One of the problems is the difference between popular-Roman Catholicism, or how doctrines are commonly understood or practiced, verses, what the official teaching is—and understood by more educated and sophisticated Roman Catholics.
For example, Rome NEVER officially taught that Purgatory was suffered to pay for guilt for sin, as Jesus did that on the cross, rather, Purgatory was to pay for the duty of penance not completed on earth.... BUT to the common medieval person, Purgatory was UNDERSTOOD to be a long hellish torment to pay for ones sins (before Heaven). So the question is what difference does it make—if most people misunderstand the subtleties of a doctrine, and the Church doesn’t correct that? (This is not to mention the fact that not the slightest notion of Purgatory is found in the bible).
Mary and the Saints are not officially understood to be mediators in the same way Jesus is—but how many Roman Catholics, even devout ones, know that, and practice that? If you always go to a person first, asking them to pray for you...without praying directly yourself—aren’t you IN PRACTICE making that person your mediator instead of Christ?
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and smells like a duck, its a duck. Veneration may not technically be worship—but, in practice, it sure looks that way...
My response:
Abusus non tollit usum
that is, "The abuse of a thing does not invalidate the legitimate use of the same thing."
“Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us trust in the One who as the Servant of God Paul VI affirmed “having been assumed into Heaven, she has not abandoned her mission of intercession and salvation”
Apostolic Exhortation, Marialis Cultus, “ BENEDICT XVI