1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2And he said to them, "When you pray, say:
"Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."
5And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, 6for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
9And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
That's odd. I don't see any instruction from Jesus to canonize saints, make statues, light candles, bow down to or knee in front of, and pray to anyone. No instruction on praying to ANYONE but God the Father.
God knows what we need. Will He not give it to us if we ask?
What ever possesses anyone to think that praying to someone besides God will grant them their request?
If God is not going to answer someone's prayers to Him, He's not going to grant the request if someone else asks.
And even if some saint or angel had been authorized to answer prayer, not one of them is going to do it contrary to God's will.
That fact is denied by Roman Catholics who have concocted the bizarre "treasury of merit" whereby one Roman Catholic can take some of his extra grace he doesn't need and give it to another Roman Catholic who needs it more than he does. This is the soggy foundation of the selling of indulgences.
Bartering grace. Is there no end to their anti-Scriptural vanities?
Here's a good website I just found with lots of excellent links...
"The Pope has been given the office of doling out indulgences from a heavenly bank account known as the Treasury of Merit. This treasury consists of the righteousness of Jesus, plus the excess righteousness of Mary and the Saints. Indulgences are provided for the benefit of the living, who can then transfer them to family and friends in purgatory if they wish..."