Catholics do not worship the saints, angels, or Mary.  When we "pray" to them, we are simply asking them to pray to God for us.  When Catholics use the word "pray" in the context of intercessory prayer we are using the word in a manner which means "to ask".  The saints, angles, and Mary are all fully alive in heaven and they are part of our heavenly family. Catholics believe that God allows those in Heaven to hear our petitions to them.  No Catholic prayer to the saints, angles, or Mary ever treats them as divine or equates them with being equal to God.

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"‘And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? He is not God of the dead, but of the living . . .’" (Mark 12:26-27) .  The Saints are not dead they are alive in heaven – more alive than we are on Earth.

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."  (Mt 17:1-4), Elijah and Moses “appear” to Jesus and 3 disciples. Was Jesus breaking his Fathers commandment by going against Deut 18:10-12 and calling up the dead?  No!  

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely . . ." (Heb. 12:1)

"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 5:8)

“And another angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer: and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne of God.” (Rev 8:3)

”And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel. (Rev 8:4)

“the prayer of a righteous man has great power in it’s effect” (James 5:16)  If no one on earth is righteous as some protestants believe then James must be referring to the Saints in heaven in this passage.  

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angles always behold the face of God” (Matt. 18:10)  If the angles know wouldn't also the Saints.

“For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God. (1Pet.4:6)  If the dead can hear the prayers why can’t the Saints who are in heaven?  This verse also supports the Catholic belief in Purgatory.

“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Rev. 19:16)

“Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality”. (Rom. 12:13)

“that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,” (Rom. 15:31)

“For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”  (Philemon 1:7)

Why pray the Rosary?
Don’t think of your religion as only “me and Jesus” we are part of the Holy Family with God the Father as the head.  Mary and the Saints are part of that family and they teach us how to honor Christ.  What father wants you to isolate yourself with only him and his son and ignore the rest of his family?  Spiritually, Mary is our Mother and that’s why we venerate her and ask her to pray for us. Sort of like how a son/daughter will go to his/her mother and ask for something where “Dad” had the ultimate say in the matter”  Jesus honored his Father and Mother perfectly and if we are to imitate Jesus we should honor those who he
honored.  4th commandment “honor thy Father and Mother”.  

A few last things to consider..........

1. Catholics agree that Jesus is the “sole mediator between God and man”. Jesus is the only one who is true God and true man; only by Jesus' blood are we saved; but, as members of Jesus' Body, we can share in His role as mediator as He allows us to.

2. Moses, Abraham, Job are examples of mediation and intercession between God and man; praying for one another here on earth is an example of mediating and interceding between God and man

4. Catholics are often accused of going against this Old Testament passage when we "pray" to the Saints and Mary:  “There shall not be found among you any one who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, any one who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD; and because of these abominable practices the LORD your God is driving them out before you.” (Deut 8:10-12)  This passage is referring to the occult and pagan worship and not to the Saints who are alive in heaven.  Catholics are not trying to raise the “dead”or have the Saints appear before us.

5.  Most non-catholics will say that the Bible never specifically says that the souls in heaven can hear us so this means that it is useless to ask those in heaven to pray to God for us.  There is no reason to believe that these souls in heaven cannot hear us if God allows them to do so.  It's also important to note that the while the Bible doesn't specifically state that the souls in heaven can hear us it also doesn't specifically state that they can't hear us.  So, at the very least Catholic's are not going against what the Bible says.  Remember, even the Trinity is not defined in the Bible yet every non-catholic Christian believes in it.

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