New Youth Council members on faith
The newly constituted Youth Council for the diocese met Aug. 25 to plan events for the coming year. Florida Catholic's Peggy DeKeyser talked with members of the diocese's new Youth Council about their Catholic faith.
Published: 09.14.07
2007 - 2008
Youth Council Members
Johana Barrrientos, Pensacola
Laura Blythe, Niceville
Raymond Brown, Crestview
Kylie Dold, Pensacola
Whitney Jordan, Chattahoochee
Megan Manos, Chattahoochee
Christine Mayeaux, Milton
Maris Pichon II, Pensacola
Candice Rhodes, Milton
Chris Struck, Destin
Adult members: Lisa Kurnik, director, Office of Youth; and Marian Maxey, Pensacola
QUESTIONS:
How do you respond when someone challenges your devotion to our Blessed Mother? How do you answer if they ask if Catholics worship Mary? Does this affect your relationship with this person going forward?
ANSWERS:
When someone challenges my devotion to the Blessed Mother, I always try to answer in a kind, unforceful way. I don’t want to push them away from me by shoving my beliefs down their throat or anything. I explain what the church believes and try to help them understand. When someone accuses me of “worshipping” Mary, I have to explain that I’m not worshipping or praying to her; I’m asking her to pray to God for me. Religion is always a hard topic to bring up with people who don’t believe the same things as you. It can be become heated very quickly. I’ve never lost a friend, though.
— Megan Manos, 16, junior, Chattahoochee
We as Catholics do not worship or pray to Mary. We ask for her help and guidance, to intercede for us. It is the same as asking a close friend to pray for a particular need. I respect Mary and look up to her so much for all she did. I try to relate her situation to my life, but I don’t know if I could do the same thing she did. I want to grow stronger in the faith and in love for Our Lord, the kind of faith and love that our mother, Mary, has.
— Laura Blythe, junior, Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Niceville
When one of my friends asks me why Catholics worship Mary, I tell them that Catholics don’t worship her. We see her as a direct link to God.
— Maris Pichon, 16, St. Joseph Parish, Pensacola
When a non-Catholic challenges my devotion to the Blessed Mother by claiming that I worship her and pray to her, I am quick to correct them by telling them I do not pray to Mary, but rather I ask for her intercession because she is a direct link to Jesus. Asking for her prayers is the same as asking a friend to pray for you. I tell them that she is a role model. Often this does not affect the relationship negatively. It either remains the same or strengthens it because, although they may not believe in it, they have a better understanding of what I believe.
— Christine Mayeaux, junior, St. Rose of Lima Parish, Milton
When people challenge me about my devotion to the Blessed Mother, I usually tell them that we don’t worship her as we do Jesus, but instead venerate and honor her as the mother of Jesus. Usually, this doesn’t affect my relationship with friends, because we both have our beliefs and stick to them and it isn’t something we talk about much. We are still going to be friends.
— Raymond Brown, 17, junior, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Crestview
I picture Mary as the window to Christ. When I ask her to intercede for me, I know she will help me in my prayers to him.
— Whitney Jordan, senior, Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More Parish, Tallahassee
I say that she is a role model and that she prays for me and she understands me and speaks to God about me. My relationships aren’t affected much by differences in religion.
— Johana Barientos, junior, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pensacola
When someone challenges my devotion to the Blessed Mother, I try to explain to them that she is one of my friends. You wouldn’t go a month without talking to your friends, so I try not to go too long without talking to Mary. I try to pray a decade of the rosary every day. When someone asks me why Catholics worship Mary or pray to her, I explain to them that we don’t pray to her, we ask her to pray for us. If you were going through a hard time, you would ask other people to pray for you, so why not ask Mary? After all, she is the mother of God.
— Candice Rhodes, senior, St. Rose of Lima Parish, Milton
