Why do Catholics pray to Mary and to God?

That is a great question! First, we need to understand that Catholics are Christians and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected and lives today in Heaven with God. The difference is that they have certain practices that have become tradition based on their interpretation of certain parts of the Bible.

Let me start by asking you a question: Have you ever asked a parent or friend or even your pastor to pray for you? Or, have you ever prayed for someone asking God to help them? Well, when someone prays for you, they are interceding for you. Interceding is just a big word that means “acting on behalf of someone.”

When Catholics pray to Mary, they are asking Mary to intercede for them and to pray to Jesus for them. It’s like asking your pastor to pray for you.

Catholics are not worshipping Mary; they are simply praying to her and asking her to pray to Jesus for them. Catholics absolutely do not believe praying to Mary is a direct petition to God.

I know…it’s very confusing. But, if you look at the definition of “pray” in the Dictionary, most definitions never use the word “worship” to define prayer. In fact, Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “pray” this way:

• To utter a petition to God
• To make a fervent request or plead
• To beseech or implore
• To make a devout or earnest request for

That’s why Catholics pray to Mary…they are pleading, beseeching, imploring her to pray to Jesus for them.