Do Catholics have to pray to Mary?

[yankeesouth]

Every time we are at Mass where the Confiteor is prayed aren’t we obligated to ask the Blessed Mother and all the saints for intercession?

 

[yankeesouth]

Be that as it may when we are at Mass where the Confiteor is prayed we are obligated to ask the Blessed Mother and all the saints for intercession correct? You didn’t say anything about extra devotions.

My parish always prays the Confiteor.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Isn’t it the case that until Vatican II, the Confiteor was not said by the Mass attendees but was rather said at one point by the priest and at another point by the altar servers?

In any event, there doesn’t seem to be any “penalty” if someone in the pew chose not to recite the lines about Mary and the Saints. It’s not like the ushers swoop down and throw them out of Mass.

 

[NeedImprovement]

Praying “to” Mary really is a misnomer, and that is the initial point where any argument of such nature should probably be stopped in its tracks and corrected: If anything, we pray “with” Mary. @pianistclare has presented it succinctly in all its beauty and simplicity:

. . . I think the question ought to be "Why WOULDN’T anyone ask Mary to pray for them? What human being is closer to Christ than Mary?

The above is borne out in the words of the Hail Mary - the mainstay of Marian-based Christian prayer- “. . . Holy Mary , Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.” Furthermore, each time we recite a Hail Mary, we continue to fulfill the prophecy ,

“Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”
There is an interesting footnote in the DRV Bible relating precisely to this passage:

[48] “Shall call me blessed”: These words are a prediction of that honour which the Church in all ages should pay to the Blessed Virgin. Let Protestants examine whether they are any way concerned in this prophecy."

But even above and beyond our asking our Blessed Mother to pray for us, she already intercedes for us as Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces.

Her task, her job, her motherly desire/concern , is always to lead each one of us to Christ.

We need to be patient with and pray for those who would rule out our Blessed Mother, thinking it will somehow contribute to them having what they believe to be a a direct relationship with God. In fact, there is no more sure way, no more direct way to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, than through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Given that the “Eucharist is the Source and Summit of the Christian life” , it shouldn’t surprise us that notably, our Blessed Mother is mentioned in all 4 Eucharistic Prayers of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

If a direct relationship with God is what we seek, Holy Mass is where we should try to find it :
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church [1382] -

“. . . But the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion. To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who has offered himself for us.”

 

[AlNg]

You are not obligated to ask Mary for her intercession with Go

You don’t have to

No, not required.

I believe that this is totally wrong. Under pain of mortal sin, Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays. And if the priest chooses a particular option, (is it option A), then it is written that All pray as follows:

All: I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord, our God

 

[thephilosopher6]

Nobody has to do anything, but it would be out of place not to. If you won’t pray to Saints like Mary, why be Catholic at all? You can’t be a good Catholic and at the same time feel discomfort at the intercession of Saints.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I believe that this is totally wrong. Under pain of mortal sin, Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays. And if the priest chooses a particular option, (is it option A), then it is written that All pray as follows:

As I wrote above, if one chooses not to pray that portion of the prayer at Mass (aside from the fact that many priests choose the forms other than the Confiteor) nothing happens to you. Your Mass attendance is still valid. You are not thrown out of the church. And you have not rejected any part of the Profession of Faith.

To add on: the Church would have difficulty requiring or obligating people to ask saints to intercede, because that would go against the Church position that Catholics can pray directly to God and that, as the Catechism says, “prayer is primarily addressed to the Father” or to Jesus (CCC 2680).

Nevertheless, the Catechism requires that people believe that the saints can and do intercede for us and says that we “can and should” ask for their intercession. (CCC 2683). “Can” to me does not sound like an obligation. “Should” might be seen as an obligation, except the other section cited above states that prayer should be primarily directed to God the Father and/or Jesus, so it’s hard to see how someone who prays only to God or Jesus is going wrong unless they are doing so out of a wrong belief that saints can’t or don’t intercede for us or that we aren’t allowed to ask saints for their intercession.

Sections 2673 to 2679 and 2682 also make clear that the Church believes in honoring Mary and views her as a powerful intercessor, but again doesn’t obligate a Catholic to ask for her intercession as long as the Catholic believes she can and does intercede.

So if someone was refusing to pray part of the Confiteor due to unbelief in Mary or the saints’ willingness or ability to intercede, or a belief that Mary shouldn’t be honored, then they are at odds with the Catechism teachings. If on the other hand it’s a personal preference to go directly to God, then this seems allowable.

I’d further note that the section of Confiteor in question is supposed to be an acknowledgment of one’s sins before the whole community, of which Mary and the saints and angels and “you my brothers and sisters” are all parts.

 

[jmj777]

Devotion is not a requirement, however we must HONOR Mary as the mother of God.

The surest path to Jesus is THROUGH Mary. She takes us DIRECTLY to Her Son!! She is THE most perfect creature God ever created!!

Peace.

+JMJ+

 

[Dorothy]

While there may not be a statue of Jesus in the church, Jesus is present in the tabernacle.

Our Risen Lord is present in the Eucharist!

There is a requirement for there to be an image of the crucified Lord somewhere in the church.

 

[Brendan_64]

Praying “to” Mary really is a misnomer, and that is the initial point where any argument of such nature should probably be stopped in its tracks and corrected: If anything, we pray “with” Mary.

I disagree with that. We often pray to Mary to ask her to intercede for us. Yes we can pray with Mary, but we also pray to her which is a different thing. If I am saying, “Please help me, Mother”, I am praying to Mary.

 

[yankeesouth]

I think Curious was talking about protestant buildings not having statues.

 

[yankeesouth]

We don’t actually pray to Mary per say

Well yes we do. If we are asking the Blessed Mother for something we are praying to her.

 

[AlNg]

As I wrote above, if one chooses not to pray that portion of the prayer at Mass (aside from the fact that many priests choose the forms other than the Confiteor) nothing happens to you. Your Mass attendance is still valid. You are not thrown out of the church. And you have not rejected any part of the Profession of Faith.

So it is all right for Catholics to reject certain prayers of the Mass ?

 

[AlNg]

I’d further note that the section of Confiteor in question is supposed to be an acknowledgment of one’s sins before the whole community, of which Mary and the saints and angels and “you my brothers and sisters” are all parts.

Here’s what it says:
I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord, our God.

You are asking Mary, ever virgin, and all the angels and saints to pray for you.

 

[yankeesouth]

What happens at mass is irrelevant from my original point

Your op stated we are never obligated to ask for intercession of the saints and I pointed out where that might not be the case. Someone mentioned that we can skip that part of the Mass if we so desire. I didn’t realize that. I thought we had to participate fully.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

So it is all right for Catholics to reject certain prayers of the Mass ?

Please read my entire long, edited response above. I think it is quite clear.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Someone mentioned that we can skip that part of the Mass if we so desire. I didn’t realize that. I thought we had to participate fully.

I note that I’m NOT recommending that Catholics “skip that part of the Mass”. I am however recognizing that

1. it is entirely possible that a Catholic might attend Masses that rarely or even never include this prayer;
2. the purpose of that part of the prayer is to acknowledge our sins to the entire faith community, of which a Catholic would necessarily have to accept that Mary and the saints, along with all the other people in the Church Militant on earth, are a part, or else they are rejecting Church teaching (see 4);
3. there is nothing specifically obligating a Catholic to say this particular prayer - he or she is obligated to participate in Mass on Sundays and Holydays of Obligation, which could just as easily be done by attending a Mass with a different penitential selection, and in fact many of us rarely (or even never) hear this prayer at a Mass; and
4. if the person is not saying the part of the prayer because they don’t believe that Mary and the saints can and do intercede for us, or because they don’t believe in honoring Mary, THEN there is a problem because they are rejecting essential teachings of the Catechism, NOT because they are not meeting the “obligation” to say this particular prayer (said obligation doesn’t really exist for the reasons above and in my long post above).

 

[exnihilo]

Every time we are at Mass where the Confiteor is prayed aren’t we obligated to ask the Blessed Mother and all the saints for intercession?

There is also the Roman Canon:

In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, (James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude: Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian) and all your Saints: we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help.

As others point out you may never hear the confiteor or Roman Canon. That is how my parish is. So at a particular Mass you may not hear or say these prayers. So I guess technically you can avoid praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary. But to refuse to believe it good and proper is to deny the Catholic Faith.

 

[jmj777]

Absolutely not! We are required to assist at ALL parts of the Mass, not just the parts we agree with.

If a prayer is included during a Mass, then we participate in the recitation of said prayers. The exclusion of certain prayers is at the discretion of the priest.

Please note that I’m agreeing with the fact that we must participate completely, not disagreeing.

Peace.

+JMJ+

 

[yankeesouth]

and in fact many of us rarely (or even never) hear this prayer at a Mass;

Interesting. Not my experience at all. I realize there are three forms (A,B,C) but I have to say that I rarely come upon B and C. My memory ain’t what it used to be but in the last ten years or so I have come upon B or C maybe two or three times attending a Mass outside of my home parish. In the last couple of years that would be more understandfable since I attend the EF pretty much exclusively but prior to that more frequently the OF.

Sounds like a poll in the making!

So that is why I questioned the op. Based on my experience if a non Catholic wandered into a Mass they would most likely encounter the Confiteor and indeed hear us pray to Mary. I would also add that although it is not as frequent there is a good possibility they would hear us pray to Mary as part of the Prayers of the Faithful.