Is There Biblical Evidence To Catholics Praying to Mary?

[TruthHasSpoken]

the Bible doesn’t say anything about praying to those who have died.

Growing in Faith, it would be helpful to know what is it that you profess and believe, A or B ?

a) If a doctrine is not found in scripture it should be rejected
b) A doctrine can be held by Christians as long as it doesn’t contradict scripture

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Thank you, Limoncello!

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Thank you for the answer. I do have to disagree though, Protestants do have tradition. In my church, the Methodist church, we have communion, baptism, and special traditions in traditional services like acolytes etc. Other Protestant churches have traditions as well, all of them have at least communion and baptism.

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Thank you, Gorgias! I’m sorry I haven’t been responding until now, I’ve been busy with life. I appreciate the time everyone took to answer my questions. I’ll dwell on them and probably ask some more questions soon. I’m also used to Quora where people don’t usually respond to answers to their question. Thanks again!

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Thank you for the tips, Tis_Bearself! I have looked at previous answers for this question on Catholic Forums, but I was looking for more detailed answers. Also, the reason I was asking y’all to pay attention to each question was because I am used to Quora where people sometimes answer questions without paying attention to the whole question(s). Anyway,
I’ll have to make sure to be mindful of the characters limit next time I ask a question. Thank you!

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Thank you all for the responses! This post really blew up. 0.0 I have two more questions (Really sorry about the word limit, I’m not trying to make it difficult for you I promise.) It is said that praying to the saints is like praying for other people which is a common practice throughout Christianity, yet we aren’t praying to someone on Earth in order for them to pray to God. Like I wouldn’t pray to my uncle, who is still living on Earth, for him to pray to me. Can you help explain that to me?

Also, if I ever did decide to take part in praying to Mary or the saints, how do I do so without committing idolatry in my mind? I’m afraid that if I do so, I will be worshipping them. For my whole life, prayer has been said to be a sort of form of worship. I’m afraid that if I decide to pray to Mary or the saints, I will word it as if they are God because that’s the only form of prayer I’m used to, if that makes any sense.

Thanks again for all the responses!

Much love! God bless!

GrowingInTheFaith

 

[Justin_Mary]

Also, if I ever did decide to take part in praying to Mary or the saints, how do I do so without committing idolatry in my mind? I’m afraid that if I do so, I will be worshipping them. For my whole life, prayer has been said to be a sort of form of worship. I’m afraid that if I decide to pray to Mary or the saints, I will word it as if they are God because that’s the only form of prayer I’m used to, if that makes any sense.

I understand.

Have you ever been to a Mass? The Mass is how Catholics worship God. From the moment we enter the sanctuary to the moment we leave it’s all worship. Hymns, prayers, scripture, reflection, fellowship, communion all put together logically & deliberately to praise God the way he has instructed us to throughout the ages.

Experience that, then it will be easier to differentiate between prayer & worship.

 

[Crocus]

Also, if I ever did decide to take part in praying to Mary or the saints, how do I do so without committing idolatry in my mind?

Have you ever asked anyone to pray for you? That is exactly the frame of mind you will have when you pray to Mary or the saints. You will be asking them to join their prayers to your own.

 

[Cathoholic]

BoomerangToo . . .

Protestants have conflated the word “pray” with “worship”.

That is exactly right.

Dr. Scott Hahn talks about how prayer is the highest form of worship in Protestantisms.

Therefore prayer,
even in the sense of imploring for help,
is wrongly seen by many Protestants not only as worship,
but as idolatrous worship.

Prayer can merely be asking or imploring.
As Jimmy Akin says . . . “I pray thee” (old English merely for “asking”. Not necessarily “worshiping”.)

 

[Cathoholic]

Heavenly angels are “holy ones” or “saints” (i.e. SAINT Michael the archangel is an example of a saint).

Here is a Heavenly saint who was explicitly asked by Jacob/Israel for a blessing from that Angel (Jacob/Israel gets the blessing from this Heavenly Saint that he asks for).

.

Jacob . . .

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”

Angelic host action . . .

And there he blessed him.

.

Jacob-Israel received that blessing that he asked of that saint in the Bible.

It is precisely BECAUSE the Saints have a share, or “participation”, or “koinonia” IN-Christ, that the Saints can answer intercessory requests for prayers.

To deny this, would be to deny the power of Christ working IN and THROUGH the saints.

GENESIS 32:26-29 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”
27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28
Then he said,
“Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
29 Then Jacob asked him, “Tell me, I pray, your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”
And there he blessed him.

.

Objection! WHY go to Christ through Saints when we can go DIRECTLY to Christ?

Answer: First of all you SHOULD go DIRECTLY to Christ.

This is NOT an “either/or” motif.

By all means, go directly to Christ.

Objection! WHY bother to go to Christ via Saints too then?

Answer: For the SAME REASON we go to Christ together through our fellow man.
For the SAME REASON we go to Christ through our fellow saints on earth.
For the SAME REASON we go to Christ through asking OTHERS to pray for us here on earth.

Because we are FAMILY! (And Christ WANTS us to cheer one another on.
This is part of the superabundance or “riches of his glory” that we may SHARE this deeply in one another through Christ Jesus.)

We are all one family. God’s own spirit resides in “inner man” in His ONE Christian Family.

EPHESIANS 3:13-15 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom
EVERY FAMILY in heaven AND on earth is named,
16 that according to
the riches of his glory
he may grant you to be
strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man . . . .

God WANTS us to work and pray for one another.

. . . When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were
(the Saints in Heaven are) "put in charge of many things."
(not because God couldn’t get the job done Himself.) 42
Their (the Saints) intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan.
We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world.
(See CCC 2683. Here is one place you can see it.)

MATTHEW 25:21 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’

This is the will of our God.

 

[Cathoholic]

HEBREWS 12:1-2 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

From Biblestudytools . . . .

Cloud of witnesses ( nepo marturwn ). Old word (Latin nubes ), here only in the N.T., for vast mass of clouds. Nepelh is a single cloud. The metaphor refers to the great amphitheatre with the arena for the runners and the tiers upon tiers of seats rising up like a cloud. The marture here are not mere spectators ( qeatai ), but testifiers (witnesses) who testify from their own experience ( Luke 11:2 Luke 11:4 Luke 11:5 Luke 11:33 Luke 11:39 ) to God’s fulfilling his promises as shown in chapter Hebrews 11:1 .

Hebrews 12:1 Commentary - Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

Later I will explain WHY 1st Timothy 2:5 (in context and looking at the Greek) implores us to mediate and pray for one another . . .

1st TIMOTHY 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

. . . . . which is exactly what St. Paul tells us a couple of verses before.

1st TIMOTHY 2:1-3 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 ,

 

[phujosh]

Simple… COMMUNION… You need to reflect on that because it will tell you a great deal about Catholicism…

The communion of saints is a “communion,” a union, a common bond, a profound connection, a great fellowship — shared among the “saints,” the holy ones, the Christian faithful, those who are filled with grace, members of the one body with Christ as the head.

The communion of saints is the Church” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 946). It has three states or divisions, the communion of saints of the living, those who are still on their pilgrim journey on earth; and the communion of saints of the dead or the faithful departed, some of whom are being purified, those in purgatory, and the ones who are enjoying eternal glory in the presence of God, those in heaven (Catechism, No. 954).

The living are “saints” because they are baptized, members of the Body of Christ, members of the church, unified in faith and belief, praying and receiving the sacraments, and advancing in holiness. Their sainthood is real but unfinished; “they are saints in training” or “saints in progress.”

We believe in praying for each other and asking those who are chosen by God as his friends in heaven to intercede for us here on Earth. God sometimes does not necessarily would want to talk to us directly but will send a messenger on his behalf, just like what he did to Mary. It is sometimes better to befriend some saints in heaven to have them offer our prayers to God, to talk to him on our behalf… Don’t you pray to God for your family and friends? It’s the same concept.

And as far as Mary is concerned, she is not just a regular woman, you know… She was the woman promised in Genesis 3:15 to crush the head of the serpent. The same woman that Jesus was referring to when He said, John 19:26 “Woman, behold, your son.” She was the woman clothed with the sun in Revelation 12. She has appeared in Mexico with that image, thereby, the conversion of millions of Indians. And she has appeared so many times around the world in the manner of cultural appropriation to say that she is indeed our Mother since we are co-heirs, members of the same body and co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Wherever Jesus is, Mary is there also. There is even a Catholic theology that Mary is a Co-Redemptrix. Since God has chosen Mary to be a living ark of the covenant to be with his children, to save them. Then it is safe to say that we need to go to Mary so that she can lead us to Jesus and Jesus can summon the Holy Spirit so that they would help us along with the saints and the angels to go back to Our Heavenly Father.

 

[Francis]

@GrowingInTheFaith]

I have a couple of questions that I really would like an answer to. Please understand that I am NOT attacking you, I’m honestly just really curious about the Catholic faith. Much love to you!

Welcome to CAF

Is There Biblical Evidence To Catholics Praying to Mary?

Do you thinks every thing is written in the Bible ? No the Bible doesn’t say so well as said in John 20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah,the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

First question, I’ve heard that Catholics don’t pray to Mary like you would pray to God,

Yes that’s right ,we worship God ,as God has honored her we too honor her .

but that Catholics pray that Mary intercedes for them. Yet , in the Hail Mary prayer it sounds like you are speaking directly to Mary.

Wouldn’t you ask you mother or a friend to pray for you ? Yes we request her to pray for us because as Mother Mary being the Mother of God, How much more powerful will be, her intercession before God .

AS she was born without original sin and she was sinless throughout her life, who bore sufferings, being Holy, assumed into Heaven Body and Soul ,in John 2:2-5 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” **5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” .

Thus even thought it was not the appointed time and note many places in the Bible Jesus done everything on the appointed time as per the will of God, but Through her intercession she quickened the miracle and everyone’s surprise and everyone glorified Jesus and they believed John 2:11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.**

As the Heavenly Father also gave to our first parents Adam and Eve who sinned it was like a storm which ruined their lives and salvation ,God gave a Hope of Mother Mary and promised salvation and restoration of Grace in Genesis 3:15 I will put enmities between thee (satan) and the woman (Mother Mary), and thy (satan’s children =wicked people, anti-Christ ) seed and her (Mary) seed (Jesus and Christians): she shall crush thy (satan) head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

 

[Francis]

@GrowingInTheFaith

Yet , in the Hail Mary prayer it sounds like you are speaking directly to Mary. How can you talk to directly to Mary or pray to her without committing idolatry?

Remember Angles are only messengers, Archangel Gabriel said in Luke 1:28 ,Hail full of Grace it was the Heavenly Fathers words, God has choose Mother Mary above all women in Luke 1:41 and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit (Jesus) of your womb! God the Holy Spirit Himself is speaking through St Elizabeth as an instrument since no body can call Lord with out the Holy Spirit

Yet , in the Hail Mary prayer it sounds like you are speaking directly to Mary. How can you talk to directly to Mary or pray to her without committing idolatry? It just doesn’t make sense to me in my Protestant Christian faith. Please don’t take offense.

So will you not speak to your Mother or friend directly? same way here ,requesting or asking her to pray or intercession on behalf of you to Jesus is not worship as most protestants misunderstand and misrepresent the Catholic believes. All Prayers go to God, there is no dispute of one God (Holy Trinity) or Mediator between God and men Jesus Christ. But saints and Angles are like friends to help us, and intercede for us. Mother Mary being the Mother of God, How much more powerful will be, her intercession before God .AS she was born without original sin and she was sinless throughout her life, who bore sufferings, being Holy, assumed into Heaven Body and Soul.

Second, Catholics believe that dead saints hear prayers to them.

Physically yes, They are not dead as said in Ruth 2:20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin.”
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses(Saints and Angles ), let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, Mk 12:26-27 … ;not God of the dead, but of the living. Lk 20-34-38 … those who died are like angels.Rev 8:3-4; Jer 15:1 … saints’ intercession.Rom 8:35-39 – death cannot separate us from Christ Mk 9:4 – Jesus seen conversing with Elijah & Moses Lk 9:31 – Elijah, Moses aware of earthly events

 

[Francis]

@GrowingInTheFaith

That means they may receive millions of requests for prayer in one day. Are the saints to spend all their time praying that God helps us? Though the saints are blessed, they are not omnipotent or all-powerful.

It is God who answer’s prayers and there is nothing impossible with God Right ! as in Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” God is omnipotent and ll powerful .Colossians 1:16 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.Acts 17:28 For ‘In him we(also saints) live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,‘For we too are his offspring.’

Third, the Bible doesn’t say anything about praying to those who have died. (Which, again, confuses me because instead of asking God to ask those who have died who are now with him to pray for us,

They are not dead Physically yes, They are not dead as said in Ruth 2:20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin.”
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses(Saints and Angles ), let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, **Mk 12:26-27 … ;not God of the dead, but of the living. Lk 20-34-38 … those who died are like angels.

Catholics speak as if they are directly talking to them during prayer.)

Yes they are friends and asking them to pray doesn’t hurt right ,Even Jesus spoke to the saints Jesus seen conversing with Elijah ; Moses Lk 9:31 – Elijah, Moses aware of earthly events Rev 8:3-4; Jer 15:1 … saints’ intercession.Rom 8:35-39 – death cannot separate us from Christ Mk 9:4 –

To get back to my point, God says we should approach His throne with confidence. (Hebrews 4:16

Why not ! most of the time to Pray to God in the .

In fact, Scripture talks about not showing favoritism multiple times. Why are our personal prayers to Yahweh not enough?

Because we are sinners and God doesn’t listen to sinners . John 9:31 says we know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Which Mother did, co-operated by doing His Will in Luke 1:38. Lk 1:28, 30 – angel: “full of grace, found favor with God Lk 1:42 – Elizabeth: “most blessed among women” Lk 1:48 – Mary: “all generations will call me blessed” Mother of God Lk 1:43 – Elizabeth calls her “mother of my Lord” = God.

Sirach 35:21 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,and it will not rest until it reaches its goal;it will not desist until the Most High responds

 

[HopkinsReb]

That’s a good summary, @(name removed by moderator)

And to echo what has been said before, there is no obligation for Catholics to pray to Mary or to any other saints. If you’re worried that you won’t be able to separate prayer and worship, then reserve your prayer for God directly.

I’m not Catholic (yet?), and, like JH Newman, prayers to the saints in general don’t really get me going. Occasionally I do make a short prayer to a saint (often asking for JH Newman’s intercession or a brief devotion to St. Joseph), but in general it’s not a practice that I engage in much.

 

[Francis]

@GrowingInTheFaith

While I do understand that Jesus would likely pay special attention to what his blessed earthly mother Mary has to say,

1 Corinthians 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory. [967] By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church indeed, she is the "exemplary realization; ( typus )510 of the Church.

[968] Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.;511

In honoring the words of Jesus in John 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman,(addressing as the Women of Genesis 3:15 the New Eve our Mother Mary) behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”( its a commandment Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long(Eternity ) in the land (Heaven)which the Lord your God gives you).And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home(His heart, the Church, for all human race for Eternity).

Galatians 4:26 But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free and she is our mother ( MARY). (MOTHER MARY IS SINLESS and Mary retain ;perpetual virginity), 27 For it is written, “Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children, burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married.”

Revelation 12:1-2 A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman (Mother Mary) clothed with the sun (Glory Wisdom 7:26 For she (Mother Mary) is a reflection of eternal light=Jesus John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness.), with the moon under her feet (Power given to Her in the Church By Jesus on the Cross the last Treasure and the most important before his death only then he could finishes the will of God ), and on her head a crown of twelve stars (12 Apostles and the 12 Tribes of Israel) (Queen of Heaven). 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth

 

[Cathoholic]

From an earlier post of mine . . .

The Context and 1st Timothy 2:5

1st Timothy 2:5 allows for secondary mediation contextually.

That’s WHY in the immediate verses earlier; we are NOT told we cannot pray on behalf of other people.

NOT 1st TIMOTHY 2:1-5 (Phantom Verse) 1 First of all, then, you people cannot make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings 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 Because if you try to do this, you will be trying to mediate between God and men. It is a terrible thing to try to do this mediation between God and men and totally unacceptable in the sight of God. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. So don’t you dare even think to try mediating in any sense.

No! That would be non-sense.

The issue isn’t CAN WE “mediate between God and men”.
The issue is HOW does Jesus “mediate between God and men”.

That’s part of what “grace” is.
That’s also WHY St. Peter can say we are “partakers” of the Divine nature.
That’s WHY St. Paul tells us we have a “participation” or a “koinonia” in Christ.

So the issue is HOW does Jesus mediate between God and men, NOT “can we please mediate APART from Jesus Christ just a little bit??” (We cannot “mediate” apart from Christ in any sense.)

That’s WHY several verses earlier you and I ARE implored or entreated to mediate and pray on behalf of other people.

We CAN do this mediation that we are TOLD by St. Paul to do (in 1st Timothy 2) precisely because Jesus is the “one mediator” and Jesus works within us!

This is WHY we CAN mediate in some sense. And this mediation of ours (with Christ) is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior

1st TIMOTHY 2:1-5 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

Incidentally. Some examples of this concept of Christ at work IN US include Philippians 2:12-13, Philippians 4:13, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:20-21, and Hebrews 13:20a, 21. Other verses that at least hint at the same thing include, Romans 8:8-11, 1st Thessalonians 2:13, Philippians 1:6, 1st Corinthians 9:1, 2nd Corinthians 6:1, 2nd Corinthians 9:8, John 9:4, and many others.

 

[Cathoholic]

I once heard a priest at a Conference teach about this concept.

I am going to focus upon the “one mediator” issue in this post with regard to the Greek.

Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.

The Bible says so.

And admittedly some of that mediation is done exclusively by Jesus.

There IS only one mediator between God and man.

1st TIMOTHY 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

But the issue is, HOW does Jesus “mediate”?

We already affirmed there are aspects of Jesus’ mediation that are exclusive to Him. After all. Jesus is True God AND True man.

But is that ALL? Is that the whole story to Jesus’ mediation? No!

Jesus CONTINUES to mediate in and through men with their cooperation ALSO.

Jesus mediates WITH us (We do NOT mediate on our own).

The Greek word for “one” here is “heis”.

“One” as in “one" mediator” or “heis" mediator”.

“Heis” allows for secondary mediation.

The Greek Word Heis and 1st Timothy 2:5

1st TIMOTHY 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

The Greek word for “one” as in “one mediator” is transliterated heis (“hay-eese”).

Now the same verse with the Greek word for “one” parenthetically added . . .

1st TIMOTHY 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one ( heis ) mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

The Greek word “monos” could have been used which would be more exclusive .
But “monos” WASN’T used here in 1st Timothy 2:5.

“Heis” WAS used. “Heis” which ALLOWS for secondary mediation.

Jesus working in and through His people does not cease when we are in Heaven.

So in the above post, we saw contextually why persons not only can but should mediate and how the Holy Spirit (through St. Paul) calls this mediation “good, and . . . acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”.

And we saw in this post, the Greek word heis, of course matches the context.

Mediation.

 

[Francis]

@GrowingInTheFaith

Protestants do have tradition. In my church, the Methodist church, we have communion, baptism, and special traditions in traditional services like acolytes etc. Other Protestant churches have traditions as well, all of them have at least communion and baptism.

Here Traditions are orally ;by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received - whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not customs which we do each year as such

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a2.htm

God graciously arranged that the things he had once revealed for the salvation of all peoples should remain in their entirety, throughout the ages, and be transmitted to all generations.31

I. THE APOSTOLIC TRADITION

75 "Christ the Lord, in whom the entire Revelation of the most high God is summed up, commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel, which had been promised beforehand by the prophets, and which he fulfilled in his own person and promulgated with his own lips. In preaching the Gospel, they were to communicate the gifts of God to all men. This Gospel was to be the source of all saving truth and moral discipline."32

In the apostolic preaching. . .

76 In keeping with the Lord’s command, the Gospel was handed on in two ways:

• orally "by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received - whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit";33
• in writing "by those apostles and other men associated with the apostles who, under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, committed the message of salvation to writing".34

. . . continued in apostolic succession

77 "In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church the apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority."35 Indeed, "the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until the end of time."36

78 This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it. Through Tradition, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes."37 "The sayings of the holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer."38