[viaveritasvita]

Also, the Bible refers to all believers as saints, not just certain celebrated folks as "annointed" by.....I'm assuming the pope.

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[tjwmason]

Also, the Bible refers to all believers as saints, not just certain celebrated folks as "annointed" by.....I'm assuming the pope.

Your assumption is wrong, it's God who 'annoints' them.

As a general rule, we do not know where those who have died are (heaven, hell, purgatory); those who are in heaven are in a position to offer powerful prayers to God. When a person has died, if a Catholic believes him to be in heaven he (the Catholic) may request prayers of the dead person. If said person is truly in heaven (i.e., is a Saint) then God's response will be most clear. In some cases where a person has proved 'heroic virtue' for the Faith before death, or has given his life for the Faith (martyrdom), the Church may investigate the responses which God has given to the request for prayers. I will not bother you with the whole process, but suffice it to say, the Church has to be satisfied that the prayers of the dead person have achieved 2 miracles (these are scientifically verified, most normally miraculous cures for the ill). If the Church is so satisfied, then she may proclaim with certainty that the dead person in question truly is in heaven, that is he is a Saint, which then allows public veneration.

There are many many many Saints whose identities are not known. All Saints are made by God, and the Church merely identifies a few of them, so that the faithful may have good examples to follow, and may be certain that prayers will be offered in heaven when they are requested from the Saint.

[power2]

Also, the Bible refers to all believers as saints, not just certain celebrated folks as "annointed" by.....I'm assuming the pope.

The Church does not teach that the only Saints in heaven are those designated by the Church.

We would agree with our Protestant brothers that those souls in heaven are all Saints.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

As a saint, I agree!