Why Do Catholics Pray To Saints?

Do you have a role model in your life who you look up to, someone who inspires you and whose life you want to emulate? That's who the saints are to Catholics! They are from all walks of life but did their best to love and serve God and others. Some lived simple lives, and others did extraordinary things. Some even died for their faith.

Catholics’ devotion to saints is similar to how the Jews in Jesus's day looked up to Old Testament figures like Moses or David - they didn't uphold them as divine figures, but they did admire and appreciate their contributions to faith.

A common misconception is that Catholics worship saints, which is not true. (See Why Do Catholics Pray To Mary? for more information on this.) It's helpful if we think of prayer as not just something that we do to communicate with God, but something that we also do with friends. Think of how powerful prayer groups are when people pray together and ask for God's help in certain areas of their lives.

So it's not so much praying to saints as praying with saints. It's a conversation with someone you love and admire, asking for their advice and help as you grow closer to God in the process. And the communion of saints is like your very own cheerleading squad in the game of life as they pray you to heaven. We know from Scripture that “the prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much” (James 5:16). We also know from Scripture that the saints in heaven are alive in Christ – not dead. They are the “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in the Bible (Heb. 12:1). As the Early Church Father John Chrysostom (347-407 AD) explains in Orations, “When you perceive that God is chastening you, fly not to his enemies . . . but to his friends, the martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to him, and who have great power [in God].”