If you have attended an anglo-catholic parish you may have heard the commemoration of a Saint. Why is it that we do this? Is this because the Roman Church does this practice? Is it because we are praying to saints? Are we saying they give us their grace?
All of these questions are questions that people think when they attend an anglo-catholic mass and hear these Collects. The reason for these commemorations is not for any of these reasons. It is done for two reasons:
- we recognise the fact that the Church is built on the blood of these martyrs. Their sacrifice reminds us of the fact that the Church has endured because of their sacrifice.
- we can also learn more about the history of the Church. Each of these saints that we commemorate has made a sacrifice to our Church. They have a place in history and we should recognise that we are part of one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
It is our hope that you would look at these saints and see who they were in the context of church history and see what they sacrificed for the benefit of the Church. We pray that all would see that they had good and bad. We are not sating they were perfect. However, we are saying that they should give us hope that we can do our part for the Church. They are a reminder of the need of sanctification in all of our lives. May we live a life devoted to God and receive the promises of Christ.
In Christ,
Fr. Brandon Cribbs
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