'Our Lady'

[Le Chat]

I'm sure this must've been asked before at some point (but I don't know how to find out!!)
Why is the Catholic Religion so keen on The Virgin Mary?
They seem to pray to her rather than God, as though she is able to 'answer prayers' when I was under the impression (wrongly?) that only God could answer your prayers.
I get that she gave birth to Jesus, which is a big deal but as far as the Bible goes, there's not an awful lot more about her....or is there?
The same can be said of praying to various saints. Why use (as I see it) a third party. Why not just pray to God directly? Is he too busy?

[mike11111]

I fully understand, Wharton. It is what we are brought up to be. I was reared as a staunch member of the C of E, the Book of Common Prayer 1662 et al. Both Romanism and Methodism were regarded with equal disdain, not to mention the Holy Rollers in the Pentecostal church. What Our Lord must think of us all, not to mention Our Lady, I dread to contemplate.

[Wharton]

I'll say a prayer to St. Jude for us all tonight mike (Christ knows, it might work).

[mike11111]

Please do pray to Blessed St Jude for me, for if ever there was a lost cause, I am it.

[Wharton]

Saint Jude, glorious Apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the true Church invokes you universally as the Patron of things despaired of; pray for me, that finally I may receive the consolations and the succour of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings, and don't forget mike11111.

Hope things turn out ok for you mike.

[mike11111]

"...and don't forget mike11111". If that doesn't work, nothing will, but just to be on the safe side:

Ave Maria
Gratiae plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus fructis ventri tui Iesus
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.

[birdie1971]

The story of The Virgin Mary:

Mary, at around the age of 12 years old, was betrothed to be married to Joseph. Then one night, the angel Gabriel came to her in a dream and told her that she would be spiritually impregnated and would give birth to the son of God. This paranormal insemination then duly occurred. Later, Joseph was also visited in a dream by an unnamed angel who told him that his bride-to-be had already been made pregnant by the Lord Himself and that he should continue to marry Mary. Joseph was 'surprised' by this but nevertheless continued with the marriage.


How credulous and lacking in rationality does one have to be in order to accept that the above story is literally true? Seriously folks, it's the kind of story that an eight year old child would find hard to believe. How do we know that Mary and Joseph were visited by angels? It's just hearsay of the most dubious kind.

As long as I live and breath I will never understand why grown men and women believe such apocryphal nonsense.

[tamborine]

Catholics hold VM in special esteem for being chosen to birth the son of Our Lord. As explained in the prayer, Hail Mary.

RCs choose a saint as their guardian angel when confirmed into the faith.

[mike11111]

Where do you get the bit about twelve years old from? If you're going to have a pop at least back up your prejudices with authoratitive sources.

[birdie1971]

Hi Mike,

http://en.wikipedia.o...%28mother_of_Jesus%29

From the above, “... She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. In keeping with Jewish custom, the betrothal would have taken place when she was around 12, and the birth of Jesus about a year later...”


The reference comes from here...
http://books.google.c...e&q=betrothal&f=false

[Wharton]

birdie1971
It's anti Roman Catholicism we're talking about.

[mike11111]

I asked for authoratitive sources and you quote me Wikipedia? God save us all! (and Mary too).

[birdie1971]

↑

And your authoritative sources are...

[tamborine]

Where does it say Mary was 12 birdie?

The tomes of christianity & islam were dreamt up by imbibing, hookah layabout arabs, being waited on by their enslaved females.

[Wharton]

mike, say a prayer to jude for birdie

[birdie1971]

Actually Mike, I gave you the source of the Wikipedia entry...

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation


Good enough?

[mike11111]

The Gospels according to Saint Matthew and Saint Luke. And before you start taking the Fosters they are as valid as Wikipedia,

[Wharton]

Jude, I hope you're listening to all this.

[birdie1971]

↑ Yes, I'm sure Jude has the internet...

[mike11111]

Wharton, I'll try my best, but there are so many lost souls to pray for that I worry that Our Lord and Our Lady may not be able to keep up with our petitions.

[birdie1971]

Mike - “... The Gospels according to Saint Matthew and Saint Luke. And before you start taking the Fosters they are as valid as Wikipedia...”

By your dismissal of my Wikipedia link then I assume you mean that Matthew and Luke are equally invalid as sources of reliable information?