It’s not a solemnly defined dogma. It is a teaching of the Ordinary Magisterium. As such, every Catholic is required to assent to it.
Saint Paul urges us to offer prayers, intercessions, etc., for one another. This is in no way a usurpation of the functions of Christ and the Holy Spirit. There is therefore no rational basis for holding that if Christians IN HEAVEN offer prayers, intercession, etc., that they are usurping the functions of Christ or the Holy Spirit.
My mother, when she was living in Baltimore, prayed and interceded for me. It is totally irrational to hold that my mother, now that she is living in Heaven, CANNOT pray and intercede for me.
It is preposterous to hold that a Christian can pray in Baltimore, but cannot pray in Heaven.
That's the point....there is a movement to have the pope use his "ex cathedra" to make this an officially approved dogma of the rcc.
Art, it's a simple yes or no question....are you in favor of it.....yes or no?
Other then we are told not to try to communicate with those who have passed from this life.
All due respects to your mom, but like my mom who is in Heaven also, neither one can hear our prayers.
Besides, catholics go way beyond asking Mary to "pray" for them. Ya'll pray to Mary. And please don't say you don't as there are too many examples to prove otherwise.
“It is preposterous to hold that a Christian can pray in Baltimore, but cannot pray in Heaven.”
Well, the Bible clearly warns against communicating with the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:11) There’s that.
Beyond the clear admonition of Scripture, there is no basis to believe she can even hear your prayers. Do you pray to her out loud? Can she hear you all the way from heaven? If you pray silently, does she now possess godlike powers to read you mind? Is she now omnipresent? What if she was never saved? I don’t believe in Rome’s purgatory, but, let’s assume you Rome is right about it, what if she’s still there?
FRiend, the Bible tells us that Christians can go boldly to the throne of grace!
Before addressing prayers to anyone other than the Father by way of Christ, I would remember this: “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)
It is a teaching of the Ordinary Magisterium.
Oh...
Assumiong facts not in evidence.