Catechumate Topic: Mary and the Saints

Catechumenate Topic: Mary and the Saints


In the Creed we say we believe in the communion of Saints. What does this term Saint mean? A saint is a person who has been sanctified by Christ. All the faithful are then Saints. A canonized saint is someone the Church recognizes as having lived a life of heroic virtue and now enjoys eternity with God.

The church is a community of faithful believers sanctified by Christ, it is a communion of saints, all participating in the life of Christ.

The Church has only three demographics; pilgrims journeying toward our final destiny, the dead who are being purified in purgatory, and the blessed in heaven. These are referred to as the Church Pilgrim or Militant, the Church Suffering, and Church Triumphant. 2 Mac 12:45

As a community of believers it is our duty to care for each other, especially through prayer, and to support each other. So we pray for one another but also the Church Suffering. The Church Triumphant never ceases to pray for us, and this is why we ask Saints to pray for us.

Mary is the first among all Saints, indeed she is the first Christian. By her ‘yes’ or ‘fiat’ Christ was made present to humanity. Does not our yes do the same in a smaller way?

In anticipation of merits of Christ, Mary was preserved of the stain of Original sin so that she might be a suitable vessel for the incarnation of the Lord. She still had free will but through her life remained sinless. The conception of Mary without the stain of original sin is known as the Immaculate Conception.

Because of her vow of celibacy Mary was Virgin, and remained so her entire life. At the end of her days, she was assumed into Heaven as a sign of the heavenly destiny all Christians share.

As the Mother of the King, Mary is the Queen of Heaven. As the Mother of Christ, Mary is also the Heavenly Mother of all Christians who are Christ’s body. As mother she continues to look after her children with the love and care that is beyond expectations.