[RobbyS]

I don't use such language myself, nor am I required to. If you want to know where Mary figures in the Church, just reflect on the fact that in the mass,in the Holy Liturgy, Mary is mentioned only twice and in passing. Private devotions to the Virgin can be excessive, and to some Catholics devotions to particular visions, such as Fatima, can make up a the greater part of their prayer life. On the other hand, consider the contents of an old prayer book I have, copyright 1942. Of 300 pages of prayers, about twenty are to Our Lady and that includes three hymns. To give you an ida of the flavor of those prayers, consider this moring prayer:

An act of adoration

O great God, the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, O prostrate myself before Thee. With all the Angels and Saints, I adore Thee. I acknowledge The to be my Creator and Sovereign Lord, my first beginning and last end. I render to Thee the homage of my being and life. I submit myself to Thy holy will; and I devote myself to Thy divine service, this day and forever. I wish and purpose to gain today all the indulgences which it is possible for me to gain.

I trust you don't find anything especially offensive about this, except perhaps the use of the word "indulgences," which in this case however does not have the meaning you recognize but the broader meaning of "favors granted."

[biblewonk]

Private devotions to the Virgin can be excessive, and to some Catholics devotions to particular visions, such as Fatima, can make up a the greater part of their prayer life.

Most RC's will admit this when faced with the likes of Demontfort and who ever that pope was that we were quoting a while ago. Most RC's are not aware of extreme Marianism. That really doesn't change the fact that, by design, these excesses, read idolatry, are encouraged. Maybe the excess isn't what you would consider idolatry but by some RC definitions of the word, it is impossible to achieve.