Do catholics pray to mary?

do they pray to mary because they believe she will then pray to Jesus for them? or do they think mary herself will do something? i just don't understand why catholics pray to saints and mary when they could just always be praying to Christ the king instead. how is praying to someone not a form of worship? and in that, how is that not polytheistic?

I've heard that they pray to Mary, but I'm not catholic. Maybe I'll ask the hundreds of catholics in my church that have converted from that religion. AMEN!

Look up the word "pray" in the dictionary.

One definition is this: To ask (someone) imploringly; beseech. Now often used elliptically for I pray you to introduce a request or entreaty: For example: "Pray be careful."

So in the case of Mary and the Saints, to "pray to" them means "to ask" them to pray (worship) WITH us and FOR us to GOD.

Some people have a prayer circle where everybody is praying for the same thing.

This is the same thing except the Saints are already in Heaven and can SEE God face to face.

READ THIS FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Interces...

well I'm Catholic, and when i pray to Mary, I know is not her that is doing all the miracles. We think of Mary as our maternal guidance. We ask her to do what mothers do: keep an eye on us. we believe shes holy because God chose her to have Jesus. u gotta be pretty special to be chosen.

Jesus Christ said the only way to the father is through the son, It would appear that many others simply overlooked this or think perhaps he was just talking for the fun of it? sorry to say many things people do are beyond my ability to understand or explain, good luck!

well if you were a special person then your mother would definitely have to be very special right?

That's what I've gathered from the Catholics I've talked to.

rly? i thought if you have love God, you'll be talking to Him in your prayers, not mary.

I have many friends who are devout Catholics and this is one area we agree to disagree on. I have never been able to understand this, I am hoping someone will provide an answer.

Scripture says we should pray to the Father in the name of Jesus.

The saints are not God, but they do have a special influence with Him because He gave them special graces to attain their high level of holiness. If you wish to read about Mary's unusual influence with Jesus, read John 2. This is about the wedding at Cana. Notice how she calls a problem to His attention. "They have no wine." He says,"My time has not come." She ignores His reply, and says to the wine stewards, "Do as He tells you." What trust she has in Him. This is how we should pray.

Most Catholics I know don't pray to one particular saint or being. They pray to Godliness, Holiness, whichever form it may take in their minds.

Catholics ask Mary and the saints to pray for them, much in the same way that you would ask a friend to pray for you, the only difference is that we can't physically see them. Catholics believe that the saint's prayers are particularly powerful because they are not distracted by things in this world and have no sin that would get in the way of talking to God.

Worship is reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power.

Mary is not seen as divine. Catholics do not believe Mary is divine.

Therefore Catholic's do not worship Mary.

Saints are not seen as divine. Catholics do not believe Saints are divine, therefore Catholics do not worship Saints.

In order for a religion to be Polythieistic, you have to believe in and acknowledge the divinity of multiple beings.

Catholics do not do this.

Catholics believe in one God.

Catholics argue that praying to Mary and the saints is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for you. Let us examine that claim. (1) The Apostle Paul asks other Christians to pray for him in Ephesians 6:19. Many Scriptures describe believers praying for one another (2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:19; 2 Timothy 1:3). The Bible nowhere mentions anyone asking for someone in Heaven to pray for them. The Bible nowhere describes anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth. (2) The Bible gives absolutely no indication that Mary or the saints can hear our prayers. Mary and the saints are not omniscient. Even glorified in Heaven, they are still finite beings with limitations. How could they possibly hear the prayers of millions of people?

I am sure you are not the first one who questions this....
I think it is a bit polytheistic...not being Catholic myself

Yes its true. I believe they also pray to "saints". I guess everyone has their own form of religion. I think we really don't need religion. There is only one God. Doesn't matter which religion it is, right?!

Yes, they pray to her. They also believe that she never sinned!

And they believe that she is still a virgin, even though the Bible clearly states that Jesus had brothers. Hmm.

I don't really get it, but I have a vague idea.

Yes, we do. A prayer to Mary leads to Jesus Christ. Where in the Bible does it say we cannot pray to Mary and the saints?

I've been asking myself that same question since I learned a little about catholicism! Once we truly accept Christ as our Savior, we have a direct line to Him and don't need to pray to Mary or dead saints.

I guess they pray to dead people for the same reason they call the pope "holy father" even though the Bible clearly says in Matthew 23:9
"And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. "

I think what you are really asking is, "Do Catholics believe that Mary is a deity?"
The answer to that question is "No, they do not."
Prayers directed to Mary are intercessory prayers, or prayers asking Mary to speak, on their behalf, to Jesus.
The Catholic faith holds Mary in very high esteem because she was chosen by God to be the mother of His Son. But they do not believe that she is a god(dess) herself.

First assumption is correct. You won't get straight answers from their priests.

If I had a pound for each time this question comes up I wouldn't need to to do the lottery!

Fact

We Catholics do not worship saints or Mary, we ask them to intercede and pray for us!

Example

HAIL MARY

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, PRAY FOR US SINNERS,
now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

. Thou art Peter.
R. And upon this rock I will build My Church.

Let us pray.

Raise us up, we beseech Thee, O Lord,
by the apostolic might of Thy blessed Apostle, Peter;
that the weaker we are in ourselves,
the more powerful may be the assistance
WHEREBY WE ARE STRENGTHENED BY HIS INTERCESSION;
that thus, ever fortified by the protection of Thine
Apostle,
we may never yield to sin
nor be overwhelmed by adversity.
Through Christ our Lord.

OUR FATHER

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done,
on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

WE WORSHIP GOD AND GOD ONLY! NOT IDOLS!

Definition of prayer!!

Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the purpose of worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins, as an act of reparation or to express one's thoughts and emotions. The words of the prayer may take the form of intercession, a hymn, incantation or a spontaneous utterance in the person's praying words. Secularly, the term can also be used as an alternative to "hope".

'prayer may take the form of intercession'=mary and saints

'Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the
purpose of worshipping'=GOD

Hope this clears it up and helps!

just as one asks a friend to pray for them - yes I ask Mary to intercede. As in Luke, I know that God gifted Mary when, in the temple she was told - your soul too a sword shall pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

why did God choose to have Mary gift birth to and raise Jesus? when you understand that, you will understand why we Catholics love Mary -- God brought her into our lives as He did with all the apostles and saints. Why did God not just drop another vengence upon HIs people? Why did God choose to let Jesus live as a "normal man"? WHy did God not just stirke all down who didn't follow....God chose to bring Christ to us through Mary. I don't ever want to tell Him He made the wrong choice, rather I respect His opinion.

Go here:

http://douglawrence.wordpress.com/a-shor...

Yes, they without a doubt pray to Mary.

do you understand why people here on this board ask other people to pray for them in certain situations?---Of course you do and this is no different---Mary and the Saints are even more alive than we are---"The prayers of a righteous man availeth much" The prayers are directed to Jesus through Jesus ---all in the body of Christ. Do you have a concept of what being a member of the Body of Christ is? Maybe that is something that will explain it further for you.

Prayer is not always an act of worship. Prayer can be an act of communication. We can communicate our worship in prayer. We can also communicate our requests, our praises or any other message in prayer However, we recognize the communion of Saints. That means that once a person is alive in Christ, he is always alive in Christ, even though his body be dead. Scripture teaches us that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, watching everything we do and encouraging us to do right:

Hebrews 12:1
And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us:
Romans 8:17
And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him 2 Timothy 2:12
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us.

1 Peter 2:21

For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps.

Colossians 1:24

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church:

John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 15:13

Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Yeah, the Catholic Church teaches the fullness of Truth.

They do pray to Mary
I don't know why

**************DRINK*****************

An Evangelical said "When I go to a doctor I don't want to talk to his mother." That is an interesting analogy. However, this Evangelical talks regularly with his pastor and asks the pastor to pray for him. The pastor doesn't turn him away by saying, "Don't talk to me! Don't ask me to pray for you! Go straight to Jesus!" The pastor has compassion and "intercedes" (stands in the gap) for him. He prays for the congregation and for individuals. He has compassion and wants to assist people in their relationship with Christ. This in no way diminishes Jesus' role as the Lord and Saviour.

Catholics ask Mary to pray to Jesus for us. She is interceding, kind of in the way a pastor might pray for you or me. Even in the Rosary we ask Mary to "Pray for us sinners." And we think she s quite good at that.

Mary said the opposite about herself. She said "My soul magnifies the Lord." (Lk 1:46) My experience with Mary has actually significantly improved my relationship with my Lord and Saviour, Jesus. I think time spent with Mary is no more defocusing than time spent with my other Church friends or with my pastor. To me the logical end to the "defocusing" theory is that I should never talk to or pray with any other Christians. It suggests I shouldn't go to prayer groups, or even read the Old Testament (because it predates Christ). It suggests I should only talk with Christ alone and never even talk to another human being.

Yes,Catholics do pray to Mary for her intercession on their behalf.

Hail Mary full of grace the lord is with you. Blessed art thou among women,and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God,pray for us sinners now,and at the hour of our death Amen.

Catholics who are Baptized in the faith, are taught this way from childhood in to adulthood.

They do not preach personal salvation, that one must personally repent and ask Jesus in to their hearts.

This is Damning souls.

The Catholics believe they are saved because they publicly confess weekly in mass, the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Reciting "The apostles Creed."

Catholics believe in confessing to a priest and the priest absolves you of your sins by having you say repeated prayers,such as Our Father,Hail Mary, and the of Act of Contrition.

I blame the Religious Leaders for straying the people away from the truth in the Bible, instead of encouraging the people to read the Bible themselves.

I blame the in Catholics partly responsible,for not reading the Bible themselves, to find the truth.

God gave human beings intelligence and wisdom to know the truth.
God didn't make them to be robots,or His Word the Holy Bible hard to understand.

The Catholic religious leaders are the Pope,Cardinals,Archbishops,Bishops,Pries... and Deacons.
They have to answer to God for this.

I thank God that He opened the eyes of my family over 30 years ago.

I pray that The Holy Spirit stirs the Catholic Church up to know the truth soon,on behalf of the people.

I hope that other Christians will petition God, in praying for their Salvation. We are commanded to pray for one another.

I have a heavy heart for the Catholics,because I was raised this way,and so were many others I know.

Scriptures to read on Jesus the Intercessor. Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, and John 14:6

It is like asking someone closer to a king to relay a request. It is NOT WORSHIP... We are still considered the Children so we ask the ones closest to talk to the one handing out the gifts for what we wish. We honor those gone before us (such as Saints, Mary, even those of our families) to talk on our behalf, after all they are with God and Jesus, we are not! I am just not sure where people get the idea that honoring Mary and asking her to pray for us is considered worship, unless they are getting this from THEIR preachers which is why people are always saying bad things about other religions, especially those religions that broke away from the Catholics because they were so strict.

BTW: I am not Catholic, though I have studied their beliefs so I could understand them, I did not choose them as my religion. If I had to choose a religion it would be Catholic because of their strictness, their working with the bible and the fact they DO NOT presume to know God's will by interpreting the bible to suit THEIR beliefs or to validate a non existent date for the end of the world!

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