Posted on 07/01/2009 8:29:13 AM PDT by Mind Freed
The Archdiocese of Baltimore plans to investigate whether an Annapolis woman's cure from cancer was a miracle, a possible step toward sainthood for a 19th-Century priest.
Mary Ellen Heibel was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2004 and early 2005 for malignant tumors in her lungs, liver, stomach and chest. After she was diagnosed, Heibel began praying to Blessed Francis X. Seelos, and urging others to pray as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
It is called intercessory prayer. All miracles are from God.
The wording confuses non-Catholics and Cradle Catholics alike (we converts generally know better!) The article said she prayed TO the priest. This is incorrect. We do not pray to any human.
She should pray to God instead.
I know what intercessory prayer is. You do not need to pray to a priest though. Jesus is our great intercessor. I understand praying WITH a priest, not TO a priest.
Divine Physician, You infused Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos with the gift of Your healing. By the help of his prayers, sustain in me the grace to know Your will and the strength to overcome my afflictions. For love of You, make me whole. May I learn from the example of Father Seelos and gain comfort from his patient endurance. Amen.
“...a possible step toward sainthood for a 19th-Century priest
If this priest wasn’t a saint when he died, he ain’t becoming one now.
Blesses Francis Xavier Seelos, please pray for my 22 year old son Patrick White who has been in ICU in Texas for 7 weeks. PLease help the doctor's control his seizures abd please allow him to wake up. I ask this in your name. Amen
Why is this woman praying to a priest? Why not pray to Jesus? Where in the Bible did Jesus say, “I am the light and the way to the Father... Me and the ones that are made saints”?
Where in the Bible did Jesus say, “I am the light and the way to the Father... Me and the ones that are made saints"
I don't know. I'm not Catholic. I pray directly to God.
How do you know she doesn’t? She asked Blessed Francis X. Seelos to intercede on her behalf. They are not mutually exclusive.
Have you ever asked for the prayers of friends, family, minister, or congregation during a time of crisis or grief?
In my mind (which is not saying much) it is the same thing.
That's not what it says.
Heibel began praying to Blessed Francis X. Seelos
Prayed TO him.
What other word would you use? Should the article say she communicated via mental telepathy?
They can't hear prayers. They are just people.
Dead ones, at that.
It is what Catholics believe. Not being Catholic I cannot explain the Church Doctrine, but I respect it.
Even the ones in Heaven?
I would think not.
I reckon prayers to anyone but the Lord are a waste of time.
What use is it to pray to Uncle Morty or Great-Aunt Dolores?
You never ask people to pray for you?
Many others do, not just Catholics. I see prayer request threads on FR all the time.
Surely, I have been prayed FOR many times.
That isn't the issue here. Folks praying for other folks
hopefully pray TO the Lord, not Uncle Morty.
If someone wants to pray for me to Uncle Morty, they may as well just forget it.
I have no faith in him.
Been prayed for LOTS.
I damn near died, thread went almost a thousand posts.
Nobody prayed to anyone but God.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1908013/posts
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