Expert: Fr. Michael - 2/8/2011

Question
I have a question regarding the scripture found in 1 Tim 2:1-3.

"1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time."

Is this scripture saying we are only to send petitions to God through Jesus Christ? I am not a Catholic but very much a Christian. I am a member of a non-denominational church in my town. My boyfriend is Catholic... and as far as I'm concerned just as much a Christian as I am. In the 2 years we've been together, there are only a few differences that have come up in our beliefs, one of them being asking Mary to pray on our behalf to Jesus. While this practice is foreign to me, I'm definiately not against him petitioning Mary to pray on his behalf because 1) his motives are geniune and 2) he does pray to Jesus and God, as well.

But today I came across this scripture in my bible study... and it made me wonder... so I wanted to see what a Priest would say about it.

Thanks so much.

Becca

Answer
Sometimes people speak loosely or inaccurately.  Catholics do not literally "pray to" the Blessed Virgin Mary, as if she were a goddess, but pray for the "intercession" of Mary to Christ.  It is Christ, of course, Who is God and the Mediator, but, according to principles given in the Apocalypse of St. John (often called Revelation in Protestant Bibles), the Saints (including Mary) may be invoked as intercessors to Christ.