Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII to become saints

The Guardian ^ | Monday 30 September 2013 | Sam Jones and Lizzy Davies

[Mrs. Don-o]

Hi, Buckeye. You are,as far as I can see, always exhibiting good will. How refreshing!

If I can have a try with your questions. Yes, a canonized saint has essentially been vetted and found to be a good 'un worthy of emulation.

Yes Catholics DO pray to Saints (I don't know about "as portrayed in movies", unless it's something you got from Ignatius Press --LINK)

It's not that we think Saints have a "special" power or influence/favor with God/Christ, but that they have surely no less efficatiousness in heaven than the saints on earth would have. As James says (James 5:16) "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Surely no less so, once they're in heaven!

The Church's declaration of a Saint IS a formal/official statement that (s)he is in Heaven with Christ? Ordinarily it takes 2 fully investigated, authenticated miracles, taken as signs from Heaven that this person truly enjoys God's favor. (That is, signs -- usually cures--- obtained from God via the intercession of that saint, not during their lifetime, but after their death.) That always served as a safeguard against the too-hasty canonization of a person based merely on their popularity with their contemporaries or near-contemporaries.

Does that make sense?

[Pan_Yan]

This is why I seldom venture into the Religion forum. I made a joke. Someone got touchy. I corrected a small mistake with a historical antecdote. Someone else came along and got touchy.

Here, if it makes everyone feel better I’ll pick on myself. What’s the biggest difference between a Catholic and a Baptist? Baptists won’t greet each other in a liquor store.

[Mrs. Don-o]

:op