A Visit to a Catholic Church

Today I played for a funeral at a Catholic church 76 miles away.  I play for many funerals and weddings at Catholic churches because they have many Irish-descent families, and they like the bagpipes.

Catholic funerals are always so sad for me, because the liturgy and rituals, including the Mass, only demonstrate how lost they are in their traditions, and how burdened these people are with all the works they feel are necessary for salvation.  In fact, the priest said of the deceased that he was afraid of dying because he didn't think he was good enough to go to heaven!  What a burden!!!

(Of course I never participate - e.g., today I just sat in the balcony until time to play at the end of the service.)

Today, while waiting around, I picked up two items from a display - sort of like a tract rack.  They are such good examples of what is wrong with the doctrine of the RCC that I decided I had to write about them!

This picture is the front side of the first one.  It is posted by the "Knights of Columbus," and the image is titled, "Immaculate Conception," by Sister Marie de i'Eucharistie.

I'm not really sure what some of the images are representing, and it looks like "Mary" has three feet, with one on the snake's head!  The whole picture is sort of bizarre.  Anyway, on the reverse side is the following prayer to "Mary":

"We fly to thy protection, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.  Amen."

If we have Christ as our mediator, and our protection comes from God, why would we pray to a mere dead human for protection?!?!  And how can she provide protection for everyone who prays to her unless she is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent? (i.e., God-like)

The next painting is a scene from the book of Tobias in the Apocrypha.  It is called, "Raphael and Tobias," by Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-1488). 

The prayer on the back of this is called "Prayer for Vocations," and is quite lengthy.  And for more information you can contact the Director of Vocations in Dubuque, IA!

"Saint Raphael, Angel Guardian of our Archdiocese of Dubuque, who stands before the Divine Majesty, and is sent by God to bring healing to those who suffer and help those who journey, hear our prayer.

"As you were an Angel Guide to Tobias, attend now to people still on the way towards discovering, embracing, and living God's plan, whether to be: a priest or deacon in the Archdiocese of Dubuque; a religious sister, brother or father; a wife or husband; or a dedicated single person.

"And then, once having arrived at that destination, be our constant companion as we do our part to carry on the Church's mission, as we imitate Jesus' gift of self in service of others, and as we make our pilgrim way through this life to our true home in heaven.

"St. Raphael the Archangel, pray with us that we will all hear, answer, and live our vocation, for the glory of God and the benefit of others.  And pray too that we will always have priests to heal and help us in the future.

"Conscious of our need and confident of God's help, we say, Amen! May it be so!"

Now, I had some questions while reading this:
1.  How do they know that "Raphael" is their guardian angel?  Did someone in the Dubuque Archdiocese have a vision from God to tell them?  Did "Raphael" visit them?

2.  How do they know that "Raphael" is sent to help "those who journey"?

3.  Why are they praying to an angel?!?!  Is there anywhere in the Bible in which people pray to angels?  Are we ever instructed to pray to angels?

4.  If we can pray directly to God through our mediator, Jesus Christ, what is the purpose of praying to an angel?

5.  If every Catholic prayed to "Raphael," wouldn't that mean that, like Mary, he'd have to have the attributes of God?

It is truly sad that Roman Catholics have been so deceived to the point where they have no idea that they have no need of saints or Mary, because they have ONE mediator between them and God (1 Tim. 2:5), and our prayer are to be to the Father in Jesus' name.