[Salvation]

**The words of Gabriel that Mary was highly favored by God are the source of the position Catholics give to Mary - however praying to her is a huge red flag to me.**

You are totally correct on the first half of your sentence. We ask Mary to intercede and pray for us. We don't worship her......we just respect and venerate her, and ask her to pray for us.

For example, have you ever asked anyone to pray for you? I bet you have. Same thing.

[BlueNgold]

I understand your position, and while I do not agree - I do not necessarily find praying for intercession blasphemous. Christ provided us a direct conduit to the Godhead, and I find such intercession unnecessary and, in fact, somewhat dangerous.

Why do I say dangerous? Excellent question. I say that because the predictable result of such a practice has come to fruition as the problematic Cult of Mary that the HRCC simply refuses to address publicly. While many, and probably most, practicing Catholics have a reasonable and biblical perspective of the Godhead, and are clear that Mary is not part of it, there are too many within the Catholic community who have essentially deified Mary. Because these people tend to be faithful and even energetic members of the congregation the church has been unwilling to chastise and/or publicly instruct them. Rather the papacy seems to encourage such beliefs with the use of terms such as 'co-redemptrix' in referring to Mary.