaching and spiritual writings, including a clear awareness of the spiritual battle that surrounds us in the world.

In his commentary on the Gospel of St. John, he taught the faithful a simple habit to prevent the presence of evil in a person.

Speaking of the fourth chapter of St John, Chrysostom exhorts his hearers to understand the Scriptures instead of simply possessing a beautiful copy of the sacred books:

I hear no one of you boast of knowing the contents of Scripture, but of having a copy written in gold letters. And what do I get, tell me, is that it? The Scriptures were not given to us only so that we have them in books, but that we may engrave them in the heart.

He sees in the assimilation of Scripture not only a necessity for the spiritual life, but a strong defense against the evil one.

I desire that, from these books, you should take the letters and the sense and take them to your understanding, so that it may be purified by receiving the meaning of what is written. For if the devil does not dare approach a house where a Gospel is present, much less any evil spirit or sinful nature will touch or enter into a soul which brings with it the sentiments contained therein. Sanctify your soul, sanctify your body, keeping always in your hearts and in your language the content and understanding of the Scriptures. While the vain discourse desecrates us and invites the demons, spiritual reading sanctifies us and opens us to the grace of the Spirit.

 In summary: St. John Chrysostom believes that the soul that actually respects the words of Scripture and maintains its meaning always in the heart and lips will become practically impervious to any evil attack.

Chrysostom clearly understood the spiritual setting and knew how to defeat the powers of Satan. Their prayers are even used today in the rites of exorcism of the Orthodox Church:

May the Lord rebuke you, Satan! He who in glory ascended to heaven to the Father and sits at the right hand of majesty on the throne of glory. May the Lord rebuke you, devil!

The Holy Scriptures are a powerful defense against Satan, but they must reach the depths of our heart. As the author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes:

“For the word of God is living, efficacious, sharper than a two-edged sword, and reaches to the division of soul and body, of joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4,12 )

THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON CRITICIZING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS

The Danger of Criticizing Bishops and Priests

     

Liturgical Insubordination

Another problem that emerges sometimes among those who would rather criticize than pray for bishops is deciding for themselves the form the liturgy should take. Some take on themselves the prerogative to make little changes in their responses at Mass, thereby causing division in precisely the place where we should be most unified. Whether it be rejecting a certain memorial acclamation, or responding in Latin when the congregation is responding in English, or substituting the word "God" for "he" or "him" for feminist purposes, any of these can be a distraction for others trying to lift their hearts and minds to God.

It is not up to us to decide what is apt in the Mass, but the bishops. Surely, we should avoid doing something immoral, but besides that unlikely case, we should obediently follow the liturgy given to us by those chosen to do so. Whether we like a translation or not (and some seem to be lacking at times), we should accept and use what our superiors have given us. Far better to write a humble letter to the bishops than to change things on our own authority. And far better to pray for better translations.

Losing Joy

There is a further danger of being so ready to criticize bishops or priests: we can become very dour Catholics. The more we criticize and complain, the more we bring down the morale of the Church and the more gloomy we become. (St. Teresa of Avila said once, "God deliver me from gloomy saints!") Many sincere, orthodox Catholics have become sour people because they continued to dwell on the faults of the clergy, so sour that they have been unable to contribute something positive to the Church, despite their many talents.This is not to say we may not acknowledge the wrongs of priests and bishops, but we should do so reluctantly and with understatement. And then, we should move on to the positive, the things that will build up the Church and her morale. We should never dwell on the negative elements of priests and bishops-or anyone else, for that matter-because it will make us melancholy people, always ready to point out the negative aspect of any situation.

The devil is most clever in bringing down those who sincerely love God and the Church. He gets them to dwell on the negative elements of the Church and thereby destroys their joy. We mustn't fall for this ruse. If we want to be holy, we must focus on the positive, and let nothing destroy our joy.

God the Father spoke to St. Catherine of Siena about his "ministers," the priests. She recorded it in her Dialogue:

...[It] is my intention that they be held in due reverence, not for what they are in themselves, but for my sake, because of the authority I have given them. Therefore the virtuous must not lessen their reverence, even should these ministers fall short in virtue. And, as far as the virtues of my ministers are concerned, I have described them for you by setting them before you as stewards of... my Son's body and blood and of the other sacraments. This dignity belongs to all who are appointed as such stewards, to the bad as well as to the good.
...[Because] of their virtue and because of their sacramental dignity you ought to love them. And you ought to hate the sins of those who live evil lives. But you may not for all that set ourselves up as their judges; this is not my will because they are my Christ's, and you ought to love and reverence the authority I have given them.

You know well enough that if someone filthy or poorly dressed were to offer you a great treasure that would give you life, you would not disdain the bearer for love of the treasure, and the lord who had sent it, even though the bearer was ragged and filthy... You ought to despise and hate the ministers' sins and try to dress them in the clothes of charity and holy prayer and wash away their filth with your tears.

Indeed, I have appointed them and given them to you to be angels on earth and suns, as I have told you. When they are less than that you ought to pray for them. But you are not to judge them. Leave the judging to me, and I, because of your prayers and my own desire, will be merciful to them.

Is judging the same as criticizing? It's close. The Random House American College Dictionary defines the word "criticize" as "1. To make judgments as to merits and faults. 2. To find fault."

Clearly, the Lord wants prayers, not judgment for his priests. Alas, how sad that some are far more ready to judge (and criticize) priests than they are to pray for them! Imagine how much better off the Church would be if all the energy given to criticizing priests and bishops here devoted to prayer and penance for these men; and how much better off those who prayed and fasted would be!

As a seminarian I once was visiting my sister, and we proceeded to tear apart all the dissenting theologians in the Church. It seemed like such fun. But, then we caught ourselves, and I said, "You know, we probably should not take such delight in criticizing the theologians. It can be a pride thing." She agreed, "Yes, by saying how wrong they are, we are proclaiming how right we are."

It's an easy trap to fall into. We call it the "Isn't it awful syndrome."

As a priest, I don't believe I am exempt from the warning from the Lord to St. Catherine about judging other priests. I don't have any more right than a layperson to criticize my brother priests. Sometimes this involves biting my tongue when the subject is a less-than-perfect priest.

As I mentioned earlier, it is not wrong to acknowledge the errors of priests or bishops, or gently point them out. But, when it becomes a zealous sport to pontificate about such errors, and to verbally attack these clerics personally, it goes too far.

Love the Bishops

People have a rather rose-colored idea of the life of a bishop. It's not so pleasant. About 15% of his work is making decisions. The other 85% is dealing with headaches.

I remember well the quip of my pre-ordination retreat director: "Isn't it interesting that in this age when we have so few vocations to the priesthood, we have so many vocations to the episcopacy." And, we might add, to the papacy!

When people publicly criticize a bishop, or any man, for that matter, the one criticized will often dig in his heels for his position even he may not care that much about it. He does that to show that he won't be manipulated by those who try to strong-arm him, even if the criticism is well-intended or well-placed.

On the other hand, people such as St. Catherine of Siena and St. Bernard of Clairvaux had tremendous influence over bishops by their letters. It is not hard to see why: their letters were humble and respectful, and full of love. "But they were saints," one might argue. They became saints, but if you examine their lives you will find that many did not recognize their sanctity when they were alive.

Furthermore, it was their sanctity that inspired them to urge reform with love, and so it will be with our sanctity, if we strive for it.

The priests and bishops are probably no worse than they were in the time of St. Catherine of Siena, or St. Francis of Assisi. In fact, they are much better, in general, despite the shameful scandals of a few, in recent years. We have a choice to make: to give in to our sadness and become a "priest-basher" or "bishop-basher," always ready to lament with great energy the faults of our clergy; or, while acknowledging the errors of the clergy, we can become morale-builders in the Church, always emphasizing the positive, always ready to build up, not tear down. And, if we look closely, we'll see a lot of positives in the Church today, and in every age.

St. Paul said it well: "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves" (1 Thess. 5:11-13). This is the way to true holiness, and the joy which always accompanies it. And, this Christian joy, unlike sullenness, is infectious.

Reverend Thomas G. Morrow has a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family. His book, Saints for Families (Emmaus Road), a compilation of 27 lives of the saints appropriate for family reading time, appeared in 2002. He is a parochial vicar of St. Catherine Laboure Parish in Wheaton, Md.

https://ccgaction.org/respectpriestsandbishops3