Don't remember that one, is that a new feast? I only remember the May Crowning of the statue of Mary where we would sing
Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing; You reign now in splendor with Jesus our King. Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!
In heaven, the blessed your glory proclaim; On earth we, your children, invoke your sweet name. Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!
We pray for the Church, our true Mother on earth, And beg you to watch o'er the land of our birth. Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!
Of course we were taught to adore Mary. Without her we wouldn't have Jesus. She is our mother, because she is the mother of our Savior. We can ask her for help (and believe me I do) but I'm sorry, I just don't remember being taught that I can't ask Jesus to help me without getting an ok from Mary first.
I'm thinking maybe I am not the best student though.
I went to Catholic school before Vatican II, earlier than each of you I'll wager. I never, ever, heard that the only way to Christ was through Panagia. I also never heard such a thing in Orthodoxy save the comment by +Gregory Palamas. I respect his opinion; it may theolougemma (I doubt even that) but it is not by any means the dogma or doctrine of the Orthodox Church. As for Fr. Meyendorf, well I guess he has his opinions, but they are nothing more than that.
As for the feast you mentioned, HC, it must be some sort of VII innovation, either that or the Irish Sisters of Mercy didn't celebrate it; May Crowning, yes. I even remember parts of the hymn we used to sing at it. It was quite nice. To the best of my knowledge, at least in the 80s when I was president of the local school board for one of the Roman Catholic parishes, neither the feast you mention nor the May Crowning were celebrated then.