How does asking saints for prayers differ from the occult practice of necromancy?
Necromancy is the occult practice of attempting to summon spirits of the dead through séances, mediums, or conjuring in order to gain hidden information or power, which the Church strictly condemns (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). In stark contrast, Catholic prayer to the saints is simply asking our living brothers and sisters in Christ who are alive in heaven to intercede for us before the throne of God. As Jesus proved, God 'is not the God of the dead, but of the living' (Mark 12:27). It is the same as asking a Christian friend on earth to pray for you.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2116-2117
- Mark 12:27
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.