Catechism Corner | What Is the Communion of Saints?

 Why designate certain people with the title 'Saint'? And why should we pray to them and venerate them? What is Church's teaching about the Communion of Saints?

To answer these questions, we must start with a definition: What exactly is a saint?

"Holy Ones"

The biblical Greek and Hebrew words in Scripture most often translated as "saints" literally mean "holy ones" (Acts 9:13) or "faithful ones" (1 Sm 2:9). In Catholic tradition, the word saints can be used in several ways, which are all reflected in Scripture.

St. Paul sometimes addressed his letters to "the saints" in a particular city (see Eph 1:1; Col 1:2). In this case, he was speaking of all Christians as the "holy ones," because they have now been made holy by their baptism and are striving to become more holy.

The Catholic Church affirms, then, that all faithful Christians are "saints" in this sense. The vocation, the calling, to holiness is universal; God is speaking to all Christians when He says in Scripture, "Be holy because I [am] holy" (see 1 Pt 1:14-16).

Nevertheless, the word "saints" appears in some scriptural passages to have a narrower sense. St. Matthew's Gospel refers to the "saints" who rose from the dead after Christ's resurrection (see 27:52-53) as faithful departed who were being taken by Christ to heaven. St. Paul speaks of the "saints" who will accompany Christ from heaven when He returns to earth at the end of the world (1 Thes 3:13). And St. John uses the same term to refer to the "saints" who are now in heaven praying to God (Rv 5:8; 8:3).

It's in this latter, narrower sense that the Catholic Church uses the term "saints" to refer to all those who have been perfected and are now face to face with God in heaven and have a share in His divine nature. When the Church celebrates the solemnity, or solemn feast, of All Saints' Day on Nov. 1, these are the saints being honored that day: all those human beings who have left this life and are now in heaven with God — the ones whose names we know, and the ones whose names we don't know.

In addition, there's one more sense in which we use the term "saint," in a way even narrower than the ways already described. The Catholic Church honors certain departed Christians with the formal title "saint." This title indicates the Church's confidence that the individual died in friendship with God and is now with Him in heaven.

So how does the Church gain the confidence that a particular person is in heaven? Various kinds of evidence are sought in the process called canonization, which leads to the formal recognition of a person's sainthood. This evidence includes reliable testimony to the person's extraordinary holiness in this life; indications that the person's life has drawn others closer to God; and carefully documented miracles occurring after the person's intercession has been asked for. Such miracles provide evidence that the person can offer effective assistance because he or she is now with God in heaven. (To be continued)

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm.