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This month with Fr. Steve Worsley

Dear NC Catholics:

How do I answer the question, "Why do Catholics worship Mary?"

Thank you for asking. I love that question. It reminds me of how often we are invited to share our faith with friends and even strangers. My first response, if I'm quick, is to be sure I'm smiling. For a smile, much more than a look of consternation or annoyance, increases the odds that the questioner will actually listen to my answer. Then in my best southern accent I reply, "Of course Catholics don't worship Mary. No Christian would ever do that."
The person's reaction to my answer then typically sets up one of three possible dialogues that I'll refer to as Scene I, Scene II and Scene III.

In SCENE I, my protest that Catholics don't worship Mary prompts my friend to say, "But I've seen her statue in your church."
To which I respond, "Do you have pictures of your family in your wallet or at your home?"

"Yes, but that's just to remind me of them. I don't worship my wife or kids!"

"But you do keep pictures of people who are important to you?"

"Yes, of course. That's just natural."

"Well Mary and the saints are important to us. We think of them as part of our family. In fact everyone who has ever lived and believed is part of our family – the church. We don't worship them. But we do pray to them."

"I thought so. Praying to Mary is the same as worshipping her!"

"Well, praying can be a form of worship, but it isn't always. I think of praying as talking with someone who is in heaven. When I pray to God, yes, I'm worshipping God. But when I pray to Mary or the saints, that's different. When someone in your family is sick, do you ask your pastor and your friends to pray for her?"

"Yes."

"Well when I pray to Mary or the saints, I'm doing the same thing. I'm asking them to pray for me or someone I'm concerned about or someone I love. Just because a person is in heaven doesn't mean they can't pray for us. In fact they're ideally situated to do just that. When I pray to someone in heaven other than Our Lord, I'm asking them to pray for me or others who are in need."

In SCENE II, my assertion that Christians would never worship Mary leads my friend to mumble something about Catholics not being Christians. To which I respond with a smile, "Of course I'm Christian."

My friend might assert, "But I've never heard a Catholic profess Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior."

In that case, I'd ask, "Can you show me in the Bible where I'll find the words 'profess Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior'?"

"Well the Bible doesn't use those exact words. But that's what it means."

"If the Bible doesn't use the words 'personal Lord and Savior,' perhaps it's possible to profess faith in Jesus in a different way. In my family, men never say to men, 'I love you.' Do you suppose that means we don't love each other?"

"No, I guess you just show it in different ways."

"Right. And while Catholics accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we may not use those precise words. If you're curious about what Catholics believe, you can find a short summary in the Creed. Longer accounts can be found in the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church."

In SCENE III, it appears my questioner isn't really interested in what I believe, but only in telling me why I'm wrong. An emphatic declaration that "Catholics aren't saved!" would be a not too subtle clue. If I'm short on time, or simply don't want to share something I hold precious as my faith with someone who is showing little respect for it, I may ask, "Will you pray for me?"

This simple question has a remarkable way of bringing the conversation to a quick end. If it does, I'm happy for an opportunity to exit gracefully from a potentially frustrating situation. And if the other person does pray for me, so much the better.

Only occasionally, if I detect a smug air of superiority on the part of the other person as he walks away, I may quietly add, "And I'll pray for you too!" It seems only fair. After all, asking God to bless our sisters and brothers is always a good and proper thing to do.