The short answer is an absolute NO!
The Catholic Church condemns the worship of anyone or anything other than God! If you would like proof you can read The First Commandment section of The Catechism of The Catholic Church right now by clicking the link.
What about kissing a statue of Mary, or adorning it with flowers, isn't that worship?
To answer that question first I need to ask you something.
What about that looks, or seems like worship to you?
Kissing someone or even something that represents someone we love doesn't show worship, it shows love, honor and respect! Do you worship your spouse when you kiss them? What about a photo of a loved one who has passed on? Do you worship your mother and father when you show them honor and respect? Do you worship your home when you adorn it with flowers, or other beautiful things?
The answer is no, these things are a sign of love and not worship. Likewise we adorn the graves of our loved ones with flowers, and no one says that's worship. In every area of life we show honor and respect to people, and objects which represent people we love by doing these things.
Before the invention of the photograph people had paintings of their loved ones and those they honored. Religious people paint what is known as Icons to represent a Saint whom they love. Statues too have been and are a common way to represent those we admire and honor. Whether they be a Saint in Heaven or an admired person in our culture.
Thousands of people every year visit the huge statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln memorial to honor a great man and no one says these people are Lincoln worshippers. I could go on...
Likewise Catholics use statues and paintings to represent those they love, honor and respect in the same way that we all do! Catholics honor Mary and love her as Christ does. She is not due worship, but honor, and respect, which Christ was pleased to give her in his earthly life and still bestows on her in heaven. Never in the 2,000 + year history of Christianity has the Church taught otherwise.
We see this admiration, love and honor towards Mary when read Scripture.
I am using the King James Bible for these quotes but you should also look them up in your own personal bible for study purposes.
"And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:28 KJV)
"And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord." (Luke 1:41-45 KJV)
"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name." (Luke 1:46-49 KJV)
"blessed art thou among women"
"all generations shall call me blessed"
These prophetic statements are fulfilled in the Catholic Church where Mary is forever blessed, loved, and honored, from generation to generation for 2,000 years!
But, Don't Catholics Pray to Mary?
Isn't That Worship?
When the Church as well as individual Catholics Pray to her it is simply an address, a solemn request. No different than when you ask a loved one to pray for you. Catholics believe Mary and all the Saints are in heaven with Christ worshiping, glorifying him and being glorified with him!
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:16-17 KJV)
Those in heaven pray on our behalf because the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous availeth man much."
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16 KJV)
In conclusion...
Mary wasn't just any woman, "blessed art thou among women!" She wasn't MERELY a vessel that housed the baby Jesus like an incubator, or something. In fact if you talked about anyone's mother with such coldness they probably wouldn't be your friend long.
Why is that? Because mothers especially are due honor, and respect! And not just your mother, or your friends mother, but our Lords mother also. Christ loved his mother and honored her perfectly in accordance with the law (Exodus 20:12).
"Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:2-3 KJV)
If honoring our own mother is so important then how much more important is it to honor the mother of our Lord who's flesh he took for his own in her womb, the same flesh that hung on the cross for our sins!
Christ, who gives us everything he has, including his own mother!
Thanks for reading!
Joanne Utke
For more on this topic please read my other posts linked below.
Mother of Perpetual help prayer found on Social Media, my response.
