Pedophilia is a sin ... plain and simple. And it's a crime that the perps should be punished for. I never said I was comfortable with the cover ups. All I said was it's not good Christian behavior to take cheap shots at memebers of the RCC over the issue. I'm hoping that the onslaught of charges against priests lately will finally be the last straw and the the RCC will clean house. I used the Dallas Diocese as an example of that, not as an excuse to remove myself from the other dioceses that are in the hot seat now. If you remember, Dallas had it's own problem a few years ago with Rudy Koss. He is now in jail, the diocese took a major financial hit that we, the congregation, ended up having to pay, and they have now put in some serious checks and balances to ensure that this doesn't happen again. I hope that the other dioceses will look to Dallas as a model.
"Are you waiting for a topic change, so you don't have to answer my question about the prayer you posted. Or are you off with the caucas trying to figure out a good spin for it."
"Ok, the topic is changing, it is safe too come out now."
Sorry, my kids had a 1/2 day of school yesterday, they brought 3 friends home and I work nights. This morning my Dad came to visit and my daughter is home sick. And, it is 70 degrees here in Massachusetts. :-) I was not avoiding your posts or waiting for a topic change, I was just too busy to be able to post until now.
You have been telling us over and over that you only ask Mary to pray for you when you pray to her.
"This prayer asks Mary to bestow gifts on you. How can this not be asking for more that for Mary to pray for you. Your silence is speaking volumes. "
Prayer to Mary, Mother of Grace
It becomes you to be mindful of us, as you stand near him who granted you all graces, for you are the Mother of God and our Queen. Help us for the sake of the King, the Lord God and Master who was born of you. For this reason, you are called full of grace. Remember us, most holy Virgin, and bestow on us gifts from the riches of your graces, Virgin full of graces.
Of course I pray to Mary! She is my mother in Heaven. If you read the prayer in context, for one sentence builds on another, you can see that first it is stated that Mary stands NEAR God, not beside Him or above Him and He has bestowed ALL of her Graces to her. We are asking her to remember us and asking her to bestow some of the gifts (Graces) He has given her. This asking of course, does not preclude or take away from God - we worship God and beg Him to bestow us with Graces. Keep in mind that I view Mary as my mother in Heaven, and just like I do with my children, will share what she has.
One of the differences between us is that as a Catholic, I belong to one huge family. I believe that I have my earthly family, brothers and sisters (including you) and in Heaven, I have my Mother and Father in Heaven, and of course, my brothers and sisters who have gone before me. We are "The Communion of Saints." Therefore, there is no difference when I ask you or the Virgin Mary or St. Paul to pray for me. They have died the earthly death, but they are now alive with God.
You call this "necromancy" - it is not. 1. Necromancy is the prediction of the future by supposed communication with the dead, or, 2. witchcraft. (Oxford Dictionary). And yes, necromancy is forbidden in mosaic law as cited in Deutronomy. Praying to the Saints with God is not necromancy - we are not trying to "commune" with them.
As far as praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Saints, I believe you think that Catholics "rank" them with God Himself. No, rather, they sit at the Throne of God. He has raised them to share in His Glory. He doesn't sit alone with His Glory, worried that one of his creatures will usurp some of it, else why would He promise anyone a share in His Kingdom? Through Mary and the Saints, we can see the Glory of Him, but they are closer and have attained His promised Glory, we merely ask them to help us strive to attain the same by uniting our prayers with their more perfect ones or by asking them to pray for us.
St. Paul calls the Church the pillar and ground of truth - and from very early on, the church has taught (and this includes the Orthodox and some Anglican churches as far as I know) that to ask for the prayers of the Saints or the Blessed Virgin Mary is a part of the ancient lineage of Christians.
Just so you don't think I am avoiding you, my daughter is home, my son will be home and I have to go to work - I probably will not have time to reply to you very quickly.