Praying to Mary

Asking Mary to pray for us is no different from asking a friend on earth to pray for you. Catholics believe in the "Communion of Saints," which means that those in heaven are still part of the Body of Christ.

James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Who is more righteous than she who was "full of grace"? We don't pray to Mary as if she is the source of the grace, but we ask her to intercede with her Son on our behalf, just as she did at the wedding at Cana.