A very interesting question, regarding the saints whom are canonized by the church, is if all of them are in heaven? Or went directly to heaven?
There is only one kind of saint whom we are assured went directly to heaven - without going to purgatory first - the martyr. Their death, offered as a sacrifice in reapration for their sins, and out of love for Christ, and in defense of the faith, merits the crown of martyrdom, and direct admission to heaven.
We can read in the lives of the saints that many of them were far from perfect. They were all sinners - some were grave sinners. But, what makes us consider them to be saints is the way in which they ccarried their crosses in life. Their attemps at self perfection, penance, prayer. To walk the narrow way. Of their love for, and close relationship in prayer with Jesus, Mary, the saints, the angels. This is the example of a life of heroic virtue.
So, perhaps it is that some of the saints are currently in purgatory, atoneing for sins they committed here on earth. They cannot pray for themselves - like all souls in purgatory. They can pray for us.......and we can pray for them. They can intercede for us before God - we know that much of the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
Am I correct? I would like to hear come intelligent comment on this matter.