St. Alphonsus Liguori, one of the great Marian theologians, notes that it’s an article of the Catholic faith that we can and should call on Mary and the other saints to pray for us. And it’s only reasonable to do so. It’s not only lawful, but beneficial to invoke and pray to the saints—and more especially to the queen of saints, the most holy and ever-blessed Virgin Mary—so that they may obtain for us God’s grace.
This is an article of faith. It has been defined by ecumenical councils, against heretics who condemned it as injurious to Jesus Christ, who is our only Mediator. But if the prophet Jeremiah, after RV 6 his death prayed for Jerusalem (see 2 Mc 15:14); if the elders in the Book of Revelation presented the prayers of the saints to God (see RV 6:8); if St. Peter promises his disciples that after his death, he will be mindful of them (see 2 Pt 1:15); if holy Stephen prays for his persecutors (see Acts 7:59); if St. Paul prays for his companions (see Acts 27:24; Eph 2:16; Phil 1:4; Col 1:3) —in short, if the saints can pray for us, why can’t we ask the saints to intercede for us?
St. Paul recommends himself to the prayers of his disciples: “Brethren, pray for us” (1 Th 5:25). St. James exhorts us to pray one for another: “Pray one for another, that you may be healed” (Jas 5:16). So we can do the same. No one denies that Jesus Christ is our only mediator of justice, and that he by his merits has obtained our reconciliation with God. But, on the other hand, it is impious to assert that God is not pleased to grant graces at the intercession of his saints, and more especially of Mary his mother, whom Jesus desires so much to see loved and honored by all.
Who can pretend that the honor bestowed on a mother doesn’t redound to the honor of the son? For this reason St. Bernard says, “We must not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Has anyone ever tried to convince me not to ask Mary or the other saints to pray for me? How might St. Alphonsus’ insights help me respond convincingly? All you holy, righteous, and chosen ones of God, pray for us! (From the “Litany of the Saints”)
