Why do Catholics pray to Mary and honor her?

Across the Potomac River in Washington are two large temples filled with god-like statues of men. But the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials are not symbols that Americans worship these past presidents, said Father Hanley of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. “We’re honoring them because they did great things for our country,” he said. “It’s very similar with Mary except we have a more supernatural outlook because we honor Mary as someone we know is still living and who hears us.”

“Our Lady is the highest work of God,” said Father Hathaway, rector of the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, Virginia. “In her sinlessness, in the role that she plays in the mystery of salvation — bringing Christ to earth and nurturing him and continuing to mother the church. So when we honor her, that’s very pleasing to God.”
God the Father enjoys including those he loves in his works, said Father Rampino, a student at The Catholic University of America in Washington. “When we’re asking the Lord for something through the saints, it’s not as though we’re assembling a crew of heavenly lawyers to plead our cause before God who would rather not give us anything that we want but if he’s convinced by his favorite people maybe he’ll do it,” he said.

“Rather we’re giving honor to God by including those whom he has loved, by including those whom he’s outfitted for particular work,” said Father Rampino. “Something similar is happening where Our Lady has been included in God’s greatest plans. So by honoring her in that way we honor his work, we honor the things that he has done, we honor the beauty of his plan.”
Bishop Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, asked that Catholics in the diocese have a statue in their home of Mary. “We’re human beings — we need signs, we need reminders,” he said. “We can go directly to God (in prayer). We all know that. But it’s always great to have a friend, a heavenly friend.”

Zoey Maraist,  November 16, 2023

Source (excerpt) www.catholicherald.com