Catholics, Why pray to MotherMary and other saints?

Question

I am a firm believer that catholics as well as all denominations of christianity are one in the same religion with some different traditions and customs. But we all worship the same God who sent his son down to earth etc... you know the rest of this amazing story.
My question to catholics is, on what basis do you pray to Mary and other saints? I don't see any evidence of the disciples or anybody else doing that after jesus death in the new Testament. No where does God ask us this of his followers in the Bible. Do you think that God cannot handle all the prayers and requests we as a human race have, so that he needs help with them?
I apologise if this comes across as a condescending question, I only ask this out of pure curiousity.

Answer 1

To be dead is to be Alive in Christ. Heaven, therefore, is a place for the Living, not the Dead. Those who have gone before, then, are not dead but are alive.

Prayer, as defined by most catholics, is the idea simply of speaking with those in heaven, and should be viewed as no different than picking up a cell phone to call your mother. There would be no sin in calling your mom on the phone and asking her to pray for you, so why would there be any sin in 'calling' St. Thomas, an example of piety and intense devotion to the understanding of theology, to as him to pray with you in worship of the One God. In this, you are making the Saint's life an example uniquely suited to your place in life for seeing to the glory of God.

Saints and Mary are not worshipped. They are merely mortal signposts to point us to the one Way, Truth, and Life that is Jesus of Nazareth. They are reminders that we too can run the race -- and win.

[Wow, you really can take the boy out of the catholic but never the catholic outta the boy... would you believe I'm actually an atheist?]

Answer 2

i actually was raised catholic and this was never really fully expained to me either. Mary is the intercessor to God according to catholic tradition. I no longer beieve in this, and the best way to explain it to you would be that the catholic church is a very old christian religion which has become over shrouded in tradition and laws made up by the rulers of the church. Some are good, some not so much. A couple I dont agree with are that preists don't marry and also, praying to Mary and the saints. There are many good things about catholic beliefs, however, and I agree that all christianls are of one faith, it's the darn man-made religion that gets in the way

Answer 3

Catholics are truly members of God's extended family ... and that family extends from earth all the way to heaven.

Once baptized, we have the right to speak with any other member of the church we choose to, including all three persons of the Holy Trinity.

Everyone in heaven is of God, and everyone in heaven is on the same page.

This takes nothing away from God, as God's grace is the only reason there are any saints at all.

The other reason we enlist the aid of those in heaven is because God will often times grant their requests, because they merit it, when he wouldn't normally grant one of ours, because we don't.

When that occurs, it reallly is a miracle, and it often changes lives for the better.

Salvation is not a one time event. It's only the beginning.

As St. Paul said, one must keep their eyes on the finish line, and run the race to the end.

It helps to have a few heavenly cheer leaders rooting for you when things get tough.

In fact, it often makes all the difference.

Either way, it happens only by the grace of God, and according to his express will.

Protestants don't understand this stuff, because they missed the first 1500 years of Christianity, and then they made up ther own quaint traditions, based only on their faulty interpretation of scripture.

Pity.

Answer 4

each and all the real Christian believer are the saints, no longer basically particular people who die and then in case you pray to them approximately something and it comes real then it`s a miracle. If something like this occurs 3 or I don`t be responsive to what number circumstances then that ineffective guy or woman is declared a saint by skill of the Catholic Pope and it is likewise declared as such by skill of the Catholic church. it rather is between the justifications I`m no longer a Catholic from now on, it rather is a faux doctrine. Jesus on no account gave the church such skill because it could be "judging" others, basically the father can choose. it is likewise a variety of worshipping somebody who isn't God. All Christians are to worship basically God, neither are we to make graven photographs to worship. you are able to pray for the saints mutually as they are alive, while they die you do no longer even pray for them from now on. We pray to the father interior the direction of the intersession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. it rather is all it rather is needed of the "saints" or the church, there is not any "judgement" basically God the father will choose, no longer any people.

Answer 5

Catholics, myself included, are very lazy and inaccurate in our speech. We don't exactly pray TO Mary and the saints; we ask them to pray WITH us to God.

Why would we do such a thing? For me, it boils down to psychology. How many people talk to their loved ones after they have died? If this sounds silly, think about what people do when they visit a person's grave. As human beings, we need to be connected, and we often crave a connection to those who have already died.

Setting aside Vatican lists and whatnot, saint are simply men and women who have lived lives that we consider to be good and holy and exemplary for others. Sometimes they were known for certain aspects of their lives, and we might think "what would so-and-so do?" So we look to their examples and ask them to help us pray to God.

We certainly don't NEED to pray to the saints. (See, I just used the lazy speech again.) For me personally, it is sometimes easier to form my prayer in the form of a conversation and knowing that Mary and the others were actual human beings who lived on this earth makes it a bit easier for me. If you'll excuse the humor, Jesus never menstrated, nor did he have children. If I'm struggling with an issue like that and feel the need for some help in my prayer, I'll probably want the example of a woman. I'm still praying to God, just going about a certain way of forming my prayer.

Don't worry - God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are still #1. In no way, shape, or form are Mary or any of the saints divine or anywhere near the level of God.

Answer 6

Jesus' mother is with him in Heaven. The commandments say to "Honor thy Father and thy Mother", so Jesus is Lord -- how else would he honor his Mother besides bringing her to Heaven. He has brought several Prophets to Heaven already plus the Saints so why not his Mother? I t would be just cruel not to. He has given her to us as our Mother too from the cross. I believe that she, as our Mother, can speak to Jesus on our behalf just like a real Mother speaks to her husband on her children's behalf on Earth. I think that yes, there is no other mediator between man and God but, Jesus but, Mary can be a mediator with him.

Answer 7

Jenny. We can talk directly to God. Its called prayer. God wants a personal relationship with you. He is interested in every area of your life. He wants to be involved in every area of your life. All you need to do is allow Him to. Jenny I take it you are Catholic? If so break free from there man made traditions and get yourself into a Bible believing chuch and become the woman God created you to be. Amen and Peace out...................We need only pray to God and God alone. Mary can not save us, the church can not save us and saints can not save us. Read the Bible forget all the idols and works the church says you must do. When you read the Bible and get into a relationship with the Lord all will fall into place. Once again Amen and Peace out...........

Answer 8

I don't understand it either but I have seen miracles resulting from prayers to Mary. I can't criticize Catholics on that basis...maybe a Catholic here can explain.

Answer 9

Ignorance of GOD's will can make you sin like the Catholics praying to Mother Mary and other saints.
It is clearly stated in the Bible that a servant of the LORD must pray to the God the Father.

Philippians 4:6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

But let us not be angry with the Catholic members, let us blame it on their priests and pastors who are not teaching the Gospel.

Answer 10

"Pray" has multiple meanings in English (a language that did not exist in biblical times). "Pray" means to entreat or implore, "to make a request in a humble manner", or "to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving". Since the Bible says we should "pray for one another" (James 5:16), we pray (implore) Mary and other saints to pray (address God) for us and with us. If you examine the "Hail Mary", you will notice we ask Mary to "pray FOR us".

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/pray