Praying to Mary

[scarlettstara]

Hi, I go to a Protestant school and so am more familiar with Protestant views than the Catholic ones. However, I’ve been exploring Catholicism since last year and have found that it is clearer and suits my beliefs more so than Protestant teachings.

Now, I know that Catholics pray to Mary but as a Protestant I had never done that. So I’m a bit lost as to what I should do… how do you know when to pray to Mary, and how do you address her?

 

[VociMike]

You can pray to Mary whenever you wish. There is no time that’s wrong. That applies to any saint in heaven.

How to address her? However you’d like, really. She is your spiritual mother, given to you by Christ, and you are her child, given to her by Christ. She is also the most obedient of all God’s creatures, from which derives all the honors we give her (and which God gives her). Just go from there.

 

[joshua_b]

It’s important to remember that all proper devotion to Mary will lead you to Christ. Mary is a powerful intercessor, and wants only for us to know her Son, Jesus.

As long as you keep that mindset, only good can come from Marian devotion. I coined a little phrase…“No Mary, no Jesus; know Mary, know Jesus”.

 

[JaneFrances]

Hi! Welcome the forums. May I first say that I find it absolutely refreshing that you are seeking answers about the Catholic faith in a most respectful and honest fashion! I just read your inquiry in another thread about Purgatory and the fact that you are reading Fulton Sheen is awesome! Keep it up!

Praying to Mary. . .Here’s the thing. Many non-Catholics view Marian devotion as an isolated issue, however this does not render a proper perspective for what we as Catholics do when we pray to the Blessed Mother. Praying to Mary is a function of our understanding of the Church, the communion of Saints, and the power of Christ.

Through Christ, we have been reconciled to our Father. This makes us the children of God. A family. As Christians, we are formed into the Body of Christ and our interdependance is essential to our identity. Because God has designed it (not because he requires it), we are reliant on each other, as in a family. Mary is our Mother through Christ. We are brothers and sisters through Christ. The saints in heaven, too, are brothers and sisters in this family called Church! Entrance into heaven does not separate our family, but rather is stregthens and perfects our communion with God and with each other!

We believe, by the grace of God, that Mary was preserved from sin, thus we believe that she is with Him in heaven. As Mother of the King, she resides in this heavenly state to serve Him and worship Him for all eternity with the saints and angels. We turn to her in prayer to communicate to her our needs as a child to a mother, confident of God’s power to work through holy men and women, and most especially through Christ’s own mother. We honor her for her example and thank her for her intercession.

In order to pray to Mary, you must know her. I encourage you, especially if you are not particularly familiar with this sort of prayer, to pray to Jesus first. Ask him to soften your heart towards his mother. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to pray. Ask the Father to give you the grace to see his hand at work through the Blessed Mother and all the saints in heaven and on earth.

Then, do some reading. . .I recommend Scott Hahn’s book “Hail Holy Queen.” It’s a wonderful introduction into Marian devotion and prayer with special attention to the Scriptures. And if you aren’t a book reader or can not afford this book at this time, read THIS zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~vgg/rc/aplgtc/hahn/m4/m.html

God Bless and Welcome Again!