You Know You're Catholic When...

As a Protestant Christian I was well aware of, and involved with prayer meetings and prayer chains. I always asked for the prayers of friends and family in the midst of times of difficulty, hardship, sorrow and even joy. As a Catholic I still ask for the prayers of family and friends (I asked for prayers just this week both from an online friend and a friend who lives close by. As A Catholic, however, I also have this other network of friends whose prayers I ask for. They include The Blessed Mother, St. Therese, St. Anthony, St. Joseph, St. Francis de Sales, St. Margaret Clitheroe, St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Monica, St. Augustine, St. Michael and others. Well this week I learned of a new person to address some prayers to whom some of you might want to consider as well. The Church is about to beatify Franz Jaggersdotter who refused to serve in the military after being drafted by Nazi Germany. He was beheaded as a traitor.

Sometimes I bug these friends pretty boldly. I'll walk by my little statue of St. Therese, pick it up and remind her of what I've asked her to pray for. When I did that yesterday the thought I had was, "you know you're Catholic when, you're bugging the saints for their prayers." But you know something nice about it. With your friends there is sometimes a situation where saying everything about a given problem would be Too Much Information, with the saints you can pour it all out without any censoring required. The heavenly prayer warriors are always interceding for us and they can be trusted with all the information. But, contrary to my fears as a Protestant, it doesn't mean I'm giving worship to idols. I'm only asking for the prayers of my friends.