For your information on prayers to saints, Mary and God.
The special veneration due to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church states: 66 “The various forms of piety towards the Mother of God, which the Church has approved within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the dispositions and understanding of the faithful, ensure that while the mother is honored, the Son through whom all things have their being Col 1:15-16 and in whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell Col 1:19 is rightly known, loved and glorified and his commandments are observed.”
There are three levels of reverence that we in this life offer. Latria is reserved for God alone. Hyperdulia is reserved for the Blessed Virgin. Dulia is reserved for all the rest of the heavenly host.
http://www.secondexodus.com/html/catholicdefinitions/hyperdulia.htm
You fail to see the point I am making. First, I don't remember bringing up the topic of Mary worship. The point I am making is that I, a non-Catholic, have a better understanding of the Catachism than most of my in-laws and friends who are Catholic. They can't even begin to explain what is in it, so they can't even attempt to defend it.
They go through motions of "praying" to Mary, and if you accuse them of worshipping Mary, they have no defense to give. They just stare at you with nothing to say. As far as they are concerned, they ARE worshipping Mary, because they have been shown a tradition with no explaination, thus they have no concept of what or why they do what they do.
I may have disagreements with the Catholic Church, but I find that most of the Catholics I know don't understand the teachings they have been exposed to. They go through motions that have no meaning to them, yet they trust in those very actions for their salvation.
How real is their salvation when they have no understanding?