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I went to Catholic grade school and high school. I taught CCD for years. When a priest questioned why my mom, sister and I had a bible, we told him we were reading it. He told us we should not and we can't understand it, only priest can. After many more things happening, we left the church.I am an Evangelical Christian who attends a church that teaches the word of God. My grandmother, who also left the church had a question maybe you can answer. I ask this with respect, because I do not want to see Catholics and Protestants divided.

Why does God love the rich more than the poor? They can afford to pay and have there loved one get out of purgatory sooner because they can have masses($) and novena's(%)said and candles lit ($) for their dead.

I use to have to knee before a statue of Mary, pray, sing and praise her.

Daily, Daily Sing to Mary
Daily, daily sing to Mary,
Sing, my soul, her praises due.
All her feasts, her actions worship
With the heart's devotion true.
Lost in wond’ring contemplation,
Be her Majesty confess’d.
Call her Mother, call her Virgin,
Happy Mother, Virgin blest.

She is mighty to deliver.
Call her, trust her lovingly.
When the tempest rages round thee,
She will calm the troubled sea.
Gifts of heaven she has given,
Noble Lady, to our race.
She, the Queen, who decks her subjects
With the light of God's own grace.

Sing, my tongue, the Virgin's trophies
Who for us her Maker bore.
For the curse of old inflicted,
Peace and blessing to restore.
Sing in songs of peace unending,
Sing the world's majestic Queen.
Weary not nor faint in telling.
All the gifts she gives to men.

Prayer
Consecration to Mother Mary

My Queen and my Mother, I give myself entirely to you; and to show my devotion to you, I consecrate to you this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve. Therefore, good Mother, as I am your own, keep and guard me as your property and possession. Amen.

It seems like the Obama administration wants nothing more than to divide the Catholics and Protestants. We Protestants have your back with what obama is trying to force on the Catholic Church. We probably don't want to help him divide us. We each will stand before God and be judged. I'm relying completely on Jesus death on the cross, because I know my church, my works, and no other person will get me into heaven.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through. John 14:6

We each will stand before God and be judged. I'm relying completely on Jesus death on the cross, because I know my church, my works, and no other person will get me into heaven.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through. John 14:6

I agree. But I also believe that Jesus graciously and lovingly gave us many tools to use to help us in our journey to him, including the Bible, prayer, other humans who share the Gospel with us, instructors who help us learn the teachings of God better, and the Church which Jesus himself promised to build, for a very good reason. He did not build it just to pass the time.

Now the consecration to Mary to my mind is a kind of antiquated way of reaffirming what Jesus said from the cross. When he said, "Father, forgive them...", he not only meant it for the people actually there that day, it would end up applying to all of us down through the ages. Likewise, when he told John, "Behold your Mother" and told his Mother, "Behold your son", many Christians believe that applies not only to simply John, but to all Christians down through the ages too, so she becomes in a sense our Mother too, and we become her children. Those dedications just serve to reaffirm that, using colorful language.

Also, I deeply share your desire that we Christians not be divided. I am pretty sure that none of us perfectly understands everything God is trying to teach us, and ALL judgment will be done by God, not by any of us.

Wow...and Heart Rest in his posting says that Protestants are wrong when we accuse Catholics of Mary worship...

(”I use to have to knee before a statue of Mary, pray, sing and praise her.

Daily, Daily Sing to Mary
Daily, daily sing to Mary,
Sing, my soul, her praises due.
All her feasts, her actions worship
With the heart’s devotion true.
Lost in wond’ring contemplation,
Be her Majesty confess’d.
Call her Mother, call her Virgin,
Happy Mother, Virgin blest.”)