Catholic's worship Mary? Or NOT!

In a couple of words “We don’t”. My husband and I teach RCIA classes and we often have to play “Ten Catholic Questions”. Why do Catholics worship Mary is always at the top of the list. Why the Catholic beliefs about Mary still remain so misunderstood among non-Catholics is a mystery to me. I know that it is a question of educating John Q Public, and let’s admit it Catholics have never been known for their evangelization or the ability to defend their religion. Due to Adult education classes now being conducted in many Catholic Church’s we are getting better! To be a good Catholic there are three things that we are required to believe about Mary – Immaculate Conception, Ever Virgin and her Assumption into heaven. You never have to say a single prayer to Mary and ask for her intercession on your behalf. You do not have to pray the Rosary everyday or ever. You do not have to have a single statue of her in your home or on the dashboard of your car or a Rosary hanging from your car mirror. In fact if you choose not to pray to the Blessed Mother it will just give her more time to listen to me! One of the greatest gifts the Catholic Church gave me after my conversion was Mother Mary. She is my constant companion on the journey, a friend I can go to anytime and know that she will listen and take my concerns and thanksgiving to Jesus her son. I could type forever about my feelings about Mary and how she has helped me during times of personal grief and strife. Bottom line - if your devotion to Mary does not lead you to a closer relationship with Jesus then you are not doing something right. Throughout her live Mary pointed us towards her son and that is her purpose even today. Remember when Jesus performed His first Miracle at the wedding feast at Cana – they ran out of wine and Mary went to Jesus and told Him that they needed more wine – Jesus told her “My time has not come” meaning that it was not time that for Him to reveal himself – then being a good son he did as him Mother ask and Mary told the waiters at the Wedding Feast to “DO AS HE TELLS YOU”. This should be our attitude, too. Mary like Johns the Baptist, points us to Jesus Christ who is alone the Savior and Redeemer. She does intercede for us but her answer is always “DO as HE says”. We simply ask that Mary present our prayers, our needs to God. This does not mean or imply that Mary has any special power apart from the saving power of God. In praising Mary, we are praising and thanking God for the power and love God shows to Mary.

What do Catholics believe about Mary? This is all that we as Catholic’s are required to believe.
1. Immaculate Conception - Catholics believe that Mary was conceived and born free of Original Sin. By reason of her unique role in God's plan of redemption she was united with God from the beginning and was endowed by God with an unsurpassable degree of grace.
2. Ever Virgin – Mary was ever virgin – she was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Jesus. Frankly, I cannot see what the problem is! Many, who deny Mary's perpetual virginity, nevertheless affirm her virginity before and during Jesus' birth. Yet the Virgin Birth of Jesus required an astounding miracle, and Mary's lifelong virginity afterwards required none. To object to the latter doctrine while admitting the former seems to strain out a gnat while swallowing a camel.
3. The Assumption - Catholics believe that at her death, Mary was taken into heaven body and soul. Her body was not placed in the ground to decay.
I will agree that some seem to take their devotion to Mary to a point that might cause those looking in to call it “worship”. That was certainly was never Mary’s intent!