According to 'Intercession of Saints' adherents, is two-way communication between the dead and the living possible?

According to ”Intercession of Saints” adherents, is two-way communication between the saints that have died and the living possible?

The short answer is yes.

First of all, all such communications with the saints is not to look on as in a frivolous manner. This is not the place to talk to St. Peter about what is his favourite fish to eat while in Galilee.

We generally pray to the saints. That is we will make some sort of a petition to them for aide or help in some aspect of our lives or someone else’s.

For the most part, this seems almost like a oneway conversation. For example, someone may ask the Virgin Mary to heal them from some form of physical ailment. Eventually he or she may or may not get a healing. Even if healed, chances are that the Virgin Mary never spoke a word. But then get healed may speak volumes.

Nevertheless, a two-way communication between us and the saints (or the Holy Souls in purgatory) is quite possible, yet rare.

I can remember reading the biography of St. John Vianney by Mgr. François Trochu (The Cure d'Ars: St. Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney...) At one point while at Ars he was told someone that he was somewhat distraught because he had not been able to talk with the Virgin Mary for a few days.

At Fatima, the three children asked Mary questions and received answers. The Virgin Mary asked them questions and they replied to her inquiries.

During the first apparition, Our Lady asked the children, “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings he wills to send you?” In the following months and years, the children did indeed suffer. Their family, friends, and neighbors mocked, threatened, and even imprisoned them. Through it all, they remained steadfast and “bore these sufferings with supernatural grace.” (Fatima for Today, 44–45, 180–181, 186–187)

When Lucia asked the Blessed Mother to heal certain persons, Our Lady answered, “I will cure some but not others.” As we reflect on Our Lady’s words, we spontaneously ask ourselves, “Why some or why not others?”

Why some and not others? To this Our Lady responded: “God knows man and is doubtful of many of his intentions.”

I guess what G.K. Chesterton once said must be true, “It is good for a Christian to get into a lot of hot water; it keeps him clean!”

No one has had a much fame in my own opinion as having a two-way communication with the saints than St. Joan of Arc. No doubt, because everything she told her accusers at trial was written down. For example, when she was asked if she had heavenly visitors while in prison, she replied affirmatively. I asked them how to answer you. “And did they answer you?” Asked Bishop Cauchon. The Maid of Orleans replied: “They told me to answer you boldly!”

Some even doubted St. Joan’s visions and tried to fool her, which never worked.

Around 1424, when Joan was about 12, she started to have visions of Saint Catherine and Margaret (two early Christian martyrs) and Saint Michael, the Archangel. She was murdered in 1429 at the age of 19.

One day she told the Dauphin something only he and God were aware of and that changed everything.

When the King was old, he revealed the secret to a friend.

On that day when they went apart together at Chinon, Joan reminded him of the secret prayer which, as I told you, the Dauphin had made when alone, asking that he might know whether he really was the son of the late King, and himself the rightful King of France.

"You are the rightful King," Joan said.

When the Dauphin heard her words, he made things go on quicker. Priests were sent to Joan's village to find out if she had been a good girl when she was at home. Then she was taken to Poitiers, to be examined by many learned men, priests and lawyers. They tried to perplex her by their questions, but she was straightforward, and told them how the Voices had come to her. One man asked her to give a sign by working a miracle.

"I have not come to Poitiers to give signs," said Joan; "but let me go to Orleans, and you shall see what I will do." - How the Maid saw the Dauphin

How a girl of no learning was able to outwit intellectually 50 lawyers at her trial is in itself miraculous and defies reason.

It seems unjust that Joan was condemned to death when she was the one who saved France from England. Joan of Arc was an innocent victim of political and national controversies. In May 13, 1920 Pope Benedict XV declared her to be one of God’s great servants and declared she was to be honored as Saint Joan, Virgin. Her spiritual companions had taught her well.