Mother Mary

[Proallen]

I truly doubt that you witnessed exactly what you think you witnessed. All of us Catholics have mentioned already that there are many who “go too far” with devotions. This is not the Church’s doing, it is the Church’s lack of doing, not enough catechesis.

Again, I must either have been dillusional or I am an all out liar. I saw this for years and I know what it was and what still goes in the Catholic church. Why is it that no other church deals with this besides yours? Coincidence? I highly doubt it. And how is this not the church’s doing? Catholics are first to point out that their doctrine is rock solid, 100% Apostollic unwavering and true to form for 2000 years but they bail when faced with things such as folks worshipping Mary. Every church has its weaknesses and difficulties with my own very much included, but this seems to be an underlying weakness for Catholicism.

Now if we can concede this point we can move on, but to keep restating anecdotal statements which we have already conceded and attribute them to the Church as a whole, then we are at an impasse. What’s the point of continuing?

Well, the point applies as much to you as it does to Protestants when you apply it to us which has been done several times in the short time I have been here.

 

[Lapey]

the term " to agree to disagree" to me all it means is that there is disagreement on the subject and I’m ok with that. I can walk away and still be friends. If you said 1+1=2 and I said 1+1=23 I would agree with your relativist statement. But the subject of Mary pertaining to this board, Is not that cut and dried to me. Maybe it is to you.

I don’t think I called anyone an Idol worshiper? If I did or was perceived, that was not my intent. Can you show me in one of my post where that is the case?
I know it gets difficult, because I have the same problem sometimes, but please do not read others posts into mine. and I will try hard not to do it as well. I think this may be some of what is going on.

MY intentions are not to disrespect anybody, but on the flip side when I read many post from both sides of the aisle, I see disrespect in how posters handle disagreement within what they type. The question remains is it perception, when the writer has no intent or is it real?

It was another poster who called some “idol worshipers”, not you.

I believe your intensions are pure; you do not come across as a hater. But I will tell you that you are the same as many who come here to “enlighten us Catholics”. Many have come before you and many will come after you are banned. I say that in charity because I wish that you would stay here and try to learn why I think and believe what I believe; not tell me how wrong I am for believing it. You don’t have to get yourself kicked out of here but most like you do because they seem to know too much to hear us “cat-licks” out. I hope my prophetic statement about you is wrong.

I can quote scripture that backs up everything about the Marian spirituality within the Church, but you will not believe what I write because you are schooled in a totally different doctrine. Instead think of it this way, you are on a Catholic web site on a non-Catholic thread but it is still a Catholic run and dominated web site. So why not ask us why??? Ask me what in scripture and tradition leads me to believe what the Church teaches and why I defend it so adamantly.

Anna Scott, a sister poster of ours put it quite eloquently earlier, just chill and try to learn why we are so different. Then maybe we can discuss what we have in common and learn from each other, as we are all members of His Body.

I don’t remember if it was you are not, but someone said that Jesus reprimanded, I think that was the word, in the wedding at Cana story. I don’t believe that Jesus reprimanded her in the least. Where is my proof? He did as she suggested, she didn’t even say the words she just called attention to the problem and he obliged her. Probably in the same way you would deny your mother at first then do exactly what she asked because she asked. That is the message of that scripture passage, if it were what was suggested He would not have complied with her wishes.

 

[Proallen]

I also have to wonder why you waited until your 13th post on this thread to disclose that at one time you were a “devout Catholic”.

That, along with comments you have made such as:

I’m sorry, but I am having trouble understanding how you could have been a “devout Catholic”, and not know the answers to these things.

I look forward to your answer.

I wanted to know how you could answer these questions correctly by using your own logic.
That’s why I asked them. You gave the clear impression that there were no prerequisite adherances that one had to posess before becoming Catholic which I know is false.

 

[Lapey]

Again, I must either have been dillusional or I am an all out liar. I saw this for years and I know what it was and what still goes in the Catholic church. Why is it that no other church deals with this besides yours? Coincidence? I highly doubt it. And how is this not the church’s doing? Catholics are first to point out that their doctrine is rock solid, 100% Apostollic unwavering and true to form for 2000 years but they bail when faced with things such as folks worshipping Mary. Every church has its weaknesses and difficulties with my own very much included, but this seems to be an underlying weakness for Catholicism.

Well, the point applies as much to you as it does to Protestants when you apply it to us which has been done several times in the short time I have been here.

Not delusional or a liar, just not very knowledgeable of the Catholic teachings, true Catholic teachings.

What exactly do you mean by, “no other Church deals with this besides mine?” I guess it is a big conspiracy to bring as many souls to hell by teaching them to worship Mary and idols. Do you think of these things before you proclaim them as gospel?

I am first to point out that Catholic doctrine is 100% rock solid, and unfortunately many people in the Church are not; it’s human nature. I would venture to say that if you would have been taught correct doctrine and practiced the faith as God asks us to, you would still be a Catholic in communion. As it is now, you are still Catholic if indeed you were once baptized into Christ in His Church. See, you cannot wash it off. The sacrament of baptism leaves an indelible mark on your soul that cannot be removed.

 

[Proallen]

I am first to point out that Catholic doctrine is 100% rock solid, and unfortunately many people in the Church are not; it’s human nature. I would venture to say that if you would have been taught correct doctrine and practiced the faith as God asks us to, you would still be a Catholic in communion. As it is now, you are still Catholic if indeed you were once baptized into Christ in His Church. See, you cannot wash it off. The sacrament of baptism leaves an indelible mark on your soul that cannot be removed.

Those are just cheap words. I belong to Christ, not the Roman church. And this is your problem. You proclaim doctrine which is to be more solid than any Protestants, but you bail out when your parishioners don’t follow suit. That is hypocracy my friend. You can’t have it both way.

And can you name one single church out there amongst the 30,000 or so Christian denominations that Catholics claim there are that deals with this sort of perversion of what you call honoring Mary? I would like to know of just one. The point is that it exists in your church whether you have blinders on to it or not. It’s a perversion that your church won’t deal with. If it is against your doctrine as you so claim, then why is it tolerated??

 

[Lapey]

Proallen:
Those are just cheap words. I belong to Christ, not the Roman church. And this is your problem. You proclaim doctrine which is to be more solid than any Protestants, but you bail out when your parishioners don’t follow suit. That is hypocracy my friend. You can’t have it both way.

And can you name one single church out there amongst the 30,000 or so Christian denominations that Catholics claim there are that deals with this sort of perversion of what you call honoring Mary? I would like to know of just one. The point is that it exists in your church whether you have blinders on to it or not. It’s a perversion that your church won’t deal with. If it is against your doctrine as you so claim, then why is it tolerated??

As Arnold would say, “I’ll be back!!!”

Later, I am going worship Mary!!!

 

[Bill_Pick]

I question his understanding of the word “devout” as well. He may have been a Catholic but a devout Catholic would not be here spewing untruths, he would know the teachings of the Church better.

Why does any one say I was a deuout Cathlolic, why not just give his denomination or is he/her just ashame of the denomination

 

[Dorothy]

Proallen:
Those are just cheap words. I belong to Christ, not the Roman church. And this is your problem. You proclaim doctrine which is to be more solid than any Protestants, but you bail out when your parishioners don’t follow suit. That is hypocracy my friend. You can’t have it both way.

And can you name one single church out there amongst the 30,000 or so Christian denominations that Catholics claim there are that deals with this sort of perversion of what you call honoring Mary? I would like to know of just one. The point is that it exists in your church whether you have blinders on to it or not. It’s a perversion that your church won’t deal with. If it is against your doctrine as you so claim, then why is it tolerated??

You mentioned about seeing with your own eyes what you consider is a “perversion of what yuou call honoring Mary”.

Those are harsh words. What you perceive and what others are actually doing is not necessarily the same thing.

You do not realize how angry you come across. I kneel before statues of Mary at times, and I have a devotion to her, the perfect disciple. When I kneel I am not worshipping her, as that would be sinful. I know that she is filled with the life of the Lord, and is an example to me. Over the years she has brought me closer to Jesus. Everything she has comes from the Lord. In her humility she knows that.

 

[Dorothy]

I have knelt before a statue of Mary, and that does not mean I am an idolater.

All the grace that Mary has comes from the fullness of the Trinity that shines through her. Of herself, she is nothing,…she is like a clear pane of glass that allows the Trinity to shine through her. She is nothing by herself, and knows it. That is true humility.

So, when you see people kneel before a statue of Mary they are honoring what the Lord has done for her, they definitely are not putting her before Jesus.

Here are some statements from Protestant reformers on Mary:

Martin Luther: “In this work whereby she was made the Mother of God, so many and such good things were given her that no one can grasp them…Not only was Mary the mother of Him who is born (in Bethlehem) but of Him who, before the world, was eternally born of the Father, from a Mother in time and at the same time man and God.” (Weimer, The Works of Luther, by Pelikan, Concordia, St. Louis, v 7 p. 572)

John Calvin: “It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of His Son, granted her the highest honor…Elizabeth calls Mary Mother of the Lord because the unity of the person in the two natures of Christ was such that she could have said that the mortal man engendered in the womb of Mary was at the same time the eternal God.” (Calvini Opera, Corpus Reformatorium, Braunschweig-Berlin, 1863-1900, v. 45, p. 348,35.)

And, there are more quotes from these men that I have, on her perpetual virginity.

I am resending this message that I have send earlier in the thread, in case who needs to read it has missed it. This is only a bit of what the reformers had to say about Mary.

Peace,

Dorothy

 

[twopekinguys]

I wanted to know how you could answer these questions correctly by using your own logic.
That’s why I asked them. You gave the clear impression that there were no prerequisite adherances that one had to posess before becoming Catholic which I know is false.

You are so off base on this, that you aren’t even in the ballpark.

Everything you have tried to come up with has been clearly refuted. It is merely you who refuses to believe or understand it.

There is a BIG difference between giving a “clear impression”, and giving you proof. I gave you proof of what is required as far as Mary, and being Catholic. Whether you choose to understand and accept that, or not, is up to you.

I will ask you this question one more time since you have chosen to ignore it more than once.

The people you saw worshiping statues, crawling on the floor praying the rosary etc., Did you ask them if they were worshipping the statues? Did you ask them if they were praying the rosary while ignoring Jesus? Or were these your assumptions?

It really isn’t hard for you to answer these questions. Please stop avoiding them.

 

[twopekinguys]

I couldn’t agree with you more.

He is acting like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar so to speak.

Any “devout Catholic” would know that praying the Rosary involves meditating on the Life of Christ. Any “devout Catholic” would know the Church’s teachings on Mary.

I’m sorry, but his story just doesn’t work for me.

 

[cruisin]

It was another poster who called some “idol worshipers”, not you.

I believe your intensions are pure; you do not come across as a hater. But I will tell you that you are the same as many who come here to “enlighten us Catholics”. where did I say I came here to enlighten you? don’t think I did. I came here for conversation. Many have come before you and many will come after you are banned. now that sounds like true charity. I say that in charity because I wish that you would stay here and try to learn why I think and believe what I believe; not tell me how wrong I am for believing it. don’t think I told anybody they where wrong. I just disagreed with the position. If this is telling someone they are wrong:shrug:.You don’t have to get yourself kicked out of here but most like you do because they seem to know too much to hear us “cat-licks” out. I hope my prophetic statement about you is wrong.Thanks for the warning.

I can quote scripture that backs up everything about the Marian spirituality within the Church,I believe that you could.

but you will not believe what I write because you are schooled in a totally different doctrine. So does it Suprise you that I don’t think you are right. I don’t understand, Why do you expect to be right just because you posted it? Instead think of it this way, you are on a Catholic web site on a non-Catholic thread but it is still a Catholic run and dominated web site. So why not ask us why??? Ask me what in scripture and tradition leads me to believe what the Church teaches and why I defend it so adamantly.I have been reading this thread for 2 years. look at my signup date. I just don’t normally log in and post until now. But I do do alot of reading. I will bet there are somewhere around 5000-10000 posts on this subject alone in the non-catholic thread. I could be wrong but I would say 95% of the threads on Mary have been started to tell the protestants here,how wrong they are not to explore differences.

Anna Scott, a sister poster of ours put it quite eloquently earlier, just chill and try to learn why we are so different. What are you saying here. Because I am a protestant and just started posting here I don’t have a clue about Catholicism? Be careful about making assumptions. Then maybe we can discuss what we have in common and learn from each other, as we are all members of His Body.I tried the find what is common / encourage one another position once. got lambasted by a catholic for trying that too.

I don’t remember if it was you are not, but someone said that Jesus reprimanded, I think that was the word, in the wedding at Cana story. what is your take on this verse? Joh 2:4 Jesus said to her, Woman, this is not your business; my time is still to come. I think there was 2 of us but not sure. I don’t believe that Jesus reprimanded her in the least. Where is my proof? He did as she suggested, she didn’t even say the words she just called attention to the problem and he obliged her. Probably in the same way you would deny your mother at first then do exactly what she asked because she asked. I may have, but if I would have told her she was out of line she wouldn’t have done it again. Respect is a 2 way street. For a mother to use the love your mother command to manipulate a son, I believe is out of line as well.That is the message of that scripture passage, if it were what was suggested He would not have complied with her wishes.
I disagree. I believe He still would have.

I believe this is the message intended, and why John told the story… Joh 20:31 But these are recorded, so that you may have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, having this faith you may have life in his name. I don’t believe putting Mary in the position Catholics claim, was part of the equation.

I found these under post number 4 under important forum information at the top of the page.

Guidelines
For both Catholic and non-Catholic posters:

* It is acceptable to question the doctrine or dogma of another's faith
* It is never acceptable to question the sincerity of an individual's beliefs
* Bringing up historical controversies peculiar to a particular religion should be done cautiously*
      o It is acceptable to discuss the effect the incident had on current policy or practice.
      o It is acceptable to seek the truth vs. commonly-held beliefs or conventional wisdom about actual events.
      o It is fallacious reasoning to use embarrassing incidents to claim that they "prove" a particular religion is false.
* Expecting members of any Church to defend or answer for the excesses or extremism of bodies that have broken with it is a technique that has no merit and can't be defended.

I think maybe WE should all go back and re-read. it gets really easy to cross the line amidst the heat of the battle some times.

I will do my best to follow the rules.

 

[Vile_Servant]

Again, I must either have been dillusional or I am an all out liar. I saw this for years and I know what it was and what still goes in the Catholic church. Why is it that no other church deals with this besides yours? Coincidence? I highly doubt it. And how is this not the church’s doing? Catholics are first to point out that their doctrine is rock solid, 100% Apostollic unwavering and true to form for 2000 years but they bail when faced with things such as folks worshipping Mary. Every church has its weaknesses and difficulties with my own very much included, but this seems to be an underlying weakness for Catholicism.

It is true that there are Catholics who petition Mary for her intercessionary prayers, in the devout belief that she is the refuge and the hope of sinners. A cry of help to a beloved mother by a sinner who feels unworthy to stand before God, is a tender devotion, not an act of worship that demeans God. When those petitions are answered, it is God who answers them through Mary, the instrument and channel of His divine graces.

As you were a devout Catholic before, you would know the “Memorare”
*Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection,
implored Thy help or sought Thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother;
to Thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in Thy clemency, hear and answer me.
Amen. *

In all my years as Catholic who has witnessed the tender devotion to our Blessed Mother, I have not once witnessed any Catholic who has practiced this devotion to fall away from the faith, or leave the Church. In fact, the opposite is true, tender devotion to Mary leads to a greater faith, hope and love in Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

 

[Lapey]

I found these under post number 4 under important forum information at the top of the page.

I think maybe WE should all go back and re-read. it gets really easy to cross the line amidst the heat of the battle some times.

I will do my best to follow the rules.

So you would have told your mother you were out of line and she would have listened? Where was your father, he would have knocked the crud out of you for being disrespectful to your mother.

That translation you quote is lacking. When He addressed her as “mother”, that was not a derogatory term but and endearing term. Translations bring the word mother, which today means something disrespectful. I called my mother woman a couple of times as a teen, my dad convinced me that it wasn’t appropriate.

There is no way that you can overlook the fact the after she asked Him to help, He helped by performing a miracle. There are no other texts to support that He chastised her, only that He granted her request.

 

[Lapey]

Cruising-
where did I say I came here to enlighten you? don’t think I did. I came here for conversation.

Lapey- You didn’t but that’s exactly what you are doing.

Cruisin-
Thanks for the warning.

Lapey- You’re welcome!

Cruising-
So does it Suprise you that I don’t think you are right. I don’t understand, Why do you expect to be right just because you posted it?

Lapey- nope

Cruising-
What are you saying here. Because I am a protestant and just started posting here I don’t have a clue about Catholicism? Be careful about making assumptions

Lapey- no assumptions, I know you don’t know Catholic doctrines or why they are what they are.

Cruising-
I tried the find what is common / encourage one another position once. got lambasted by a catholic for trying that too.

Lapey- sorry about your past experience, hopefully I don’t show you the same disrespect.

Cruising-
what is your take on this verse? Joh 2:4 Jesus said to her, Woman, this is not your business; my time is still to come. I think there was 2 of us but not sure

lapey- This is the NAB translation, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not come yet.” His mother said to the servants, “do whatever He tells you.”
That sounds pretty confident that her message was heard and received and is about to be acted upon.

Cruising-
I may have, but if I would have told her she was out of line she wouldn’t have done it again. Respect is a 2 way street. For a mother to use the love your mother command to manipulate a son, I believe is out of line as well.

Lapey-
I have a hard time believing you would tell you mother she was out of line, I have an even harder time believing that Jesus did as you say you would have. Jesus was without sin, this is against Exodus 20:12.

Cruising-
I disagree. I believe He still would have.

Lapey- Ok we can agree to disagree on this one. It is speculation either way, not spelled out completely by scripture.

Cruising-
I believe this is the message intended, and why John told the story… Joh 20:31 But these are recorded, so that you may have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, having this faith you may have life in his name. I don’t believe putting Mary in the position Catholics claim, was part of the equation.

Lapey- no argument here, except that what happened to what was not written down? Could that be the part of the word of God that is called Sacred Tradition?

Crusin-

• It is never acceptable to question the sincerity of an individual’s beliefs

Lapey- don’t think either of us crossed this line, not yet…

 

[Roblox84]

Proallen:
Those are just cheap words. I belong to Christ, not the Roman church. And this is your problem. You proclaim doctrine which is to be more solid than any Protestants, but you bail out when your parishioners don’t follow suit. That is hypocracy my friend. You can’t have it both way.

And can you name one single church out there amongst the 30,000 or so Christian denominations that Catholics claim there are that deals with this sort of perversion of what you call honoring Mary? I would like to know of just one. The point is that it exists in your church whether you have blinders on to it or not. It’s a perversion that your church won’t deal with. If it is against your doctrine as you so claim, then why is it tolerated??

I have to say that these words from you don’t sound like a Catholics or anyone that believes what the bible say’s. If the bible states that all generations will call her blessed and you are saying she is a perversion of Christianity, I think you need to re read some of the bible quotes that were posted on the thread and not just skim through posts.

 

[Cursilista]

And can you name one single church out there amongst the 30,000 or so Christian denominations that Catholics claim there are that deals with this sort of perversion of what you call honoring Mary? I would like to know of just one.

Believe it or not the Protestants are revisiting the role of Mary and her place in Christianity. You might be suprised at what they have to say from a Protestant perspective

Read this Time magazine article to see

time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1037624-1,00.html

 

[Bill_Pick]

It is true that there are Catholics who petition Mary for her intercessionary prayers, in the devout belief that she is the refuge and the hope of sinners. A cry of help to a beloved mother by a sinner who feels unworthy to stand before God, is a tender devotion, not an act of worship that demeans God. When those petitions are answered, it is God who answers them through Mary, the instrument and channel of His divine graces.

As you were a devout Catholic before, you would know the “Memorare”
*Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection,
implored Thy help or sought Thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother;
to Thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in Thy clemency, hear and answer me.
Amen. *

In all my years as Catholic who has witnessed the tender devotion to our Blessed Mother, I have not once witnessed any Catholic who has practiced this devotion to fall away from the faith, or leave the Church. In fact, the opposite is true, tender devotion to Mary leads to a greater faith, hope and love in Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

I have been a Cathloic for over 75 years and in over 100 Churchs in my life in the USA> and I have never seen Cathloic worshiping Mary,First of all the Priest would not allow this to happen

 

[cruisin]

Cruising-
where did I say I came here to enlighten you? don’t think I did. I came here for conversation.

Lapey- You didn’t but that’s exactly what you are doing.

it’s is not my intent but I can see where this could be understood from others point of view.
Cruisin-
Thanks for the warning.

Lapey- You’re welcome!

Cruising-
So does it Suprise you that I don’t think you are right. I don’t understand, Why do you expect to be right just because you posted it?

Lapey- nope

Didn’t think it would.
Cruising-
What are you saying here. Because I am a protestant and just started posting here I don’t have a clue about Catholicism? Be careful about making assumptions

Lapey- no assumptions, I know you don’t know Catholic doctrines or why they are what they are.

What brought you to this conclusion? very conclusive language here.

tell me if I am wrong. In a nut shell I hope. They are what they are based on Sacred Tradition as they interprets scripture.

Cruising-
I tried the find what is common / encourage one another position once. got lambasted by a catholic for trying that too.

Lapey- sorry about your past experience, hopefully I don’t show you the same disrespect.

I appreciate that.

Cruising-
what is your take on this verse? Joh 2:4 Jesus said to her, Woman, this is not your business; my time is still to come. I think there was 2 of us but not sure

lapey- This is the NAB translation, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not come yet.” His mother said to the servants, “do whatever He tells you.”
That sounds pretty confident that her message was heard and received and is about to be acted upon.

Cruising-
I may have, but if I would have told her she was out of line she wouldn’t have done it again. Respect is a 2 way street. For a mother to use the love your mother command to manipulate a son, I believe is out of line as well.

Lapey-
I have a hard time believing you would tell you mother she was out of line, I have an even harder time believing that Jesus did as you say you would have. Jesus was without sin, this is against Exodus 20:12.

I can except that. I agree that he did what he did because of what his mother said. John uses this story to show the reader of Christs divinity. Jesus probably did what he did to save face for his mother. Think about it for a minute. My guess is that when she came to him that he wasn’t alone and probably talking to a group of people. she may have began the conversation with Jesus within ear shot of these people placing her reputation within the community at risk. If I was in the same position, as I think about it, He had no choice for the sake of is mother do perform the miracle. That said question " What may have Jesus said to his mother during a moment of alone time?" I find no other reference to show that Mary put Jesus in this same position again. Unless you see something I don’t. not saying i’m completly right just basing the thought on my current knowledge.

Cruising-
I disagree. I believe He still would have.

Lapey- Ok we can agree to disagree on this one. It is speculation either way, not spelled out completely by scripture.

Cruising-
I believe this is the message intended, and why John told the story… Joh 20:31 But these are recorded, so that you may have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, having this faith you may have life in his name. I don’t believe putting Mary in the position Catholics claim, was part of the equation.

Lapey- no argument here, except that what happened to what was not written down? Could that be the part of the word of God that is called Sacred Tradition?

Are you referring to John chap. 20 here? John wrote this for a particular purpose to a particular group. I think to make the leap into Sacred Tradition from this passage MAY be improper interpretation. But only my opinion.

How do you know when someone has crossed the line into improper interpretation?

Crusin-

• It is never acceptable to question the sincerity of an individual’s beliefs

Lapey- don’t think either of us crossed this line, not yet…

works for me.

 

[Monica4316]

I have a friend that was on a missions trip in Chile South America. When they came back they told me that they have a huge statue of Mary in the center of town and people come from all over to kneel beside it and pray to it. I know that we should honor Mary, but does any other Catholic think that sometimes some may take it too far? I’m not one that pray’s to Mary or any saints, but I can understand when someone say’s the rosary or say’s a prayer to a saint in time of need. Even a short prayer to Mary, just not everday or five times a day. And ther are many that buy statues of only Mary for the house and there is no Christ anywhere in their home. Wouldn’t most people want to put Christ before anything else?. It just seems like things like this bring a bad name to a lot of Catholics. I would like to hear peoples opinion on this.

the people aren’t bowing TO the statue, the statue is there as a visual reminder as they’re praying, and they’re venerating it to show respect to Our Blessed Mother… there’s nothing wrong with devotion to Mary, or praying to Mary. She’s our Mother and she loves us, prays to God for us… there’s nothing wrong with loving her Christians always have! (until modern times, in Protestantism).

When we honour Mary, we honour her Son… there’s no competition between them at all.

God bless