Why do we pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary? A big part of our Catholic prayer life involves prayer to Jesus’ mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. We say Hail Mary’s when praying the rosary, many pray the Angelus prayer at 6am, noon and 6pm, and of course we have many devotional prayers and Holy Days dedicated to her. But have you ever stopped and thought about why we pray to her and how she can help us?

To answer that, we need to understand Mary and her relationship with her Son. While Mary is the mother of our Lord, she was also His first disciple. In fact, she is the pre-eminent disciple of her Son. Saint Augustine said, “Mary is more blessed in her discipleship than in her motherhood.” We see that in the wedding feast at Cana where she simply says, “Do whatever He tells you.” She in no way ever wants to outshine her Son. In fact, she has often been compared to the moon that reflects the light of the sun, her Son. 

Mary also longs to intercede for us with Jesus and with the Father. In a book that I just finished reading (Mysteries of the Virgin Mary), Father Peter John Cameron, O.P. makes a unique observation about this role that Mary has for us. “Through her graced maternal mediation, the Mother of God removes all our alibis for not going to God. If we feel unworthy, if we are wracked with guilt, if we are overwhelmed by our nothingness…Mary the Mother of God presents us to God the Father as if we were her only Son.” Or her only daughter. She loves us individually that much.

This role that Mary plays for us has many titles – Advocate, Intercessor, Benefactress, Our Lady of Hope, Mediatrix and many more. Jesus gave Mary to the beloved disciple at Calvary, “Behold, your mother,” which also gives her to all of His Church, meaning us. 

Does our prayer to Mary subtract in any way our prayer to and relationship with Jesus and the Father?The answer is a definitive no. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Mary’s function as mother… in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power.” (CCC 970). The Catechism also speaks to the depth of the relationship Mother and Son have. “Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it.” (CCC 964). There has never been anyone whose will was more closely aligned with Jesus than Mary.

Saint Pope John Paul II had a special and deep relationship with Christ and with Mary. Father Cameron writes of this love, “This indispensable process of drawing near to Jesus, appropriating and assimilating the reality of Christ, happens to us through the rosary. By our praying of the rosary”, and here he directly quotes Saint Pope John Paul II, “we set out on a path of assimilation meant to help us enter more deeply into the life of Christ.” Saint John Paul II further writes, “No one knows Christ better than Mary; no one can introduce us to a profound knowledge of his mystery better than his Mother.” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae). And finally, St. Louis de Montfort in his classic work, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, penned the classic truth, “To Jesus through Mary.”

Will praying to the Blessed Mother help us? Well, Jesus loves his Mother. He gave his Mother to his Church and to us. She is the pre-eminent disciple and is without sin. So, when she intercedes for us to Jesus, he listens. If you are not calling on this Advocate for your petitions to God, you are missing out!