In this prayer, Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) illustrates both Christian reverence for the Mother of God and the proper understanding of intercessory prayer. We pray to the Blessed Virgin so that she might present our prayers to God and obtain forgiveness from Him for our sins.
Prayer of Saint Augustine to the Blessed Virgin
O blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay thee thy just dues of praise and thanksgiving, thou who by the wondrous assent of thy will didst rescue a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in thy honor, since it is by thy intervention alone that it has found the way to restoration. Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, though they be unequal to thy merits; and receiving our vows, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry thou our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience, and bring forth from it the antidote of our reconciliation. May the sins we bring before Almighty God through thee, become pardonable through thee; may what we ask for with sure confidence, through thee be granted. Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the remission of our sins, and in thee, O blessed Lady, is our hope of reward. Holy Mary, succour the miserable, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy holy commemoration feel now thy help and protection. Be thou ever ready to assist us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it thy continual care to pray for the people of God, thou who, blessed by God, didst merit to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.
this is from about.com
does that make your head explode that your hero St Augustine prayed to Mary?
.
1) Nobody’s perfect.
2) Attributing a quote to “about.com” without any link is meaningless. Where is this prayer from and when was Augustine supposed to have written it? We know the young Augustine was a great deal less mature in his faith that the older Augustine.
3) Augustine’s not “my hero.” You must have me confused with Roman Catholics who “venerate” other human beings when Christ alone is worthy of praise.
Mary did not rescue this world by her will...what an affront to Christ Jesus.....and had she refused, "by her will", God could have certainly moved another individual who would be "willing"....... Further Praying to Mary is in direct opposition to the scriptures which clearly tell us "There is ONE mediator between God and man...and that is Christ Jesus".... alone...there is no other. Catholics tread dangerous ground by attempts to contact and pray to any other entity or thru anyone other than Christ.