Why do Catholics venerate Mary and the Saints?
We honor the Saints in heaven because they have more perfectly attained God s likeness (2 Cor. 3:18) . The painter (God) receives the accolades when his materpieces (Saints) are praised. Only God is to be worshipped and adored, however, and His grace alone makes saints holy. We are to imitate them, especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, the greatest Saint, who was completely obedient to God and full of His grace. Honoring the Saints is honoring God whose glory is reflected in them. What about repetitive prayers? It is often claimed that repetitous and/or formal prayers are condemned by Jesus in Matt. 6:7 but this does not follow from Jesus words or from the nature of Catholic prayers such as the Rosary. First of all, repetition in and of itself isn t always a bad thing. Jesus was condemning VAIN repetition NOT all forms of repetition. The Greek word used in Matthew 6 means to repeat idly or without meaning. So the Lord is condemning prayers uttered without the proper reverence or respect
