[wideawake]

(1) By "own identity" what is meant is the traditional practices of Lutheran culture - including liturgical forms and hymns, their calendar of holidays, traditional vestments, their historic translation of the Scriptures, etc.

(2) Catholics do not "pray to" the saints or Our Lady.

Nor do we hold to superstitions.

And both Lutheran and Catholic churches have statuary. They're not mosques.

[redgolum]

I have seen Lutheran churches with a St Frances statue.

Seemed odd, till I studied the history. Those churches came from Southern Germany/Saxony.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Actually, I'm a Catholic and I pray to Our Lady.

:o)

But only in the sense that I pray to wideawake and Lee N. Field, e.g. if I ask you to pray to God for me. I believe in intercessory prayer.

The misundersrtanding happens when people erroneously suppose that "pray" is synonymous with "adore".

"Pray" in this context just means "ask earnestly" as in the phrase one might hear at a trial, "The petitioner prays that this honorable court consider..." etc. etc.

OK, carry on...