I often have prayed at the request of others and they have when I ask. Your word warbling aside - and synonyms are NOT definitions - but you knew that, right - you are trying to claim that what we do as Catholics is what you claim we do. That is just ludicrous. BTW if that word is to big, try funny - as in stupid.
So, I assume you're elevating yourself to the same status as Mary????
As far as "word warbling", there isn't much to warble about. There isn't a clear definition of what precisely "venerate" means within the Catholic Church. They just know-hey-it means something special (keep reading).
On one hand Catholics state they're to pray to Mary to intercede with Christ. According to the US Catholic organization, there are over 10,000 venerated saints. Why pick on Mary? She must be busy. What makes her so special?
On the other hand we have the above remark that veneration is no different than asking a neighbor to pray for them. That then again ask the question "Why Mary?"
From the Catholic dictionary:
This has to be one of the most stupid (e.g. ludicrous) statement of belief on New Advent that I have read. I can't even begin to parse this dribble. The idolater credits the image he reverences???? Does anyone REALLY believe that people of old actually thought that a stone statue of Baal or Zeus was, in fact, Baal or Zeus? When people prayed to an idol they were putting their faith in what that idol represented. During Elijah's time they prayed for Baal to come down from heaven-not that the stone statue of him would pop to life. Much to the Baal priests (oops-interesting term) sadness, it didn't work. And this definition of idolatry doesn't fit with what the scriptures states what idolatry actually is-faith in something other than Christ.
Sadly, there isn't any difference between praying to Baal or praying to Mary. But then Elijah had a difficult time convincing his crowd-even when God threw down fire from heaven.