At 11:47 AM 6/22/2003 -0500 Ronn!Blankenship wrote:
>We may be talking different languages here, but I'm still trying to
>understand why (if I'm understanding correctly at all) Catholics would
>_need_ to have Mary pray for them? Does the Catholic church teach that
>ordinary people do not have direct access to God via prayer? Or am I just
>missing something here?
No, not at all. The Catholic Church strongly encourages prayer to God by
everyone. Indeed, as I noted, most of the prayers in the Mass are
directed towards God. Additionally, the rosary itself is directed towards
God.... the 10 Hail Marys of each decade culminate in a recitation of the
"Our Father." The numerous other prayers and devotions to God promoted by
Catholics, including devotions to the "Sacred Heart of Jesus" and the "Holy
Name".
So, why pray to Mary?
Some ideas:
-Catholics have always subscribed to the idea that "the more prays the
better." Thus, Catholics are always asking fellow Christians to pray for
this intention or another. Most Churches have "pray chains" to spread
prayers for a particular intention far and wide. So, since Catholics
believe that we are all alive after death in heaven, why not spread the
intentions "upstairs" as well.
-Mary is one of a very humans who have been recorded as appearing to
succeed in "changing God's mind." Moreover, Mary is the "Mother of God",
and we all know that God has directed us to "honor your father and mother."
For both these reasons, Mary's intentions and prayers are thought to be
particularly powerful.
-Mary has asked the faithfull to pray o her with their needs and concerns
in various apparations throughout history.
JDG
_______________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world,
it is God's gift to humanity." - George W. Bush 1/29/03
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