Do you believe in worshiping Mary and the saints?

Question

Now, I had a question a while ago and it had a couple of people accusing me as Lutheran.O_O Well, I'm not. I don't believe in worshiping some guy, I just had a question of frustration at the Church. Now, Jesus made things easier for us by dying on that cross. He said to get to God we go to Him. Simple. Yet many catholics out there worship Mary and the saints. They were human. I respect them but I don't believe in worshiping them. I believe they're a role model. Not another god.

Answer 1

Catholics do NOT worship Mary and the saints, nor have they ever. Where on earth do you get this idea?

We honor Mary ("hyperdulia" -- great honor) and the saints ("dulia" -- honor) because they led holy lives and are now members of the Communion of Saints -- that is, the Body of Christ in Heaven and on Earth. They can pray for us, just as any other believer can.

Worship ("latria" -- worship) is reserved for God and God Alone. No human being is worthy of worship, and the Catholic Church has NEVER taught otherwise.

Next time before you state things as 'facts,' how about checking with those of us who are Catholic and have studied our faith. We'd be happy to explain what we believe and why we believe it.

Answer 2

>>>Yet many catholics out there worship Mary and the saints. >>>

No, we don't. There is nothing Catholic about worshipping Mary or the saints. We worship only God.

Anyone who worships Mary or the saints is NOT acting in line with Catholic teaching. They are, as they say, on their own if that's what they choose to do.

We Catholics hold Mary and the saints in very high esteem. But we absolutely do not worship them. Holding someone in very high esteem is not the same as worship. Again, we worship only God.

Attend a Catholic Mass sometime. You'll find that Mary and the saints are barely mentioned at all -- and never in a way that can reasonably be construed as worship.

And the Mass is the high point of Catholic worship. So, no doubt if we truly worshipped Mary or the saints, they would be mentioned repeatedly throughout the Mass -- but they are not, because we do not worship them.

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Answer 3

As a lapsarian Catholic, I could say you do a unfavorable pastime of providing Catholic doctrine. All "saints" are seen by utilising the Church to be persevering with contributors of the Church and for this reason as able to praying on behalf of others as residing contributors of the Church. that's what "communion of saints" ability, Christians residing AND lifeless. Catholics honor the saints (dulia), a prepare grown out of the veneration of departed martyrs interior the early Church. Mary is given better veneration (hyperdulia) with the aid of fact of her intimate connection to Christ. None of them are "worshipped" (latria) under any definition. people who think of they are "worshipping" Mary at the instant are not following Church coaching. no person yet God has any supernatural power. Saints can basically pray alongside with the Church to God. If something, you have created extra confusion.

Answer 4

Catholics do not worship the Blessed Virgin Mary or the other saints.

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Nesh Tea, it looks like you got your answer. I also thought that the Catholics worshipped the virgin Mary and the Saints. Now, we know. I'm glad to hear it.

Answer 6

Agree. I do not believe in worshiping Mary and saints. Sadly, the Mary that is spoon-fed to eagerly believing Catholics is not the Mary of the Bible.

The Mary of the Bible said she was in a sad state, to do the will of Jesus, and that she was in dire need of a Savior.

The Mary of the Catholic faith is a source of holiness, an intercessor, queen over all things and recipient of prayer. Now, Catholics claim they don't pray to Mary, but they are worshiping in a system that teaches:

"By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the 'Mother of Mercy', the All Holy One...May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing....." pg644 #2677 (Catholic Doctrine).

I would ask all Catholics who claim they don't pray to Mary, how they feel about the above doctrine. I would also ask them if they are familiar with the children of Israel who made cakes and sought after a "Queen of Heaven" - and how God dealt with them.

Answer 7

Not being a Catholic I could be wrong about this but it seems to me that they don't actually worship Mary or the saints but they honor them and ask for their intervention and help. A Catholic could explain this better,I know.

Answer 8

I am a devout Catholic -- we do NOT worship Mary nor the saints!
Have some indeed through the centuries gone overboard in their devotion to her? -- Absolutely! Don't many fundies go overboard with their certain preachers -- "I'm for Joel Osteen!" "I'm for Oral Roberts!" "I'm for Benny Hinn!" Some of these mere humans have next to superstar status -- but the fundies never seem to notice that! Oh, no!

God is "God of the living and not of the dead" (MT 22:32) -- right? We Catholics believe that Mary and the saints and other faithful departed are alive and are capable of joining us in prayer.

And St. Paul 1I urges, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone (1 Tim 2:1)....so what is wrong with asking someone who is ALIVE in heaven to join with me in prayer? I do not pray TO Mary....I ask her intercession. Why? Paul says its ok....in fact, he "URGES" it.....

Read the book of Revelation -- 3 times the writer mentions bringing the "prayers of the saints" before the throne of God: 5:8; 8:3; 8:4.

If YOU had a younger brother suffering from leukemia or other illness, would you really shoulder that burden alone -- or would you ask family, friends, fellow church members to join in prayer for him as well? If Mary were sitting next to you in Church -- the Mother of your Redeemer (without whom we would have no redeemer) -- would you find it difficult to turn to her and to ask for prayer? Why not ask her now that she reigns with him in heaven?

Wait!!!! You mean she reigns with him in Heaven???!!! Isn't that blasphemy? Nope....its our destiny in Christ: "if we endure, we will also reign with him (2 Tim 2:12).

Even while she was on earth, she lived only in service to her son. At that wedding in Cana (see John 2), she simply made an observation and presented the need on behalf of the bride and groom to her son: "They have no more wine" (JN 2:3).

Even though Jesus appears to chastise her for doing so and tells her that "My time has not yet come" (JN 2:4) -- he turns around and accommodates her -- after she makes her bold "proclamation of faith" -- "Do whatever he tells you" (JN 2:5). She KNEW what he was all about! He answers her request!!!! He apparently didn't notice that the couple had run out of wine and would be embarrassed (weddings in those days lasted a week). She made the observation, presented the request -- and claimed none of the credit -- but directed those involved to her Son -- "Do whatever he tells you".

Throughout ancient history, the kings in the line of Judah ALWAYS honored their mother (EX 20:10) by special recognition. In fact, read how King Solomon received his mother into his throne room -- he got off his throne, greeted her and BOWED DOWN to her!!! He also told her that he would "not refuse" her request -- see 1 Kings 2:19-20. And just who do you suppose was seated at the king's right hand -- in another throne? Not any of Solomon's 400 wives or 300 concubines -- but his own mother, Bathsheba. Jesus would have been very familiar with this great tradition.

And so when we Catholics ask Mary and the saints to join us in prayer -- they do so that God may be glorified in and through his Son, Jesus. In their righteousness, they do not seek their own glory -- but the glory of Him who called them unto himself.

For more on the Queenship of Mary, check out the site below!

Answer 9

They're not worshipping Mary or the saints. They revered them. Don't forget when the angel came to Mary he called her blessed among all women. She was in a sense the first christian.

Answer 10

NO!...Saints is a label the catholic church started many yrs. ago.
Call them the Heavenly Anointed ones. When they are resurrected, to heaven they are elevated to a higher degree than the Angles. If you are talking about Mary the mother of Jesus, she will be among the Anointed ones there. your right we go to through Jesus to get to God, he taught us that.
Peace......