What is a Saint, and Who Goes to Heaven?

This past weekend, the Catholic Church enjoyed a rare celebration of the canonization of two of it's former leaders, John XXIII (pictured) and John Paul II. In the ceremony, both men were recognized and publicly proclaimed as saints.

We understand that sainthood for an individual bestows upon them some special designation and title, but do you really understand what makes someone a saint?

Have you ever considered the question for yourself: could I be a saint? Could someone you know, or have known, in your life be a saint?

The answer to that question leads to an even bigger one, so let's answer it quickly and get on to that bigger question. Yes, you may be a saint. Yes, you may have known saints during your life, personally and intimately. In fact, I am quite sure that every single human life is touched by saints on a regular basis.

The difference between those formally proclaimed as a "saint" by the Church and the ones that most of us encounter in our daily lives is in the process of formal recognition and proclamation, as well as the degree in which they served God during their lifetime.

The One True God is to be Adored

There is a tremendous amount of misinformation out there in the world among other religions regarding the presence of statues in church and in the homes of Catholics. They have the false idea that we 'worship' these objects.

Some have the idea that we actually ask for those designated as Saints to answer our prayers. They believe that we raise these objects and people to a place intended only for God Himself, and so we are basically a bunch of 'idol worshipers' who give our attention to 'false gods'.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Catholic Church interpretation of the First Commandment goes something like this: 'Being the one true God, He alone is to be adored. All rendering to creatures of the worship which belongs to Him falls under the ban of His displeasure.'

In the Church, the making of 'graven things' is condemned. Not all pictures, drawings, photos, paintings, statues, and other works of art, but instead those that are intended to be adored and served.

Idolatry, or the worshiping of idols such as statues or paintings as being divine, is forbidden in the Church. In the Church, this idea has been extended to the worship of anyone or anything but the one true God. It even extends to worshiping the one true God in the wrong ways.