Hail Mary
full of grace
the Lord is with thee
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus
Holy Mary, mother of God
PRAY FOR OUR SINNERS
now and at the hour of our death
We do not pray to Mary, we ask her to pray for us.
Have you never asked someone to pray for something, or had someone ask you to pray for them or a loved one? I'm willing to bet that you have. So why exactly is it a problem to ask Mary, the mother of Jesus, to pray for us when it is perfectly acceptable to ask Joe Schmoe to do the same thing?
Mary of the New Advent, we implore your protection on the preparations that will now begin for the next meeting [World Youth Day]. Mary, full of grace, we entrust the next World Youth Day to you. Mary, assumed into heaven, we entrust the young people of the world ... the whole world to YOU. (August 1993, Denver, Colorado, Pope John Paul 11).
Why call her holy? Didn't Jesus say when he was on Earth that there was nobody good but the Father?
Don't bother with the Catholic haters, their history in this country (with or without sheets) is too deep. Stick with what you know and let them do the same.