And the fact that Catholics use the word pray to describe requests of Mary likewise does not mean we worship her.
In other words is Mary and many other saints in heaven because we are living in the last day, the day that Christ is lifting us up or is she and other Saints there because of a special resurrection in which i do not believe?
I make no claims to know the details of the actions of God.
There is a certain amount of physical evidence that praying to some of those who have gone before us has a demonstrable effect in this life, in cures of diseases that have no earthly medical explanation. A couple of examples -
Pope John Paul II:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/10783125/The-miracle-that-earned-John-Paul-II-his-sainthood.html
Archbishop Fulton Sheen:
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features/2014/07/01/fulton-sheen-and-the-miracle-of-baby-james/