I sure wish Victor would respond to this, as I think he'd give a better answer than I could give, but this is what I dug up:
http://www.catholic-cadet.com/apol/maryprayer.html
Why do Catholics pray to Mary?
This question is a common one among non-Catholics, who don't understand why Catholics pray to her, often wondering why we don't "just pray to Jesus alone."
The reason is rooted in the Catholic belief in the communion of saints. As we are all members of Christ's Body and united with each other and the rest of the Church, no matter how far apart we are in space, so too are we members of Christ's Body and united with the rest of His Body and Church even after our physical death, no matter how far apart in time. For it is not our bodies that are united in Christ's Body, but our souls, and death is merely the separation of the body and soul. Thus, when we die, we remain one with the Church and become closer to our God.
What does this have to do with praying to Mary though?
Well, we not only can pray for each other, interceding for each other, but are told by St. Paul to do so (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1-2). So the saints in Heaven, including the Blessed Virgin Mary, will continue to offer prayer to God on our behalf. Now, how do any of the members of Christ's Body know to pray for the other members? Sometimes they can see, but more commonly they are asked, and that is why we pray to Mary, so we can ask for her prayers on our behalf. Why ask her for her prayers? Because, as St. James says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16).
But isn't prayer worship?
No, it isn't. While it has taken on that connotation in the large majority of modern Protestantism, it does not strictly mean worship. It's older meaning, retained by Catholicism, is that of asking, making an entreaty. Consider this line of Shakespeare: "No; I pray thee speak in sober judgment." (
Much Ado About Nothing Act 1, Scene 1, Line 70). Now, is Claudio worshipping Benedick when he prays to him? No, rather, he is asking him to do something. Similarly, we find in the King James' Bible's translation of Genesis 12:13 "Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee." Now, is Abram worshipping Sarai, or he is asking her to do something?
But still, don't Catholics worship Mary?
Well, if you use the old sense of the word worship, then we do. However, the old meaning of worship was of honor. For this reason, judges in the United Kingdom are still addressed as "Your Worship", even though no one would ever presume to call this address idolatry. In fact, the Greek word used to refer to worship in the New Testament, proskuneo, is simply a general word meaning "in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication a. used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank 1. to the Jewish high priests 2. to God 3. to Christ 4. to heavenly beings 5. to demons" (
Source).
Worship, according to the old meaning, is divided up into three forms. Dulia is that honor and praise which is given to the saints in Heaven. Hyperdulia is that given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the most holy of all human beings (aside, of course, from Christ) and who played a unique role in the salvation of mankind, in giving birth to our Salvation (nowadays, the term veneration is used when referring to dulia and hyperdulia so as to avoid confusion with the modern meaning of worship). The last form of worship is latria. In this form consists of all praise and glorification that belongs to God alone, and the adoration that belongs to Him alone. No creature of His can be adored without it being idolatry.
In the more modern meaning of the word worship, we do not worship Mary, of course. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes:
"§2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, "You cannot serve God and mammon." Many martyrs died for not adoring "the Beast" refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God."
Finally, it is impossible for a Catholic to actually worship Mary. For Catholic worship consists in the Sacrifice of the Mass (where Christ's sacrifice on the cross is made present and offered up to God the Father in worship and for the forgiveness of sins), also known as the
Divine Liturgy. The very nature of Catholic worship thus makes it impossible for us to worship Mary.
Don't Catholics commit idolatry when they bow to images of Mary though? After all, the Second Commandment (in Protestant numbering, it is part of the First Commandment in Catholic numbering) says: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image."
The problem here is a lack of context. After all, God later commanded the Israelites to make two images of cherubim and one of a bronze serpent (the cherubim to decorate the ark, the serpent to heal those bitten by snakes). Did God violate His own law? Of course not. What this commandment forbids is the making of idols, the making of a graven image that is then worshipped as though it were God. What Catholics do is give honor to the one that image represents. Similarly, a soldier who salutes a flag does not commit idolatry, as the Jehovah's Witnesses say, but rather gives honor to the nation for which it stands for and those soldiers who have shed their blood for that flag.
But isn't the saying of the Rosary an example of the vain and repetitious prayers condemned by Christ in Matthew 6:7?
No, the Rosary is much different from the repetitious prayers of the pagans. What they would do is throw out the names of as many gods as they could in the hopes of being heard. We however have the assurance of being heard by God and the saints, there is no need to try and hope that one of the saints will hear us and aid us. Furthermore, the Rosary is primarily a series of meditations, which lead to a deeper spiritual communion with God. Finally, there is nothing wrong with continually asking, and asking many times, for prayer and aid. For Christ says: "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly" (Luke 18:7-8).
Isn't the title that Catholics have given Mary, "Mother of God", blasphemous?
Mother of God is simply a title that emphasizes a truth about Christ, namely, that He is God. Christ's twin natures, His human and divine natures, cannot be separated. He is completely, 100%, man, and completely, 100%, God, at the same time and for all time since His Incarnation when Mary conceived. Since it is impossible to separate His twin natures, it may truly be said that she gave birth to the Word made Flesh, that she gave birth to God Incarnate, and that she nursed and raised God. Because of this the Church has said that she is indeed the Mother of God.
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I think the answer is thorough and biblically supported. But, like I'd said........I wish another current Catholic would chime in. :angel2:
Peace,
Mystic
