Wht do Catholics worship Mary?

Question

Here's my real question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArNMXVZ9Fh6BN8rJrFlJa3_sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071124231244AAbYS23

I couldn't get it to post. But, hey, bash Catholics, and you're in.....

I know, (((link))); I'm a former Catholic myself :)

I hope all is well, my friend!

Answer 1

Catholics do not worship Mary or any other saints.

+ 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

A question for Christians who take the Bible literally: Do you call Mary "blessed"? If not, why?

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The Church teaches to worship God alone and prohibits the worship of the blessed mother or anyone else but God. the people posting here to the contrary must know that what they are saying is a lie. Certainly it is easy to verify their error with the catechism or with the Bible which is the written Word or Sacred Tradition of the Church written by His Church which is the very same Church being attacked by this very question and bigoted answers. I have never known anyone who worshiped the blessed mother and would be very surprised if I ever did. I am sure that if I did they would definitely NOT be Catholic.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 3

You understand the system, lol. Few questions will post and get attention as bashing us.
I do not understand Karl, but can't block people, sorry. It's possible he knows your smarter than most, so is intimidated a little.
Hope you had a great T-day. The weather during the Macy's parade this year looked great, the balloons looked great too. Scooby, Snoopy, et all.
Saw White Christmas already; and Tuesdays Charlie Brown Christmas (oops) well it's Americana so don't be mad I mentioned it. :)
29 days of anti Christmas questions for me to go, LOL. Then peace & quiet till Easter. (oops) Springtime.

Answer 4

What do they think God is doing when they are praying to Mary? Do they think He is asleep? They are sounding like the priests of Baal. When Peter ( you know, the guy who is supposed to be the first Pope ) said:

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting ALL your care upon him; for he careth for you.
( 1 Peter 5 )

Do they think that Peter was lying?

Is there something that God cannot hear? Is there something that He does not see? Is there anything that God does not know about? Where is God while they are praying to Mary? At Catechism?

Why is it taught in Roman Catholic doctrine to not trust God, but to trust Mary instead if they are the "Official Christian Church?"

Would there be anywhere in the Bible where it taught any saint to pray to other than God?

I don't think so!

What an obvious demonic teaching!

Answer 5

Catholics worship Mary because Constantine wrote the religion that way back in the 4th century. The foundations of the worship of Mary are oozing with paganism.

Answer 6

Mary is highly favored among women because she was chosen to be the mother of our Lord according to the flesh; Christians joyfully call her “blessed” for her unique privilege. However, Mary is not the Savior, nor is she the Mediator.

The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was conceived without sin; by her suffering she contributed to our salvation; ascended into Heaven and was appointed our mediatrix. She is also called our life and the gate of Heaven. None of this is taught in the Bible. On the contrary the Word of God teaches that Jesus was conceived without sin; He died for our sins; He ascended into heaven and He is the only mediator. He alone is our life and the gate to Heaven. We should therefore look to Jesus Christ.

Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-47). Mary desired the Lord’s exaltation, not her own. Moreover she plainly teaches us to look upon God for salvation, and not to herself or anyone else. God is “my Saviour,” she confesses.

We should call upon the name of Jesus, and not upon the name of Mary, because the apostle Peter declares, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Answer 7

When I was a Catholic (back in the Dark Ages) we didn't "worship" Mary. We asked her to pray for us. There's a big difference.

Edit: I guess I knew that. (((Hugs))) to you, my little French penguin!

Answer 8

Darn it all, your original question has gone away, so I'll never know. And I bet it was a good one, too. BTW Episcopalians revere Mary, but we don't actually ask Her to pray for us. We pray to follow her example.

Answer 9

Yes, The Bible is absolutely clear that we are to worship God alone. The only instances of anyone other than God receiving worship in the Bible are false gods, which are Satan and his demons. All followers of the Lord God refuse worship. Peter and the apostles refused to be worshipped (Acts 10:25–26; 14:13–14). The holy angels refuse to be worshipped (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). The response is always the same, “Worship God!”

Roman Catholics attempt to “bypass” these clear Scriptural principles by claiming they do not “worship” Mary or saints, but rather that they only “venerate” Mary and the saints. Using a different word does not change the essence of what is being done. A definition of “venerate” is “to regard with respect or reverence.” Nowhere in the Bible are we told to revere anyone but God alone. There is nothing wrong with respecting those faithful Christians who have gone before us (see Hebrews chapter 11). There is nothing wrong with honoring Mary as the earthly mother of Jesus. The Bible describes Mary as “highly favored” by God (Luke 1:28). At the same time, there is no instruction in the Bible to revere those who have gone to heaven. We are to follow their example, yes, but worship, revere, or venerate, no!

When forced to admit that they do, in fact, worship Mary, Catholics will claim that they worship God through her, by praising the wonderful creation that God has made. Mary, in their minds, is the most beautiful and wonderful creation of God, and by praising her, they are praising her Creator. For Catholics, this is analogous to directing praise to an artist by praising his sculpture or painting. The problem with this is that God explicitly commands against worshipping Him through created things. We are not to bow down and worship the form of anything in heaven above or earth below (Exodus 20:4–5). Romans 1:25 could not be more clear: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Yes, God has created wonderful and amazing things. Yes, Mary was a godly woman who is worthy of our respect. No, we absolutely are not to worship God “vicariously” by praising things (or people) He has created. Doing so is blatant idolatry.

The major way Catholics “venerate” Mary and the saints is by praying to them. But prayer to anyone other than God alone is anti-biblical. Whether Mary and/or the saints are prayed to, or whether they are petitioned for their prayers—neither practice is biblical. Prayer is an act of worship. When we pray to God, we are admitting that we need His help. Directing our prayers to anyone other than God is robbing God of the glory that is His alone.

Another way Catholics “venerate” Mary and the saints is by creating statues and images of them. Many Catholics use images of Mary and/or the saints as “good luck charms.” Any cursory reading of the Bible will reveal this practice as blatant idolatry (Exodus 20:4–6; 1 Corinthians 12:1–2; 1 John 5:21). Rubbing rosary beads is idolatry. Lighting candles before a statue or portrayal of a saint is idolatry. Burying a Joseph statue in hopes of selling your home (and countless other Catholic practices) is idolatry.

The terminology is not the issue. Whether the practice is described as “worship” or “veneration” or any other term, the problem is the same. Any time we ascribe something that belongs to God to someone else, it is idolatry. The Bible nowhere instructs us to revere, pray to, rely on, or “idolize” anyone other than God. We are to worship God alone. Glory, praise, and honor belong to God alone. Only God is worthy to “receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4:11). God alone is worthy to receive our worship, adoration, and praise (Nehemiah 9:6; Revelation 15:4).

http://www.gotquestions.org/worship-saints-Mary.html

Answer 10

We ask her to pray for us. She's like a friend in a high place. We do NOT worship anyone besides Jesus.