[ealgeone]

If the Hail Mary were worshipping Mary, that would be a huge problem; but that is not what’s going on. Per Webster’s, to “pray” in a general sense simply means to implore or entreat, i.e., to ask a favor. It does not necessarily imply worship. The Hail Mary is asking Mary to pray to God for us, per the principle that the prayer of a righteous person is “powerful and effective” (James 5:16). As I mentioned earlier in the thread, there are plenty of examples in Scripture of Paul praying (in the sense of asking) other Christians to pray for him.

Catholics have to redefine what worship means to avoid the reality they worship Mary.

The examples you cite of Paul asking others to pray for him differs greatly from the Hail Mary in that:

Paul is not praying to them.

Paul is addressing actual people on earth.

The Hail Mary, when incorporated with the Rosary, is primarily focused on praying to Mary.

All prayer in the NT is directed to God.

[Fedora]

Go find me an offical Catholic document that teaches the worship of Mary. There is no redefinition of "worship" involved. The distinction between λατρεία, δουλεία, and ὑπέρδουλεία is nothing new.

Jesus isn't on earth, either. Are you claiming he therefore isn't an "actual person"?

The Rosary was originally prayed using the Psalms--no "Hail Mary" involved.

[omegatoo]

We’ve been through this...

“And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints:”
[Apocalypse (Revelation) 5:8]

Clearly the angels and ancients (men) in heaven have possession of our prayers. By my interpretation this scripture unquestionably shows that men in heaven pass my prayers along to God. You may disagree with my interpretation, but you cannot deny that it has a biblical reference. Since it is happening in heaven, it must have God’s approval. That means a bit more to me than whether or not it has yours.

Love,
O2

[MHGinTN]

There is a blindness so pervasive that you cannot reason it through for most who are worshipping ‘through’ the Catholic Mary. No matter how you segment their assertions and show the antithetical nature, they cannot be allowed to question their religion ... and it is not Christianity.