Expert: Tom Schott - 5/23/2004

Question
I have been thinking about this question for a long time but didn't ask those around me 'cos I'm afraid they might laugh at my stupid question. With regards to prayers offered through the Virgin Mary and the saints, since we all pray in different languages, did they acquire the ability to understand all the languages of men after they went to Heaven? Before they went to Heaven, they were humans like us escept for their holy lives. But how do they now, like God, able to hear prayers from everywhere on earth, and all at the same time, even many are silent prayers of the heart? Isn't this saying that they are now omnipotent and omnipresent? Thanks.

Answer
Steve,

 Sorry I thought I had already answered this question. What I said was that we can assume that Mary and the saints having now acquired resurrected bodies and the supernatural powers that go with it, would not have a language barrier to deal with. It is not the same as saying they are either omnipresent or omnipotent, qualities that belong to God alone. We must again assume that as beings with powers far beyond our own, they have the ability to hear our prayers. Hope this helps.

Deacon Tom