If I may offer a thought on “almost almighty,” I think the very point of the matter is that the degree of power attributed by some to Mary, by an accumulation of attributes, seems to approach that of full divinity. Think “asymptotic curve.” :)
And if you stumble on the math, I submit that you have missed the point, which is that some folks really do have a difficult time distinguishing Mary from deity, and I have Catholic relatives to prove it.
So the proper category is psychology, not math. People, as you must know, are capable of growing all kinds of illogical and inconsistent thoughts in the same mental garden. All they need is an excuse, and the phrase in question gives them precisely that. It was ill-advised, and the concern of Nestorius that it would be abused has turned out to be rather well founded.
Peace,
SR
Now you can be charged with mind-reading, which of course pagan idolaters could respond with to justify their bowing down before a statue and giving offerings to them, beseeching the heavenly entity they represent for help as dispensers of grace, as if they could hear all such prayers, while no one in Scripture ever addressed created beings in prayer to Heaven, let alone pray before statues of them.