I always thought that was the deal.
Understandable.
Roman Catholics have been wrongly taught that Mary's prayers are somehow more effective than a mere mortal's prayers.
This is in contradiction of the New Testament.
However, in the NT all prayer is directed to God. We can go straight to Him and He will answer our prayers.
4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NASB
13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:13-15 NASB
I never saw it as more effective just extra help
I am not much of an intellectual religious person. But it would seem if someone says they are not praying to the statue you might take their word for it.
My old man would talk to his parents who had died. I'm not sure if it was praying or not. (Or maybe when you are “talking” to dead people - that is the definition of praying?)
I think it is in Hebrews where it talks about the great cloud of witnesses (saints - small ‘s’) that have gone before us that he might have been thinking of. But also in Hebrews there is lots of stuff about coming directly before the throne of God with prayer.
I always thought it was a bit odd him thinking of his folks that way. He had a large Pentecostal presence when he grew up, so maybe that's where that comes from. I often WISH I could talk to my folks again!