Question from Semi-Returning Catholic

[HopkinsReb]

To me pray doesn’t simply mean to ask, it is a form of worship, however you say it.

At the risk of sounding harsh, you’re simply wrong on this point. There is no reason that prayer necessarily constitutes worship. It’s simply an untrue statement.

praying to Mary in a form of worship just asking for help

You should never pray to Mary as a form of worship. These are not the same things.

because of what the word means to me

Then your understanding of the word is wrong. It really seems to be that simple in this case. Prayer is not the same thing as worship.

I haven’t spoken to the priest yet, but my class seems to think I can be a respectful, practicing Catholic without praying to Mary. It won’t be easy

It really is quite easy, with the exception of the very few prayers during Mass addressed to her. Your private devotional life is yours. I don’t pray to Mary very much in my private devotional life; most of it is the Trisagion and the Jesus Prayer.

There’s nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution. The people who do the whole “how will Jesus feel if you don’t talk to his mother” thing are, I think, completely off-base. Participate in the Mass, but other than that just…pray. You don’t have to have a Marian devotion or anything like that.

 

[whatistrue]

because of what the word means to me, yes that’s the only reason

That is exactly the issue. You can’t let go of your interpretation of what the word means to you and accept that it means something different to the Church in the context of praying to saints (Including Mary). But bottom line is that, as far as I know, it is not required to have any specific devotion to Mary or the saints in general outside the narrow situation within the Mass that was already covered.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Mary and the Saints in heaven ARE your brothers and sisters

 

[TheLittleLady]

You can’t let go of your interpretation of what the word means to you and accept that it means something different to the Church

It means something different to not only the Church, but to the entire English speaking world.

 

[tafan2]

To me pray doesn’t simply mean to ask, it is a form of worship, however you say it.

Which means it is a matter of definition. There is no doubt, the Church uses your sense of the word when discussing prayer to God. But when the issue is praying to saints, it uses a different sense, all that it means is to ask for help. That’s all. You shrug this off as acceptable when it is part of mass. So fine, there should be no problem. Don’t make it a bigger deal than it is. If you accept the communion of saints, accept that they intercede for us, accept that the prayers to them in mass are fine, your ok. The Church does not expect you to give the Saints any form of worship due to God alone

 

[annad347]

You should never pray to Mary as a form of worship. These are not the same things.

but that’s what I’m asking, if I’m NOT worshiping her, then is it necessary for me to pray to her, if I want to return to the Catholic church?

a lot of you guys are making it sound like prayers to saints are the same as the ones to God. That one is as important as the other… and maybe they are, maybe I am missing out on something… you all could be right, but all I’m asking is if I’m not worshiping them, do I have to pray to them?

Remember, not once did I say praying to Mary was bad, never said you shouldn’t do it… I’m just asking if I HAVE TOO and be a practicing Catholic? and I think I got my answer. I think I understand what I must do, if I want to return to the Catholic church.

so Thank You.

If you accept the communion of saints, accept that they intercede for us, accept that the prayers to them in mass are fine, your ok.

Only time will tell… We’ll see what happens after I speak to the priest.

 

[BTypical]

Remember, not once did I say praying to Mary was bad, never said you shouldn’t do it… I’m just asking if I HAVE TO and be a practicing Catholic?

You do not, so long as you agree with the teaching that the “communion of saints” is a part of the Church. Not asking for her intercession, however, does mean you’re giving up a major avenue of potential help in your spiritual life.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

I think Jesus would know my mind and heart. He’d know I wasn’t refusing to talk to His mother, but that I wouldn’t want to disrespect Him by praying to her… then I’d pray He would understand me.

1. Obviously, Jesus knows your mind and heart better than anyone except the Father and the Holy Spirit (the other 2 Persons of the Holy Trinity).
2. You can NEVER disrespect Jesus by praying to His Mother. In fact, it’s the opposite:

“Whoever honors Christ, honors Mary; whoever honors Mary, honors Christ.”

There’s a really good book by St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort called True Devotion to Mary:

https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/...-preparation-for-total-consecration-4627.html

It explains what true devotion to Mary really is in simple language.

 

[annad347]

Not asking for her intercession, however, does mean you’re giving up a major avenue of potential help in your spiritual life.

maybe… I am.

There’s a really good book by St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort called True Devotion to Mary:

Thank you.

 

[Justin_Mary]

Thank you.

The important thing is to come home. Worship God the way he asked us to, the Mass.

Pray the Mass with all your heart, everything else will take care of itself.

 

[HopkinsReb]

if I’m not worshiping them, do I have to pray to them?

It’s been said repeatedly: outside of full participation in the Mass, no, it’s not required.

 

[annad347]

Thank You everyone for all your help, you’ve all given me a lot to think about… Thank You.

 

[JimG]

Worship God alone.

Talk to the saints, by praying to them.

I presume that in heaven you will worship God but also talk to the other people there with you.

It wouldn’t be polite to worship God alone while refusing to communicate with anyone else.

 

[JimG]

This is kind of interesting. You did not pose your question to God alone. Rather, you prayed to other Catholics to ask for their assistance. Like the saints in heaven, you can’t see us or hear us, but you prayed to us for assistance. And you are not worshipping us.

 

[annad347]

I absolutely want you to have the best chance possible of making it to heaven

Trust me, if I don’t make it into heaven, it would be for something a lot worst then not praying to Mary. This is just one of the many, many walls I have to get through to clear my path to God. That’s why I want to go, need to go back to church.

you prayed to other Catholics to ask for their assistance.

you are only looking at the first part of the definition of the word pray… to ask a question. I’m more concerned rest of the definition… expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship.

I ask my friends a question, I don’t pray to them. I ask my teacher a question I’m not praying to him, I ask the guy down the street and around the corner, “do you have the time” I’m not praying to him. Cause to me prayer is a strong form worship…and that’s just God.

and before I get attacked, I’m not saying you worship Mary or any Saint… that you just pray to them to ask a question or ask for help. I just want to know if I have to be a practicing Catholic?

some of you say yes I can
some of you say no I can’t
some of you say talk to a priest

I say Thank you for you’re help… talking to a priest is the best answer.

 

[Justin_Mary]

Trust me, if I don’t make it into heaven, it would be for something a lot worst then not praying to Mary. This is just one of the many, many walls I have to get through to clear my path to God. That’s why I want to go, need to go back to church.

Understanding Mary helps us to understand the Church. All Grace’s flow through Mother Church. The center of the Church is the Eucharist, Christ himself.

You can’t get Christ, body, soul, divinity outside the Church. Pray through the Mass, live through the Church. This is how God designed it.

Through the Church. Which is the same as saying through Mary.

 

[annad347]

Through the Church. Which is the same as saying through Mary.

so I get to God through Mary, the church… I thought it was through Jesus. confused

**John 14: 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. ** United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. NABRE: New American Bible Revised Edition

I’m sorry guys, I really appreciate your help. I love all the replies. They’re really helping me think, I love the help. I LOVE talking about God, finding ways of getting closer to Him.

but I think this is going a little off from what I’m asking… and I have my answer. So thank you. God Bless.

and as much as I hate saying this but can someone please close this thread. I’m good. Thank you.

 

[HopkinsReb]

so I get to God through Mary, the church… I thought it was through Jesus. confused

Yeah, that response got off into the realm of typology, which is beyond the scope of this conversation. I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[annad347]

Yeah, that response got off into the realm of typology, which is beyond the scope of this conversation. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Thank you.

 

[JimG]

OK, if you don’t want to pray to the saints because of your defiition of the word, don’t pray to them, just talk to them. How is that bad?