Wow, some of your parishes are really not Catholic then. I've attended at least four Catholic Churches who say that praying to the saints is optional and that one doesn't need to do as such to be a Catholic.
No, you have simply misunderstood.
I am talking about belief . .
It is a doctrine of the Catholic faith, part of the doctrine of the communion of saints, that we can pray to the saints.
This must be
believed.
That is what I was saying. lloj does not believe this, and so is unorthodox in his belief regarding this. That was the point I was trying to make with this.
But to address your understanding a little bit further.
We are all to "assist" with Mass. That means we are all to participate in the Mass, in its prayers, etc.
We pray to the Saints in the Mass. We ask the Saints to pray for us and with us.
This is not optional belief or practice. It is required belief and practice.
What is optional is PRIVATE DEVOTION and prayer to the saints. One is not required to have such devotion or to pray to the sants in private.
I hope that helps to clarify the issue for you.
So are you guys united or not? Seems to me the answer is no.
No, you simply misunderstood what was being said, or those teaching did a poor job.
But that does not mean the Catholic Church is divided for the Catholic Church does not teach two opposing doctrines. If some individuals do not properly understand or know now to explain the doctrines of the Church, that is their personal failing. It does not mean the Church is divided.
I hope that helps to better clarify this for you.
And, anyway, we consider those that pray to Saints rather than God to be unorthodox.
That is your choice of course.
However, lloj asked why he shouldn't become EO instead of Catholic, and so I explained why. And of course the EO consider belief in praying to the Saints orthodox belief just as Catholics do, and anything that denies that unorthodox.
The same Church that defined the Trinity as orthodox belief also taught praying to the Saints is orthodox belief.
Touche! LOL
