I have always prayed to Mary . . .I don't worship Mary. In fact people 'pray the rosary' etc. I just read a comment from a deacon that says we do not pray to Mary, and I quote, "Enclosed is a prayer about our Blessed Mother Mary. Remember that we do not pray to Mary (We only pray to God) but we do acknowledge and honor Her because she is an intercessor between Her children and Her Son Jesus. Remember also that Mary is the Mother of all (which includes all faiths and/or denominations) Say this prayer everyday and watch the miracles that will happen. " Could someone clarify this for me, pray to or not pray to? Thanks
It says in the Memorare, “implored your help, sought your intercession” How could we do that without praying to Mary? I am like you. I pray to Mary.
Our Lady is next to Our Lord's heart...whatever we pray to her goes directly from her merciful heart to His. There is no danger here!
In plain old fashioned English pray means to ask pray verb \ ˈprā \ prayed; praying; prays Definition of pray transitive verb 1 : entreat, implore —often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea pray be careful 2 : to get or bring by praying intransitive verb 1 : to make a request in a humble manner 2 : to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving Synonyms Pray tell me where this deacon learned his English!
Remember the Miraculous Medal Streaming from rings on Mary's fingers as she held the globe were many rays of light. Mary explained that the rays symbolize the graces she obtains for those who ask for them. However, some of the gems on the rings were dark, and Mary explained that the rays and graces were available but did not come because no one had asked for them.
The deacon has said nothing wrong, though I understand why you might be confused. Jesus is our High Priest, our Mediator, our Advocate before the Father. 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. Hebrews 9:15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant. 1Tim 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. 3 This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. It is obvious from these three verses that Jesus holds a unique role before the Father. But also see the first verse from the Timothy selection. Jesus allows us to share in his role of intercession. And, of course, Mary our Queen, being undefiled, holds highest rank among creatures. So I think the deacon was attempting to emphasize that we pray to the Father through the Son. Without Jesus we have no access to the Father. Safe in the Father's Arms!
Sam...I never knew that! I am going to order a miraculous medal ring. I truly believe in its power...Our Lady’s promise to us! A beautiful gift!
2675 Beginning with Mary's unique cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, the Churches developed their prayer to the holy Mother of God, centering it on the person of Christ manifested in his mysteries. In countless hymns and antiphons expressing this prayer, two movements usually alternate with one another: the first "magnifies" the Lord for the "great things" he did for his lowly servant and through her for all human beings29 the second entrusts the supplications and praises of the children of God to the Mother of Jesus, because she now knows the humanity which, in her, the Son of God espoused. 2677 Holy Mary, Mother of God: With Elizabeth we marvel, "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"36 Because she gives us Jesus, her son, Mary is Mother of God and our mother; we can entrust all our cares and petitions to her: she prays for us as she prayed for herself: "Let it be to me according to your word."37 By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her: "Thy will be done." Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death: By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the "Mother of Mercy," the All-Holy One. We give ourselves over to her now, in the Today of our lives. And our trust broadens further, already at the present moment, to surrender "the hour of our death" wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her son's death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing38 to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise. 2678 Medieval piety in the West developed the prayer of the rosary as a popular substitute for the Liturgy of the Hours. In the East, the litany called the Akathistos and the Paraclesis remained closer to the choral office in the Byzantine churches, while the Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac traditions preferred popular hymns and songs to the Mother of God. But in the Ave Maria, the theotokia, the hymns of St. Ephrem or St. Gregory of Narek, the tradition of prayer is basically the same. 2679 Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus' mother into our homes,39 for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her. The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.40 IN BRIEF 2682 Because of Mary's singular cooperation with the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church loves to pray in communion with the Virgin Mary, to magnify with her the great things the Lord has done for her, and to entrust supplications and praises to her. Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 4 SECTION 1 CHAPTER 2 ARTICLE 2
I thank all of you for your input. I was getting worried that I had mis spoken. And I wouldn't want to say something that is not correct.
The simplest way I think of prayer is talking to someone. Though in this case the someone we are talking to is in heaven. Mary is our Mother and so we talk to her. We pray to her. What could be more natural than a child speaking to her./ his mother. It is the same as talking to our sisters and brothers the saints or the angels. If we do not speak to them then how could we have a relationship with them? What is more natural than talking to those we love, whether in heaven or on Earth? Perhaps the Deacon meant we should not Worship Mary which of course is true. We should only Worship God. But it seems to me that there would not be much point in having a Heavenly Mother we are not supposed to talk to. SECTION TWO THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH CHAPTER THREE I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT ARTICLE 9 "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH" Paragraph 6. Mary - Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church * II. DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN 971 "All generations will call me blessed": "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship."515 The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs. . . . This very special devotion . . . differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration."516 The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.517
Well I will answer with my opinion on this. I pray to our Father, I pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I do not pray to our blessed mother but pray my intentions so that she may bring them before her son Jesus. She intercedes on our behalf before Jesus. God bless you... Gary
