Why do Catholics worship Mary and believe the eucharist?

Question

isn't that cannibalism really?

Answer 1

Is this a christian trying to understand why Catholics worship a matriarch instead of a patriarch?

If that's the case, I'll refrain from answering.

Answer 2

First, we do not "worship" Mary; we revere her and she is special because she is the mother of Jesus. Second, as for believing in the "Eucharist" I believe you are referring more to transubstantiation, which is when, at the moment the little bells are rung, the host and wine turn into the body and blood of Christ. if you do not belive this, you should not take Communion in a Catholic Church. All other Christian sects (protestant) see Communion as symbolic, not flesh and blood. I can see your point where people say that transubstantiation and taking of Communion means you are a cannibal, but I find something different and better about it as opposed to Protestant churches, and I have been to Pentecostal, Assemblies of God, Baptist and non-denominational despite being Catholic. I have taken Communion in all of them. I prefer to only go to Catholic Mass but my husband gets bored and sometimes needs the worship style of a non-denominational Christian church. My problem with that church is that, like other non-Catholic churches I have been to, people want to pull me into social activities and I am not into that. I am a loner and a hermit.

Answer 3

Catholics do NOT worship Mary? They honor her as the mother of Jesus just as we all honor our own mothers. It is just as simple as that.
Belief in the Eurcharist was commanded by Jesus in the Bible. It was such a hard saying that many left him, but Jesus refused to water down His statement. but insisted we had to eat His body and drink his blood.
The Eucharist comes in the FORM AND APPEARANCES OF BREAD AND WINE. Chemical analysis still shows it to be bread and wine. It nourishes the body as bread and wine, not as flesh and blood. Human bodies are in the form and appearances of flesh and blood, and could nourish us as flesh and blood. Hence, no casnnibalism here. However, the Eucharist is substantially the Body and Blood of Jesus.

Answer 4

+ 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, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

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.

Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946

+ The Blessed Virgin Mary +

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Luke 1:42).

In Luke 1:48, Mary prophesied: "From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

The Hail Mary prayer simply recites Bible passages (the Word of God) and asks Mary to pray for us:

Hail Mary Full of grace, the Lord is with you. (These are the words the angel Gabriel said to Mary, a Bible quote.)

Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. (This is Mary's cousin Elizabeth's greeting, another bible quote.)

Holy Mary, (The angel Gabriel said she was full of grace and Elizabeth said she was blessed.)

Mother of God, (the Bible says Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, God the Son)

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. (A simple request to pray for us.)

Amen.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 2673 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt4sect1chpt2art2.htm

+ The Eucharist +

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” Then he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.”

Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through a miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where God, acting through the priest, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.

By the way, the Orthodox, Lutheran and many Anglican Churches also believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1322 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.htm

+ With love in Christ.