Actually, I've heard some Catholics say that they do pray to Mary, but that they pray to her that she will pray for them. It's all rather confusing for those unfamiliar or new with Marian prayer.
Using the term the way we do, to pray to means only to ask someone for something. No worship is implied or intended. That is the sense we pray to saints. However, some people feel uncomfortable with that terminology because they think that the term "pray to" denotes worhip. Technically speaking, any time you ask anyone for anything you are praying to them. Take the play
The Importance of Being Earnest for instance. Many times the actors and actress say, "Pray thee tell me." The sense that "pray" is used in that sentence is the way we use it when we say we pray to saints. But Hoonbaba is right. There is a big miscommunication there, so I , personally, try to use term like petition or ask, even though they mean the same thing.
So then would it be safe to say that Christians are to rely on Tradition, as in Oral Tradition (aka Sacred Tradition), and Written Tradition (aka the Bible)?
I would say yes, we are to rely on both under the guidance of the Church.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.
The bible teaches that Jesus is the head of the church (Eph 5:23) and that Col 1:21 implies it as well. I guess this wouldn't negate any of the Catholic teachings on the papacy, or am I wrong here?
Christ is the head of the Church, but He appointed pastors to guide us, and the Pope is the older brother of the shepards. He told His Apostles that those who listened to them, listened to Him; and those who rejected them, rejected Him, too. No one believes tht the Pope is above Christ or has taken His place. No one could. But the ministry of the Apostles and their successors was to feed Christ's sheep and tend His lambs (John 21:15-17). That is their ministry, just as you will one day discern yours. Just as it won't we you alone who performs your ministry, they don't perform theirs alone, either. They have Christ who dwells within them, and His Spirit which comforts them and leads them into all truth. We aren't in this alone, Christ guides even the shepards he left to tend to us. The Church isn't some abstract heirarchy or denomination, it is us, gathered together as a family in true unity. We are all together the Catholic Church. A Bishop has a different ministry than I do, but we are all brothers, no more and no less a part of the Body of Christ. We all complement each other in the Body of Christ, and none of us does our part apart from the power of Christ, which is the Holy Ghost.
God Bless,
Neal
P.S. Shuffling through Dave Armstrong's website isn't hard work, it's fun!
