The Invocation of Saints

COMPENDIUM

It is a most profitable practice to pray to the Saints, and every Christian ought to do it. We should specially invoke our Guardian Angels, St. Joseph, the Patron of the Church, the Holy Apostles, the Patron Saints whose names we bear, and the Saints who are patrons of our diocese and parish.

The difference between the prayers that we make to God and those which we address to the Saints is this: we pray to God as the source of all graces to give us what is good and to deliver us from evil, but we pray to the Saints, or more strictly speaking, invoke them, as advocates with God, that they may intercede for us. And therefore, if we say that a Saint has given us a grace, we mean to say that such a Saint has obtained such and such a grace for us from God.

CATECHISM

339. Is it profitable to pray to the Saints?

It is a most profitable practice to pray to the Saints, and every Christian ought to do it. We should specially invoke our Guardian Angels, St. Joseph, the Patron of the Church, the Holy Apostles, the Patron Saints whose names we bear, and the Saints who are patrons of our diocese and parish.

340. What is the difference between the prayers we make to God and those which we address to the Saints?

The difference between the prayers that we make to God and those which we address to the Saints is this: we pray to God as the source of all graces to give us what is good and to deliver us from evil, but we pray to the Saints, or more strictly speaking, invoke them, as advocates with God, that they may intercede for us.

341. What do we mean when we say that a Saint has given us a grace?

When we say that a Saint has given us a grace, we mean to say that such a Saint has obtained such and such a grace for us from God.