serious question for Catholics- looking for first-hand knowledge?

Question

Just want to know-

I've often heard (and from what I've seen, it does seem) that praying to Mary is an important part of your religion. Are there places (not necessarily at Church) where people sing to Mary, kiss statues of her, or kneel to (or bow) in front of a statue of her (I assume this would be done while praying to her)? I've heard that happens, but have you (as a Catholic) personally ever heard of or seen this? What would you think of that kind of behavior?

Answer 1

*Is Catholic*

Catholics don't understand "PRAYING" the same way as Protestants do. Protestants tend to think that all prayer is an act of adoration. Catholics do not think that. There is a vastly different understanding as well as to what it means to "petition" an individual. Let me say this to be very clear, prayers to Mary such as the HAIL MARY are not acts of adoration or worship.

The Marian prayers are important parts of Catholicism because Mary is seen as the 2nd Eve, the Mother of Christ, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of all Christians. Mary is seen as the most perfect human person and the ideal of what we are to become in our humanity. Christ is a divine person...the God Man, who is worthy to be worshiped and as Catholic become more conformed to Christ they are also becoming closer to being the perfect Catholic, who is Mary.

As for the things you listed, I have seen them all. However if that is shocking, then you must be completely blown away by the way we worship Christ as well as the Trinity. Seriously, the Marian stuff is tame compared to the way we act towards Christ.

Answer 2

The authority of the Church rests on three pillars:

Scripture- The Bible is the inerrant word of God and is to be read as the earliest Christians read it: in the light of Tradition and under the guidance of those ordained to teach.

Tradition-the teachings which the Church has preserved and passed down from Christ, His Apostles, and the unanimous teachings of the early Church Fathers .

Magisterium - the teaching authority of the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Church has 7 Sacraments -- "outward signs of invisible grace" and media of sanctifying grace. The Sacraments were given to us by Christ so that we may receive His grace and become more like Him. The Seven Sacraments are:

Baptism
Confirmation -Sacrament of the Seal
Eucharist
Penance
Holy Matrimony
Holy Orders
Extreme Unction

The Church teaches by looking not only at Sacred Scripture, but into History and by reading what the earliest Christians have written, what those who've sat on the Chair of Peter have spoken consistently with Scripture and Tradition, and what they've solemnly defined.
To believe that the Bible is our only source of Christian Truth is unbiblical and illogical

Answer 3

You are right it is important. In fact it is essential. It is part of the Canon of the Mass. All Catholics ask for Mary’s intersession as they address there own spiritual sacrifice to the Father.

I love her dearly, because Jesus said Behold thy Son. If Mary is to behold that means she is ready to love me always in the love of God. The same spirit in St. John was in Mary and her son. This same spirit is according to John Paul II a gift in its eternity. The Holy Spirit has begotten God in a woman’s womb as they share each other’s fluids in the natural way. Jesus said that if we believe everything he said while on the cross we will be saved with all that it entails throughout the bible. (cf. Jn 3:10f.)

So if you love Mary and you can never see her. What would you do if she mailed a picture to you? You might do everything under the sun with it.

Answer 4

I've personally never heard or see anything like that, but there IS a statue of Mary in our church that speaks to me when I look at her. Several times I've felt the need to reach out and touch her.

Answer 5

I am not Catholic, but I've observed this many times.

At every wedding I've ever attended held at a Catholic Church, the bride at one point, goes over to a statue of Mary and knees there while someone sings "Ave Maria" or they play it on the organ.

I visited the San Gabriel Catholic Mission in San Gabriel California last March and observed people on their knees, praying at the foot of a statue of Mary.

They also had a little altar there where people hit lit candles.

I think its a violation of what God told us NOT TO DO in Exodus chapter 20.

4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

That's what I think.

Pastor Art

Answer 6

At Mass, there may be the odd statue, but no one pays them attention when they come in, and no part of the Mass prays to any but GOD. The Mass has nothing to do with statuary. The statue of Mary is no where near the Activity of the Mass, where I have seen one, and looks as a mere Icon of the Woman victorious over satan, as a picture of the Bride of CHRIST, represented in Her most honorable member.

No one bows to a Crucifex even. Some might see someone bow to the INVISIBLE GOD and might be noticing something visible in that direction faced that the one bowing isn't even aware of. Or one might mistake as bowing to an Image of the Passion, what is really someone seeing it, then being swept away in their minds to the cross, before the scene of Calvary, and bowing as though present there. A lot gets misjudged.

In the Byzantine Liturgy, we kneel while saying "HOLY HOLY HOLY LORD SABAOTH," and all that follows. That is the highest point of the Mass, the only other points nearing it being the connection of the Congregation to the LORD in HIS Passion, and in partaking with HIM in HIS Eucharist. Praising the DIVINE TRINITY is the greatest thing of all, being Worship of GOD, shared in with the Angels and Saints in Heaven. The Next highest points are for our sake, but show the Infinite Honor of ONE of the TRINITY in HIS Infinite Humiliation for us, out of the Infinite Glory of the Love and Grace of the TRINITY.

In the Byzantine Liturgy, we must stand after that Worship is rendered to GOD alone, and only after no longer kneeling is there a mention of the Honor of those that have proved their Worship of GOD, beginning with Mary. No where are we allowed to bow to Mary.

In all Masses, we bow only to GOD. In the Latin Rite, the only times the Mass mentions Mary is when we ask one another, and Mary, and all the Saints and Angels to pray for us to GOD, after admitting that we have willfully committed whatever sins we did, even as the Scripture says to confess our sins one to another. There is no evidence that this public confession ever occurred in any other way than this. (This is different from the Confession before Apostolic Successors and Priests mentioned in 1st John and near trhe end of John's Gospel). Here, then, the only time Mary (along with all in the room, and all Saints and Angels) are addressed, we are only enjoining one another to prayer to GOD alone, which then comes next.

Then, once or at most twice, Mary is mentioned at the head of a list of Heroes of the Faith, as being someone we want to join the ranks of in Heaven, as GOD's Faithful Saints, and it is mentioned that this Cloud of Witnesses prays for us all. There is no address of any Saint in this.

I used to be a fanatical Catholic-hater, but I now know the truth of all things.

Some Catholics are ignorant of Catholicism, and do things forbidden. For example, the Catechism forbids Images of the INVISIBLE GOD, and says that no more than historical representations of the LORD's Humanity can be protrayed.

Those that break rules usually believe crazy things against the Pope, against the use of the present form of the Liturgy, and against every Catholic Prophecy, while preferring only questionable alleged "Marian oracles". For example, while being quick to believe dubious "Marian prophecies" which are going around, the same people often don't believe anything prophesied by any Catholic Prophet since the first century, through the middle ages, up to nearly the present.

Answer 7

I came from a large catholic family.
I'm a fundamentalist christian now.
Worship of Mary is idolatry
Jesus is the only way to the Father.
Jesus is the only one that answers prayers.
Mary has no authority over Jesus.
Romans 10

Answer 8

Yes, I do all these above mentioned actions myself. I love my Heavenly Mother. I show Her that I love and honour Her by physical acts of bowing,kneeling, and kissing a statue that represents Her. I show Her my deep appreciation and gratitude for bringing my Saviour into the world and for undergoing great hardships for me and my salvation . By Her Fiat , Our Lady negated Eve's disobedience. For that I will forever show my love and gratitude.

God is most pleased with the obedience, purity and submission of His Mother to His Will and is most pleased with those who honor Her. Satan hates Her because She will crush his head with Her Heel. She is called 'Mediatrix of all graces'. Whoever loves Her and prays to Her for help is granted great gifts and graces which bring them closer to Christ. She points to Her Son and Heaven and will help you get there quickly, than if you ventured on your own.

Answer 9

As a former Catholic, I can say that what you describe is accurate.
As to what I think of this behavior, as an atheist, I see no value in it, except that it might make one feel good.