How many of you believe Catholics worship Mary and idols?

Question

Hello, I just want to know if anyone thinks this, because I have heard it a few times.
I wish to set the records straight.
Catholics do not WORSHIP Mary, we HONOR her and ask her to pray for us. Also we have statues in church for decoration, and if anything it just helps us create a visual in our mind when we are talking to God. Also, we have saints that are people we look up to, who are in heaven with Jesus, who also help pray for us.
I hope it is more clear now... I just wanted to let people know :]
Sorry if I sounded confusing or whatever, I tried my best.
I think we are always unclear about eachother's religions, and it's great to educate people about stereotypes that are untrue about your faith.
Thanks for listenening, maybe you can tell me if it helped you understand my faith better... I have been a Catholic all my life, and I love sharing my beliefs, I just don't like it when people become confused.. Thanks..

Like Christians we worship God. We believe in God the father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit. They are all one God, yet united together. :]

This is the Hail Mary-
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou, amoung women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy whom, Jesus
Hail Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the end of our death,
Amen

That is our prayer, it is beautiful, in which we are not saying she's God or anything, we are praying for her help, because after all she is the father of Jesus.

Answer 1

When I was small I used to say 10 Hail Mary's and one "our father in Heaven" every morning b4 going to school. And b4 going to sleep at night I pray to St.Micheal and Gabriel to protect me while sleep. Yes mostly of the prayers I do for Mary, is to ask forgiveness through her and guidance. My High school is baptized to Mary, "Stella Maris" and I have experienced her guidance and protection at all times. Now I'm a big boy busy with ma Work and all and do pray often other than the Sunday Mass.

So as a catholic I have always worshiped virgin Mary. The statues in the church not just for decoration, but to pray to her. I have witnessed in my own eyes, miracles through Mary. I have seen in my own eyes, statues of crying Mary. As catholics we are so clear about other religions. But we don't run around boasting and arguing with others. Whoever wants to believe in it will experience the religion itself and once a catholic will always be a catholic for this protection and guidance. Many do argue today about religion, God and every other aspects of life, as the bible explains we are at the end of the world. So be aware. Don't just get blown in the wind of change.

Answer 2

yes i think they do. my parents wanted me to go to a private school when i was younger and the only private school in town was a catholicone. and they did say prayers to mary and to saints, i really did not like it. im not catholic and i didnt believe it was right to pray to her, she is only a woman. they also talked about pergatory, which is not real. it is no where in the bible at all. i found they made up alot of their own stuff which i didnt think was right. i didnt pray to mary i just sat there quietly while the other kids did their thing. and when we had confession we'd have to ask the priest to forgive us, i thought that was totally wrong. no one can forgive us but JESUS and only JESUS. Jesus is the one who should be honored all the time, mary was just an ordinary woman. i can say this cause i had to go to a catholic school. i dont think catholics are bad people at all, infact the teachers were nice and so were the kids, just like everyone else. i know there are some christian catholics now, ones that have come around and got away from those catholic ways. they also didnt believe in having to confess w/ your mouth and asking Jesus to come into your heart and save you from your sins, like the bible says you have to do to be saved. being catholic was not for me and it still isnt. but if it works for you and you are happy then thats great! we all have our own thing and we all have a right to believe what we want. know whats weird? someone thought they saw a vision of mary on 1 of the bridges here and all the catholics flocked to the bridge and bowed and prayed to her, i could not believe it. it was all over the front page of the news paper. that is praying to her. when intervied those people admitted to praying to mary, they even said thats why they were there. the whole thing was bogus.i went to the bridge the street lights were reflecting off the bridge at night and all the catholics just freaked out saying it was her. she is dead it cant be her, only jesus has powers to do stuff like that.

Answer 3

As a fellow Catholic I would like to thank you for "setting the record straight" however, unfortunately, noone listens! Another example I have found useful for the staues and paintings is the pictures we carry in our wallets,have on our desks, etc. of our family members...are we worshipping them? no we are remembering them, reverencing them, showing people the loves of our lives...why should we not hold in high regard the Mother of God, He did. Also the Hail Mary is in the New Testament taken straight from the mouth of Elizabeth when Mary visited

Answer 4

Why ask Mary to pray for you when Jesus already did the work. He died on the cross for our sins. Mary was just a vessel. As far as idols many Christians (non-catholics) wear a cross around their neck, on their shirt, or on their car thinking it makes them a better person. Don't be critical of the catholics before you look at yourself first.

Answer 5

I know they have a prayer to her hail Marys, don't know what that all about. I know Mary was a good woman, but never ever in my bible does it say she is worthy of any special prayer

Do you know that Jesus Christ has come? or are you still in the old testament, that would clear a lot up for me if you are still in the old testament

Answer 6

The only one that can answer your prayers is God. The only other people who can pray for you are the living ones.

Answer 7

Giving honor to Mary that is due to God, IS worship. I have many photos of Popes bowing down and praying and kissing lifeless idols. The idols at the Vatican that are within reach of the laity, have toes and such worn off from being kissed too much...this IS idolatry.

You should not pray to Mary for what you need; but God.

The other thing is that the pope's allow people to worship them, kissing their rings and bowing down to them...etc

Maybe you should see for yourself, from the "horses mouth" so to speak...here: (these are all moments of prayer (to idols)

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/photo/preghiera_01/ppages/ppage2.html

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/photo/preghiera_01/ppages/ppage18.html

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/photo/preghiera_01/ppages/ppage19.html


BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN???

(Luk 11:27) And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

(Luk 11:28) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

again (different translation)

(Luk 11:27) And it happened in His saying these things, lifting up her voice out of the crowd a certain woman said to Him, Blessed is the womb having borne You and the breasts which You sucked.

(Luk 11:28) But He said, No; rather, blessed are those hearing the Word of God, and keeping it.


Kings...no idols (fish crosses) here or paintings of "Jesus" either

Answer 8

It's kinda like that, we don't worship them but whe do belive in them in the way you said! Yeah im Catholic too and sometimes that ticks me off, people shouldn't make comments if they don't know anything about the religion.

Answer 9

Calling a chicken a duck does not make it a duck.

Praying to something for it to do something is acknowledging it's power as a God.

Catholics pray to hundreds of Gods because Catholics are pagans.

Answer 10

Hey you should find a Traditional Catholic Mass. The mass said in Latin. The new mass (in english) is not right.