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Nevertheless, we do not venerate her or them. Veneration is reserved for God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, by the inner working of the Holy Spirit. And so, too, our prayers are directed to God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, by the inner working of the Holy Spirit.

You misunderstand the meaning of "veneration." You are talking about ADORATION, or worship. Yes, this is reserved for the Lord, as the Catholic Church agrees.

But veneration is a synonym for "honor." The 4th commandment says we are to honor our mother and father. In other words, we should venerate them, and by doing so, we not only take nothing away from the Lord, we please Him by obeying His commandments.

Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ. We worship the Lord, and we venerate or honor His Mother, because, in imitation of Chirst, we obey the 4th commandment.

The Lord is pleased when we venerate Mary. It shows that we understand and obey His Commandments.

If venerate means to honor, as you claim, would the Catholic church be willing to substitute honor for venerate in its descriptions of Mary and cease praying to Mary (and the saints)? I suspect not, which makes your claim of equivalence implausible.